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The subfamily Microdontinae contains slightly more than 400 species of hoverflies and, while diverse, these species share several characteristics by which they differ from other syrphids. The Microdontinae are myrmecophiles, meaning they live in the nests of ants. Larval Microdontinae are scavengers or predators in ant nests, and, in contrast to other syrphid larvae, have no readily apparent body segmentation. Some species also do not exhibit the typical adult flower-visiting behaviour of other hoverflies, but instead remain near their larval host colonies.
Hover flies of the genus Microdon are unusual among the Diptera. Like other members of the subfamily, they are myrmecophiles, meaning they inhabit the nests of ants.
Afromicrodon is an African genus of hoverflies. The species of the genus Afromicrodon were previously and erroneously placed in the genus Ceratophya.
Archimicrodon is a genus of hoverflies. Many of the species in this genus were moved from Microdon by Reemer & Ståhls (2013). Previously, it had been described as having three known species.
Ceratophya is a genus of hoverflies, with five known species. They are distinct from Microdon by the presence of an appendix on vein R4+5. Many species have erroneously been placed in this genus. Some authors place Ceratophya as a subgenus of Microdon.
Chrysidimyia is a genus of hoverflies from Brazil, with only one known species, Chrysidimyia chrysidimima. The genus was described as a small metallic green fly with dense punctation that had an "astonishing resemblance" to chrysidid wasps.
Chymophila is a subgenus of the hoverfly genus Microdon. It was previously considered to be exclusively Neotropical, but is now also known from the Nearctic and Oriental realms, and one species is known from Japan. Chymophila was based on a composite type species: the holotype is a body of C. fulgens with the head of a conopid glued on.
Hovamicrodon is a subgenus of the hoverfly genus Archimicrodon, endemic to Madagascar. Hovamicrodon is distinguished by a particular type of scutellar calcar, being broad and blunt apically.
Kryptopyga is a genus of hoverfly native to Java, containing two species.
Mixogaster is a genus of hoverflies native to North America and South America, with 21 known species. Mixogaster is distinct by lacking an appendix on vein R4+5, having a reduced and bare metasternum, an unarmed scutellum, and usually an appendix on vein M extending in cell R4+5. Larvae are found in ant nests.
Omegasyrphus is a genus of hoverflies, with five known species. These are small Microdontinae flies with a distinctive abdominal shape; the second segment is widened, flattened, and flared, with its lateral margin subcircular, thickened, and rounded, and the rest of abdomen narrowed and cylindrical. Larvae are found in ant nests. They are native to southern North America. The genus was previously treated as a subgenus of Microdon.
Paramicrodon is a genus of hoverflies, with eight known species. They differ from Microdon by their short antennae and the lack of appendices on vein R4+5.
Paramixogaster is a genus of hoverflies, with 25 known species. Paramixogaster has an appendix on vein R4+5 that is absent in Mixogaster.
Pseudomicrodon is a genus of hoverflies, with 14 known species. All are species with petiolate abdomens.
Rhoga is a genus of hoverflies, with five known species. All are small, delicate, pale yellowish flies, with distinct black pilose brushes on their metatibiae. These flies are probably mimics of stingless bees of the tribe Meliponini.
Rhopalosyrphus is a genus of hoverflies, with nine known species. The adults flies mimic wasps, such as Zethus. The larvae are predators of ant brood. They are native to from southern United States to northern Argentina.
Schizoceratomyia is a genus of hoverflies, with four known species. Larvae are found in ant nests. They are native to the Neotropics.
Spheginobaccha is a genus of hoverflies, with 15 known species. The genus is readily separated from other microdons by the incomplete metathoracic bridge, round/oval basoflagellomere, occiput with a dorsolateral crease, and other characters.
Syrphipogon is a subgenus of the hoverfly genus Microdon. There are two known species. They are very large microdontine flies of about 25 mm. They have a deeply sulcate scutellum and a facial mystax. They are mimics of the large bees of the genus Eulaema.
Surimyia is a genus of hoverflies, with three known species. They are small microdontine flies. Surimyia is the only hoverfly genus with the katatergum lacking microtrichia. In the subfamily Microdontinae, they are distinctive in the absence of pilosity on the postpronotum.
References
- 1 2 Xin-Yue Cheng & F. Christian Thompson (2008). "A generic conspectus of the Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) with the description of two new genera from Africa and China" (PDF). Zootaxa . 1879: 21–48. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.1879.1.3 .
- ↑ Reemer, Menno; Ståhls, Gunilla (2013). "Generic revision and species classification of the Microdontinae (Diptera, Syrphidae)". ZooKeys (288): 1–213. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.288.4095 . PMC 3690914 . PMID 23798897.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 F. Christian Thompson & Luciane Marinoni (2008). "The genus Aristosyrphus Curran (Diptera: Syrphidae)" (Abstract). Studia Dipterologica (Supplement): in press.
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