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

Abstract

Identification keys are essential to properly recognize taxa, and a photographic key not only addresses that issue but can also attract the interest of the general public if designed correctly. Syrphidae is one of the largest families of Diptera, and the Brazilian Amazon holds more taxon records from this family than currently reported. The aim of the current study was to provide an updated photographic identification key, of easy use and access, to the genera of Syrphidae (Diptera) from the Brazilian Amazon region, and identify previously unrecorded taxa. Through a literature review and study of collection material from several institutions, I found 36 new taxon records for the Brazilian Amazon (15 are first records for Brazil) and provided a list of references with identification keys to species from each genus. The online version of this manuscript has a photographic identification key, with diagnostic pages for each genus, as supplementary material. KEYWORDS: Flower fly; live pictures; Neotropical; online; taxonomy Chave de identificação para os gêneros de Syrphidae (Diptera) da Amazônia brasileira e novos registros RESUMOChaves de identificação são essenciais para reconhecer táxons, e uma chave pictórica atende a essa demanda e também desperta o interesse do público em geral, se for desenhada apropriadamente. Syrphidae é uma das maiores famílias de Diptera, e a Amazônia brasileira possui mais táxons dessa família do que registrado atualmente. O objetivo deste estudo foi prover uma chave de identificação pictórica atualizada, de fácil uso e acesso, para os gêneros de Syrphidae (Diptera) da Amazônia brasileira, e identificar táxons ainda não registrados. Através de uma revisão da literatura e estudo de material de diversas coleções, eu encontrei 36 novas ocorrências de táxons para a Amazônia brasileira (15 sendo primeiros registros para o Brasil) e disponibilizei uma lista de referências com chaves de identificação para as espécies de cada gênero. A versão online desse manuscrito possui uma chave de identificação pictórica como material suplementar.

New generic concepts for orphaned lineages formerly treated as part of the genus Ocyptamus Macquart, 1834 (Diptera, Syrphidae)

“…There was a misidentification of a specimen of Ocyptamus prenes (Curran, 1930a) (INPA-DIP0000246) in the works of Miranda (2017b) and Mengual et al (2018). The specimen is actually a representative of N. cecrops (which still makes it a new record for the state of Amazonas but also makes it a new record for Brazil as well).…”

Revision of the Neotropical hoverfly genus Peradon Reemer (Diptera, Syrphidae, Microdontinae)

“…See Reemer and Ståhls (2013a) for a key to genera of Microdontinae of the world or Reemer (2014) for a key to the Neotropical genera. This genus is also included in the key to genera of Syrphidae of the Brazilian Amazon by Miranda (2017).…”

New record of Cepa apeca (Diptera, Syrphidae, Eristalinae, Merodontini) in the Andean-Amazonian region of Colombia and expansion of its geographic range

“…Cepa Thompson & Vockeroth, 1999 (Eristalinae: Merodontini) is an endemic Neotropical genus of small and robust flies of around 6 mm in length, with a distinctly metallic coloration and punctuated body pattern, concave face, a not greatly pronounced frontal prominence (see Figure 2 in Thompson 2007), with an elongated basoflagellomere that is more than twice as long as the scape and pedicel together, a short scape and the vein M 1 directed towards the apex of the wing (Thompson 1999;2007;Thompson et al 2010;Miranda 2017). Cepa is very rare in collections, with nine known specimens belonging to four described species, exclusively known from female specimens: Cepa alex Thompson, 1999 (Brazil and Paraguay); Cepa apeca Thompson, 2007 (Costa Rica); Cepa margarita Thompson, 1999 (Brazil) and Cepa simonettii Barahona-Segovia, 2019 (Chile) (Thompson 2007;Barahona-Segovia and Barceló 2019).…”

“…All collected specimens were brought to the Entomology Laboratory of Universidad de la Amazonía, where the specimen of C. apeca was sorted, sexed, and identified to genus level using the keys proposed by Thompson (2007), Thompson et al (2010), andMiranda (2017). The species was identified with the keys of Thompson (2007) and Barahona-Segovia and Barceló (2019).…”