Myolepta Newman, 1838

Mengual, Ximo, 2022, New species of Myolepta Newman, 1838 (Diptera, Syrphidae) from the Indomalayan Realm, European Journal of Taxonomy 833, pp. 97-120 : 110-112

Key to the Oriental species of Myolepta Newman, 1838

1. Abdomen strongly petiolate, less than half its maximum width at its minimum ( Fig. 6B, E ). Scutellum orange ( Fig. 6A–B, D–E ) ........................................ Myolepta petiolata Thompson, 1971 [ Thailand]

_ Abdomen not petiolate, oval, parallel-sided ( Fig. 4B ) or only slightly constricted basally ( Figs 2A , 3B ), greater than half its maximum width at its minimum. Scutellum partially black ( Fig. 3B, E ) .. ........................................................................................................................................................... 2

2. Legs unicolorous, entirely pale yellow except apical tarsomeres slightly brownish. Thorax densely silvery pruinose. Abdomen mainly orange .................... M. splendens Thompson, 2014 [ Myanmar]

– Legs bicolorous, partially or mainly black ( Figs 2B , 3A, D ). Thorax and abdomen variable, but never as in the previous combination ............................................................................................... 3

3. Antenna long, about as long as or longer than height of face (i.e., distance between antennal fossa and anterior oral margin); postpedicel elongate, more than 2 × as long as broad ( Fig. 3C, F ). Scutellum bicolorous, black basally and yellow to white apically ( Fig. 3B, E ) ................................................ 7

– Antenna short, much shorter than height of face; postpedicel oval, less than 1.7× as long as broad ( Fig. 4A, C ). Scutellum bicolorous or entirely black ....................................................................... 4

4. Thorax with scale-like hairs ( Fig. 4A ). Vein R 4+5 with last section (= petiole) longer than crossvein h and usually longer than crossvein r-m; cell r 4+5 distinctly petiolate ( Fig. 4B ) .................................. 6

– Thorax without scale-like hairs. Vein R 4+5 with last section (= petiole) nearly absent; cell r 4+5 closed at wing margin, not petiolate, or with petiole shorter than crossvein h ............................................ 5

5. Scutellum bicolorous, black with yellow apical margin. Occiput and gena narrow; face not strongly produced forward, with frontal prominence not developed and facial tubercle less prominent. Antenna yellow.................................................... M. mahmoodii Hassan & Bodlah, 2021 [ Pakistan]

– Scutellum entirely black. Occiput and gena broad; face produced forward, with frontal prominence developed and facial tubercle round and prominent. Antenna brown ................................................ ................................................................. M. himalayana Brunetti, 1915 [ India, Himachal Pradesh]

6. Fore femur black on apical 2 / –½ and yellow on basal ½– 3 /; mid femur mostly yellow, except black 5 5 on apical 1 / ( Fig. 5A ). Anterodorsal part of the anterior anepisternum not covered with scale-like 5 hairs grey pruinose, not shiny ( Fig. 5A ). Membrane between tergites and sternites entirely yellow. Male genitalia as in Fig. 5D–I ................................................................. M. iota sp. nov. [ Thailand]

– Fore and mid femur orange, with a black ring at apex ( Fig. 4A ). Anterior anepisternum with area not covered with scale-like hairs shiny black ( Fig. 4A ). Membrane between tergites and sternites 2 and 3 black, between tergite and sternite 4 yellow. Male genitalia as in Fig. 4D–I ............................................................................ M. geras sp. nov. [ Indonesia, West Java]

7. Face entirely golden pruinose ( Fig. 2C ). Abdominal tergite 2 longer than broad ( Fig. 2A ) .............. ........................................................................................ M. graciliventris Wiegmann, 1986 [ Nepal]

– Face shiny medially, at least below antennae ( Fig. 3C, F ). Abdominal tergite 2 broader than long ( Fig. 3B, E ) ....................................................................................................................................... 8

8. Femora and tibiae bluish-black to dark brown ( Fig. 3D ). Abdominal tergite 3 black with a medial golden hairy vitta broadening posteriorly; tergite 4 black basally and orange on apical ⅓, completely covered with thick, golden hairs ( Fig. 3D ) ...................... M. orientalis Thompson, 1971 [ Thailand]

– Femora and tibiae yellow basally ( Fig. 3A ). Abdominal tergite 3 black with a narrow golden tomentose fascia on apical margin; tergite 4 black, without tomentum, medially with black hairs, with scattered white hairs laterally and with adpressed golden hairs medially ( Fig. 3A– B ) ........................................................................................................... M. diaphora sp. nov. [ Laos]

Figures

Fig. 6. A–C. Myolepta petiolata Thompson, 1971, ♀ (ZFMK-DIP-00082511). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Habitus, dorsal view. C. Head, frontal view. D–F. M. petiolata, ♀, holotype (BPBM). D. Habitus, lateral view. E. Habitus, dorsal view. F. Habitus, frontal view. Scale bars: A–B =1 mm; C= 0.5 mm.

Fig. 4. Myolepta geras sp. nov., ♂, holotype (ZFMK-DIP-00082513). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Habitus, dorsal view. C. Head, frontal view. D. Genitalia, hypandrium, lateral view. E. Genitalia, epandrium, lateral view. F. Genitalia, epandrium, dorsoposterior view. G. Genitalia, epandrium, ventral view. H. Genitalia, hypandrium, dorsal view. I. Genitalia, hypandrium, ventral view. Scale bars: A–C=1 mm; D–I =0.1 mm.

Fig. 2. Myolepta graciliventris Wiegmann, 1986, ♂, holotype (USNMENT01754756). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, lateral view. C. Head, frontal view. D. Labels. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 3. A–C. Myolepta diaphora sp. nov., ♀, holotype (ZFMK-DIP-00082516). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Habitus, dorsal view. C. Head, frontal view. D–F. M. orientalis Thompson, 1971, ♀, holotype (BPBM). D. Habitus, lateral view. E. Habitus, dorsal view. F. Head, frontal view. Scale bars: A–C= 1 mm.

Fig. 5. Myolepta iota sp. nov., ♂, holotype (ZFMK-DIP-00082514). A. Habitus, lateral view.B. Habitus, dorsal view. C. Head, frontal view. D. Genitalia, hypandrium, lateral view. E. Genitalia, epandrium, lateral view. F. Genitalia, epandrium, dorsoposterior view. G. Genitalia, epandrium, ventral view. H. Genitalia, hypandrium, dorsal view. I. Genitalia, hypandrium, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B =1 mm; C=0.5 mm; D–I =0.1 mm.