Key to the Eriozona, Leucozona and Flavizona of the World
Well this has turned out to be a challenging group!
Here we have a cluster of genera that contain the Syrphine bumblebee mimics, and a bunch of things with white markings. They're cool, and not so common. In fact many of them are very obscure. A lot of this key is based on verbal descriptions alone - and sometimes not very detailed ones at that - so it needs to be treated with considerable care.
Species included:
Eriozona:
analis, nigroscutellata, syrphoides, tricolorata
Leucozona (Leucozona)
americana, brunetti, flavimarginata, inopinata, kingdonwardi, lucorum, nigripila, pruinosa, virendra
Leucozona (Ischyrosyrphus)
beybienkoi, glaucia, laternaria, sivae, transifasciatus, ussuriensis, velutina, xylotina
Flavizona
dolichostigma
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@edanko - new Key
This is a great key! Even without photos or illustrations, it's rather easy to use.
I think it's ready to be added to the fly guide. Please tag me as well in the future!
ok. I've actually just made an amendment because inopinata can have pale yellow brown scutal pile. In another key it keys out first and I'd failed to take account of that. I noticed because of an ID you made - so thanks for trying it out!!
👍
From couplet 11, L. laternaria and L. glaucia are the only two options that occur in Europe. I keep getting stuck at this point based on scutellum color--can leg color be used instead to separate these two species? If so, maybe possible to add another version of couplet 11 that separates these two species, in the bottom half of couplet 11 or something?
Couplet 2 is confusing to me--at least in North America I think many of us wouldn't consider Leucozona lucorum fuzzy enough to qualify as a "bumblebee" mimic. I'd appreciate an understanding of what "not a bumblebee mimic" means? Thank you!
Moreover, it seems that Leucozona inopinata is extremely similar to L lucorum, and somehow keys out via couplet 9? I'd have trouble getting these past couplet 2. Thank you!
Fair points. It might be better if lucorum and inopinata keyed out directly against each other. I shall think about laternaria/glaucia a bit more: there are some things that could be used in a direct comparison, but variability is an issue
Thank you! I see that you have revised the key considerably.
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