Palpada alhambra
(Hull, 1925)
Single-banded Plushback
Palpada alhambra is a of syrphid fly, commonly known as the Single-banded Plushback. It belongs to the tribe Eristalini, whose larvae are known as "rat-tailed maggots"—aquatic larvae with an extensible breathing siphon. The species is found in the southwestern United States.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Palpada alhambra: /pælˈpɑːdə ælˈhæmbrə/
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Distribution
California, Nevada, and Arizona
Ecological Role
syrphid flies are . Larvae in the tribe Eristalini are aquatic that filter bacteria and microbes from organic matter in water.
More Details
Larval biology
While specific larval descriptions for P. alhambra are not documented, larvae of the tribe Eristalini (rat-tailed maggots) possess an extensible breathing siphon that allows them to inhabit low-oxygen aquatic environments including organic-rich standing water, saturated manure, and putrid substrates. The siphon length varies among within the tribe.