Generic revision and species classification of the Microdontinae (Diptera, Syrphidae)

Abstract

With 552 species group names available (excluding misspellings), the Microdontinae constitute the smallest of the three subfamilies of Syrphidae. Paradoxically, this subfamily is taxonomically the least organized of the three: 388 species names were previously classified in a single genus, Microdon Meigen, 1803. The present paper introduces a new generic classification of the Microdontinae, relying partly on the results of phylogenetic analyses of morphological and molecular data as published in other papers, and partly on examination of primary type specimens of 347 taxa, plus additional material, and original descriptions. A total number of 67 genus group names (excluding misspellings) are evaluated, redescribed, diagnosed and discussed, with several implications for their taxonomic status. Of these, 43 names are considered as valid genera, 7 as subgenera, 17 as synonyms. Two generic names (Ceratoconcha Simroth, 1907, Nothomicrodon Wheeler, 1924) are left unplaced, because they are known from immature stages only and cannot be reliably associated with taxa known from adults. The following 10 new genera are described by Reemer: Domodon, Heliodon, Laetodon, Menidon, Mermerizon, Metadon, Peradon, Piruwa, Sulcodon and Thompsodon. A key to all genera, subgenera and species groups is given. A total number of 26 new species are described in the following genera: Archimicrodon Hull, 1945, Ceratrichomyia Séguy, 1951, Domodon, Furcantenna Cheng, 2008, Heliodon, Indascia Keiser, 1958, Kryptopyga Hull, 1944, Masarygus Brèthes. 1908, Mermerizon, Metadon, Microdon, Paramixogaster Brunetti, 1923, Piruwa, Pseudomicrodon Hull, 1937, Rhopalosyrphus Giglio-Tos, 1891, and Thompsodon. New lectotypes are designated for Ceratrichomyia behara Séguy, 1951 and Microdon iheringi Bezzi, 1910. A total number of 267 new combinations of species and genera are proposed. New synonyms are proposed for 19 species group names. Three replacement names are introduced for primary and secondary junior homonyms: Microdon shirakii nom. n. (= Microdon tuberculatus Shiraki, 1968, primary homonym of Microdon tuberculatus de Meijere, 1913), Paramixogaster brunettii nom. n. (= Mixogaster vespiformis Brunetti, 1913, secondary homonym of Microdon vespiformis de Meijere, 1908), Paramixogaster sacki nom. n. (= Myxogaster variegata Sack, 1922, secondary homonym of Ceratophya variegata Walker, 1852). An attempt is made to classify all available species names into (sub)genera and species groups. The resulting classification comprises 454 valid species and 98 synonyms (excluding misspellings), of which 17 valid names and three synonyms are left unplaced. The paper concludes with a discussion on diagnostic characters of Microdontinae.

Review and Phylogenetic Evaluation of Associations between Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) and Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

“…Available evidence for a few Palaearctic and Nearctic species shows that these species are predators of immature stages of ants (see Introduction). The species for which this feeding mode is known all belong to Microdon s.s. (in the sense of Reemer and Ståhls [19]) and Omegasyrphus. Whether the larvae of other genera of Microdontinae also feed this way remains to be discovered.…”

“…Classification of Microdontinae follows Reemer and Ståhls [19]. Classification of ants is updated to modern standards according to Bolton [27].…”

“…Worldwide, 454 valid species of Microdontinae are known [19], which may be only half or less of the actual species number (estimation by the author based on unpublished data). Approximately 12,500 species of ants are known [20].…”

Identification key for the genera of Syrphidae (Diptera) from the Brazilian Amazon and new taxon records

“…Miranda 2011; Reemer e Ståhls 2013a;2013b;Miranda et al 2014). Species lists were based in the literature (Thompson et al 1976;Rotheray et al 2000;Blatch et al 2003;Borges and Pamplona 2003;Rotheray et al 2007;Thompson 2007a, b;Mengual and Thompson 2008;Borges and Couri 2009;Mengual et al 2009;Morales and Marinoni 2009;Reemer 2010;Thompson 2010;Miranda 2011;Montoya et al 2012;Reemer 2012;Ricarte et al 2012;Reemer and Ståhls 2013a;Miranda 2014;Miranda et al 2014;Reemer 2014).…”

Taxonomic exploration of Neotropical Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) mimicking stingless bees

“…Recent evidence indicates that all of these genus group names represent unrelated taxa, implying that mimicry of stingless bees has evolved several times independently within the Microdontinae (Reemer and Ståhls 2013b). Therefore, the groups have all been given generic status, and the species previously listed under Ubristes were divided over these genera by Reemer and Ståhls (2013a). So far, the taxonomy of the species belonging to these genera has not been studied in detail.…”