Diptera.info

Malaise trap

A large, tent-like structure used for trapping flying insects particularly hymenoptera and diptera. It is a tent-like structure made of a material such as terylene netting and can be in various colours. Insects fly into the tent wall and those with a habits of moving upwards on hitting an onbstruction are funnelled into a collecting vessel attached to the highest point.
The trap was developed by the Swedish entomologist René Malaise.
Links: http://en.wikiped...A9_Malaise (René Malaise), http://www.johnwh...s_trap.pdf (setup instructions), http://www.discov...final.html (calibration for biodiversity sampling, a proposal document)

meral bristles

The curved row of bristles on the meron (=hypopleuron). The meron is the triangular(ish) plate on the side of the thorax above and between the mid and hind coxae (the very basal segment of the legs). The presence of meral bristles distinguishes the Calliphoridae, Sarcophagidae, Rhinophoridae and Tachinidae (which have them) from the Muscidae, Scathophagidae, Anthomyiidae and Faniidae (which don't). The easiest way to find the meral bristles is to find the posterior thoracic spiracle, then look a little below and in front of it.
Links:
http://www.nku.ed...milies.htm First couplet.

meron

Ventral part of the lateral plate of the thorax that is associated with the third segment that originally formed the thorax.
Image given: http://www.dgrc.k...pleura.gif

mesolobus

cercal plate (synonym)

mesonotum

The thorax is composed of three basic segments of which the second (mesothorax is the largest. The mesonotum is the dorsal part of the mesothorax and it constitutes most of the dorsal part of the thorax. It is composed of the prescutum (not differentiated in most Diptera, except for some Nematocera), the scutum

and the scutellum.

Image courtesy of Japan Drosophila Database

mesopleuron

anepisternum (synonym)

metatarsus

first tarsomere (synonym)

misident.

abbreviation of misidentification

misidentification

In taxonomy: taxonomic names for biological species are sometimes widely misunderstood or misinterpreted. Such species may later be referred to under the wrong name, often that of a sister species header=[sister species] body=[The Glossary contains no matching items. It may have been added using different lettering, so you can click the Term to check this. Otherwise, contact the Administrator to report this error. <img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

header=[sister species] body=[The Glossary contains no matching items.<br />It may have been added using different lettering,<br />so you can click the Term to check this.<br />Otherwise, contact the Administrator to report this error.<br /><img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

. This is quite different from synonymy header=[synonymy] body=[1. Being a synonym of another taxon. 
2. List of synonyms, as in list of different names that have been applied to the same taxon. <img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

header=[synonymy] body=[1. Being a synonym of another taxon.<br />
2. List of synonyms, as in list of different names that have been applied to the same taxon.<br /><img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

where the same biological species has two or more names. However misidentifications are often listed in synonymies (lists of synonyms) and sometimes there is confusion between the two.
For example in Ulidiidae:
Homalocephala albitarsis Zetterstedt, 1838 = bipunctata (Loew, 1854)
Homalocephala biumbrata (Wahlberg, 1838) = albitarsis Zetterstedt, 1838: misident. sensu auct.
In the first case two different names have been appled to the same species. These are synonyms header=[synonyms] body=[synonym <img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

header=[synonyms] body=[synonym<br /><img src='../../infusions//terms/images/no_image.gif' style='vertical-align:middle;' />] delay=[0] fade=[on]

.
In the second case unspecified authors have misidentified what is really biumbrata as albitarsis.
In general: Misidentification can also mean an error of identification which does not enter the literature.

mosquito

Vernacular name flies of the family Culicidae.
Links: http://en.wikiped...i/Mosquito

mounting

The preparation of a specimen to that it can be identified and stored in an insect collection. Two common ways to mount insects are pinning and slide mounting. In the first case a pin is put through the insect, as a rule through the thorax. This is then done either though the mesonotum or through the sides of the thorax (side pinning). In the second case the insect is usually mascerated (softened) and embedded in a mounting fluid before it is covered by a cover glas and sealed. In both cases the specimen should be positioned in such a way that necessary characters for identification are visible (for example by spreading the legs and wings and by extracting genitalia) and the specimens should be properly labeled (locality, date, collector, identification).
Links: Online Manual on Collecting and Mounting from Transvaal Museum: go to Equipment for pin details etc; to Preservation for mounting methods; Insect Collection from Massingale's Biology Place.

mydas flies

Vernacular name for the family Mydidae.
Links: http://en.wikiped.../Mydas_fly.

myiasis

The invasion of living tissues of man and other vertebrates by dipterous larvae.
Links: http://en.wikiped...ki/Myiasis;
Two unpublished cases of myiasis

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