Revision of the genus Pelecinobaccha Shannon, description of Relictanum gen. nov., and redescription of Atylobaccha flukiella (Curran, 1941) (Diptera: Syrphidae)

Abstract

Recent phylogenetic analyses of Ocyptamus Macquart, 1834 (Diptera, Syrphidae) confirmed the paraphyly of this genus and provided evidence to divide it into several monophyletic subgroups, of which the largest is the clade traditionally treated as the Ocyptamus tristis species group. This group is here redefined, divided into the genera Pelecinobaccha Shannon, 1927 and Relictanum gen. nov., and revised along with the closely related and newly resurrected genus Atylobaccha Hull, 1949. Twenty-four new species (22 in Pelecinobaccha and two in Relictanum) are described and 35 species (27 in Pelecinobaccha, seven in Relictanum and Atylobaccha flukiella Curran, 1941) are redescribed. Pelecinobaccha is divided into four species groups (P. adspersa species group, P. brevipennis species group, P. peruviana species group and P. susio species group). An identification key, illustrations and distribution maps for all species from this study are also presented.

Unraveling Ocyptamus and the Baccha legacy (Diptera: Syrphidae): redefinition of groups and new species descriptions

“…Type species: Baccha peruviana Shannon, 1927 (original designation). Miranda et al (2014) proposed it as a genus. Baccha tristis species group, in part.…”

“…Very little is known about the natural history of Pelecinobaccha, despite the large number of species. Larval biology is only known for records of P. costata (Say, 1829) and P. squamagula Miranda in Miranda et al, 2014, whose immatures feed on scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccidae) (Rojo et al 2003;Miranda et al 2014).…”

“…Larvae of this taxon have been reported as predators of a diverse range of plant pests such as aphids, soft scales, mealybugs, plant hoppers, whiteflies, and mites (for a review, see Rojo et al 2003). Although larval feeding mode is known for less than 10% of the Ocyptamus species (Rojo et al 2003;Mengual et al 2012;Miranda et al 2014), exceptional feeding behavior is reported for some species (Rotheray et al 2000;Ureña & Hanson 2010).…”

Checklist of the flower flies of Ecuador (Diptera, Syrphidae)

“…For the elaboration of Tables 1 and 2, the most recent Syrphidae classification has been used (Mengual et al 2008, 2009, Thompson 2012, 2013, Reemer and Ståhls 2013a, Miranda et al 2014, 2016, Mengual 2015). Flower fly species recorded in Ecuador are listed in Table 1 in alphabetical order.…”

Non-crop habitats modulate alpha and beta diversity of flower flies (Diptera, Syrphidae) in Brazilian agricultural landscapes

“…The captured insects were preserved in 70% ethanol for posterior identification. Flower flies were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible using identification keys available in Thompson (1999), Thompson et al (2000), Borges and Pamplona (2003), Borges and Couri (2009), Mengual et al (2009), Mengual (2011), Miranda et al (2014) and Miranda (2017). The taxa with no available identification keys were identified by M.N.Morales and by comparison with the material deposited at the Coleção Entomológica Padre Jesus Santiago Moure, Departamento de Zoologia da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil (DZUP).…”