Ptecticus

{{Short description|Genus of flies}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Soldier Fly - Ptecticus trivittatus, Woodbridge, Virginia - 22572784886.jpg | image_caption = ''Ptecticus trivittatus'' | taxon = Ptecticus | authority = Loew, 1855<ref name="Loew1855">{{cite journal |last1=Loew |first1=H. |title=Einige Bemerkungen über die Gattung Sargus |journal=Verhandlungen der Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien |date=1855 |volume=5 |pages=131–148 |url=https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/VZBG_5_0131-0148.pdf |access-date=3 February 2023}}</ref> | synonyms = *''Gongrozus'' <small>Enderlein, 1914</small><ref name="Enderlein1914c">{{cite journal |last1=Enderlein |first1=G. |title=Dipterologische Studien. IX. Zur Kenntnis der Stratiomyiiden mit 3astiger Media und ihre Gruppierung. A. Formen, bei denen der 1. Cubitalast mit der Discoidalzelle durch Querader verbunden ist oder sie nur in einem Punkte beruhrt (Subfamilien: Geosarginae, Analcocerinae, Stratiomyiinae) |journal=Zoologischer Anzeiger |date=1914 |volume=43 |issue=13 |pages=577–615 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/30145470#page/593/mode/1up |access-date=19 December 2022}}</ref> *''Pedicella'' <small>Bigot, 1856</small><ref name="Bigot1856">{{cite journal |last1=Bigot |first1=J.M.F. |title=Essai d'une classification generale et synoptique de l'ordre des insectes diptères. 4e memoire. Tribus des Tabani, Nemestrinidii, Cyrtidii et Leptidii (mini) |journal=Annales de la Société Entomologique de France |date=1856 |volume=4 |issue=3 |pages=51–91 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/34154#page/57/mode/1up |access-date=16 November 2022}}</ref> | type_species = ''Sargus testaceus'' | type_species_authority = Fabricius, 1805<ref name="Fabricius1805">{{cite book |last1=Fabricius |first1=Johann Christian |title=Systema antliatorum secundum ordines, genera, species |date=1805 |publisher=Apud Carolum Reichard |location=Bransvigae |pages=i-xiv, 1–373| url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/53432#page/9/mode/1up |accessdate=5 June 2020}}</ref> }} '''''Ptecticus''''' is a genus of flies in the family Stratiomyidae (soldier flies).<ref name=fgsa>{{cite book |last=Picker |first=M.|title=Field Guide to Insects of South Africa |year=2002 |publisher=Struik |location=Cape Town |isbn=978-1-77007-061-5 |pages=272|display-authors=etal}}</ref> The ground colour of the body may be yellow, brown or black, and the abdomen often shows a degree of transverse stripes. They may mimic parasitic wasps in appearance and habits. The wings are often dusky and the second abdominal segment may be translucent. A well-developed inner projection of the second antennal segment is characteristic for the majority of ''Ptecticus'' species.<ref name=revis>{{cite journal |last=Rozkosny |first=Rudolf |author2=Kovac, Damir |title=A Revision of the ''Ptecticus tenebrifer'' species group (Insecta: Diptera: Stratiomyidae) |journal=The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology |year=2000 |volume=48 |issue=1 |pages=103–110 |url=http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/48/48rbz103-110.pdf |accessdate=4 January 2013}}</ref> Their larvae are broad, flat and segmented maggots, which may be found in fermenting fruit. As of 2000, 40 species were known from the Old World alone.<ref name=revis/> There are at least 150 described species in ''Ptecticus'' worldwide.<ref name="Woodley2001">{{cite journal |last1=Woodley |first1=N.E. |title=A World Catalog of the Stratiomyidae (Diptera) |journal=Myia |date=2001 |volume=11 |pages=1–462| url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303225468| access-date=7 December 2022}}</ref> [[File:Soldier Fly - Ptecticus trivittatus, Woodbridge, Virginia.jpg| thumb|''Ptecticus trivittatus'']]

==See also== * List of Ptecticus species

==References== {{reflist}} {{commons category-inline|Ptecticus|''Ptecticus''}}

Category:Stratiomyidae Category:Brachycera genera Category:Taxa named by Hermann Loew Category:Flies of North America Category:Flies of South America Category:Flies of Asia Category:Flies of Africa Category:Flies of Australasia