Myathropa of the World
So a tangent to a conversation on this observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/95937009 inspired me to do the following! Why not?
The species covered are Myathropa florea, M semenovi and M usta. There is also a note on 'Myathropa' flavovillosa which is also known as Eristalis or Mallota flavovillosa.
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@christian_heintzen so this happened. Info on Myathropa.
Brilliant, and what a relief that it's such a short key. Getting sidetracked is not always a bad thing! One tends to learn a lot :-). Thanks for this.
Yes, it's nice to have a small genus! The only shame is it doesn't really enable separation of usta from florea if it were to turn up on e.g. Tenerife by boat or something. I couldn't track down the synonymous description of M mallotiformis Frey 1939, but the original description of Eristalis ustus is absurdly sparse:
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/19643#page/135/mode/1up
E. piceus, fusco-hirtus; abdominis basi fulvo interrupte fasciata; antennis pedibusque nigris; tibiis basi fulvis ; alis cinereis. —
Long. corp. 7, alar. 14 lin.
Which I reckon means "E picea (all the descriptions start with the name of another species - not sure why - it's nothing like E picea!), brown-haired; abdomen at base with interrupted yellow band; antennae and feet black; tibiae yellow at base; wing grey."
Looks like a research trip to Madeira is warranted ;-)
It sounds to me like it's saying that M. usta looks just like E. picea except that it is brown-haired, the abdomen at base has a interrupted yellow band, the antennae and feet are black, the tibiae yellow at base, and the wing grey.
Does this help?
Time to dive in: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?taxon_id=70282
also note https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/27192417
But why E picea? If you had to choose an Eristalis, why something so obscure and rare, and not particularly similiar? E picea is similar to E rupium and E obscura, sharing the wing infuscation and yellow hind metatarsus. You may as well just say 'It looks a bit like an Eristalis'! Especially when it really does look a lot like the ubiquitous M florea, rather than any Eristalis. Why not compare to that?
I'm delighted that this rather cursory key has helped uncover iNat's first M semenovi, and confirm the first M usta :D
Note to self: remove semenovi T3 spots fused from this key
Just FYI, but you are probably aware: M. florea might be split up (This species is currently under a taxonomical study and could be part of species complex).
Thank you, yes I'm aware, although I don't know the details. I believe there is a review of the whole genus underway and a number of additional species may be added to it.
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