* Parastratiosphecomyia: This is the genus name. It's a combination of Greek and Latin roots:
* Para-: Meaning "near" or "beside"
* Stratio-: Referring to the soldier fly family (Stratiomyidae)
* Sphecomyia: A genus of flies in the family Stratiomyidae
* -ia: A common suffix for insect genera
* sphecomyioides: This is the species name. It's also a combination of Greek and Latin roots:
* Sphecomyia: The genus name
* -oides: Meaning "like" or "resembling"
Therefore, the full name *Parastratiosphecomyia sphecomyioides* essentially means "a fly that is like *Sphecomyia* and is closely related to the soldier fly family."
Important note: This specific name is a humorous scientific name coined by entomologist J.W.H. Evans, not a true, commonly recognized species. It's known for its extremely long and complex structure, emphasizing the often complex and technical nature of scientific naming.