Copestylum bequaerti, CURRAN, 1930

Rotheray, Graham E., Marcos-García, Maria-Angeles, Hancock, Geoff, Pérez-Bañón, Celeste & Maier, Chris T., 2009, Neotropical Copestylum (Diptera, Syrphidae) breeding in Agavaceae and Cactaceae including seven new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 156 (4), pp. 697-749 : 707-708

COPESTYLUM BEQUAERTI CURRAN, 1930

Larva and puparium: Anterior fold with a wide spicule band. Anterior spiracles present, more than ten openings arranged in a crescent at the fan-like apex and the whole structure longer than surrounding spicules. Crochets of metathoracic prolegs forming a U-shaped band. Thoracic vestiture comprising fine setae, flattened against the integument. Anterodorsal and lateral margins of mesothorax and metathorax with spicules. Anteroventral margin of metathorax with a paired group of numerous spicules of varying sizes becoming shorter posteriorly. Abdominal vestiture comprising short and long setae, long setae confined to middle transverse folds on each segment. Vestiture between prolegs and on final section of anal segment, very short and inconspicuous. Abdominal prolegs with three, transverse rows of black crochets. Sensilla 9–11 on the ventral surface of the anal segment on short fleshy projections. Posterior breathing tube with TR deep and conspicuous. AP dark brown, faintly coriaceous, not strongly shining and 0.7¥ length of TR. Pupal spiracles long and spiracles almost reaching base, about 2.6¥ longer than AP.

Taxonomic notes: The early stages of C. bequaerti are very distinctive because of the large anterior spiracles with 10+ openings, spicules on the anterodorsal margin of the metathorax, long and short abdominal vestiture, and pupal spiracles with openings almost reaching the base. No other species considered here has such a combination of characters. On adult features such as the brush-like form of the arista, C. bequaerti is part of the Marginatum group. On larval characters C. bequaerti is similar to the Satur group species in size, presence of anterior spiracles and sensilla 9–11 of the anal segment on short, fleshy projections.

Material examined: 2 ♀, two puparia COSTA RICA San José, Santa Cruz, Central, Ext. Barra Honda 9.x.1999 Y. Cárdenas ex decaying cactus (INBio); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, two puparia, three larvae COSTA RICA Guanacaste, Santa Rosa, Playa Naranjo 28.vi.2000 DBC, E. G. H., G. E. R. ex decaying H. costaricensis (Cactaceae) (INBio, NMS).