Syrphus

Syrphus sp. (S. vitripennis or S. torvus), copyright Gail Hampshire.

Belongs within: Syrphidae.

Syrphus is a genus of hover flies, most diverse in the north temperate regions, whose larvae are predatory on Sternorrhyncha (Thompson et al. 2010).

Characters (from Thompson et al. 2010): Postpronotum, anterior anepisternum, metathoracic pleuron, and metasternum bare; calypter with ventral lobe pilose, with long, coarse, erect yellow pile dorsally, especially on posteromedian portion; male abdomen with five unmodified pregential segments, tergum 5 visible in dorsal view. Larva brightly patterned; ventral surface smooth, without setae, prolegs or crochets; anal segment without lappets; posterior respiratory process with dorsal spurs, stem of respiratory process long with spiracles not reaching integument, spiracles dark lined.

<==Syrphus
    |--S. abdominalis L02
    |--S. algirus Macquart 1847 E12
    |--S. arcuatus [=Mulio arcuatus] L02
    |--S. bicinctus [=Mulio bicinctus] L02
    |--S. bifasciatus K01
    |--S. bombylans L02
    |--S. caemiteriorum L02
    |--S. fuciformis L02
    |--S. inanis (Linnaeus 1758) L02, L58 [=Musca inanis L02]
    |--S. intricarius L02
    |--S. knabi T81
    |--S. luniger K01
    |--S. nemorum L02
    |--S. novaezealandiae T27
    |--S. pellucens L02
    |--S. pendulus L02
    |--S. phaeostigma TRZ10
    |--S. pipiens L02
    |--S. ribesii TRZ10
    |--S. ruficornis L02
    |--S. scriptus L02
    |--S. shorae TRZ10
    |--S. tenax L02
    |--S. torvus M90
    |--S. tristis L02
    `--S. vitripennis K01

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[E12] Evenhuis, N. L. 2012. Publication and dating of the Exploration Scientifique de l’Algérie: Histoire Naturelle des Animaux Articulés (1846–1849) by Pierre Hippolyte Lucas. Zootaxa 3448: 1–61.

[K01] Kertész, K. 1901. Legyek [Dipteren]. In: Horváth, G. (ed.) Zichy Jenő Gróf Harmadik Ázsiai Utazása [Dritte Asiatische Forschungsreise des Grafen Eugen Zichy] vol. 2. Zichy Jenő Gróf Harmadik Ázsiai Utazásának Állattani Eredményei [Zoologische Ergebnisse der Dritten Asiatischen Forschungsreise des Grafen Eugen Zichy] pp. 179–201. Victor Hornyánszky: Budapest, and Karl W. Hierseman: Leipzig.

[L02] Latreille, P. A. 1802. Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière des crustacés et des insectes vol. 3. Familles naturelles des genres. F. Dufart: Paris.

[L58] Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii: Holmiae.

[M90] McAlpine, J. F. 1990. Insecta: Diptera adults. In: Dindal, D. L. (ed.) Soil Biology Guide pp. 1211–1252. John Wiley & Sones: New York.

[T81] Teskey, H. J. 1981. Key to families—larvae. In: McAlpine, J. F., B. V. Peterson, G. E. Shewell, H. J. Teskey, J. R. Vockeroth & D. S. Wood (eds) Manual of Nearctic Diptera vol. 1, pp. 125-147. Research Branch, Agriculture Canada.

[TRZ10] Thompson, E. C., G. E. Rotheray & M. A. Zumbado. 2010. Syrphidae (flower flies). In: Brown, B. V., A. Borkent, J. M. Cumming, D. M. Wood, N. E. Woodley & M. A. Zumbado (eds) Manual of Central American Diptera vol. 2 pp. 763–792. NRC Research Press: Ottawa.

[T27] Thomson, G. M. 1927. The pollination of New Zealand flowers by birds and insects. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 57: 106–125.