Microdontinae

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Ecdysozoa
Cladus: Panarthropoda
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Classis: Insecta
Cladus: Dicondylia
Subclassis: Pterygota
Cladus: Metapterygota
Infraclassis: Neoptera
Cladus: Eumetabola
Cladus: Endopterygota
Superordo: Panorpida
Cladus: Antliophora
Ordo: Diptera
Subordo: Brachycera
Infraordo: Muscomorpha
Sectio: Aschiza
Superfamilia: Syrphoidea

Familia:Syrphidae
Subfamilia: Microdontinae
Genera (43): Afromicrodon – Archimicrodon – Aristosyrphus – Bardistopus – Carreramyia – Ceratophya – Ceratrichomyia – Ceriomicrodon – Cervicorniphora – Chrysidimyia – Domodon – Furcantenna – Heliodon – Hypselosyrphus – Indascia – Kryptopyga – Laetodon – Masarygus – Menidon – Mermerizon – Metadon – Microdon – Mixogaster – Oligeriops – Omegasyrphus – Paragodon – Paramicrodon – Paramixogaster – Parocyptamus – Peradon – Piruwa – Pseudomicrodon – Ptilobactrum – Rhoga – Rhopalosyrphus – Schizoceratomyia – Serichlamys – Spheginobaccha – Stipomorpha – Sulcodon – Surimyia – Thompsodon – Ubristes
Nomina dubia (2): Ceratoconcha – Nothomicrodon
Name

Microdontinae Rondani, 1845: 451
Synonyms

Aphritidae Fleming, 1821: 55 [name not used after 1899]

References

Cheng, X.-Y. & Thompson, F.C. 2008. A generic conspectus of the Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) with the description of two new genera from Africa and China. Zootaxa 1879: 21–48. Abstract & excerpt PDF. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.1879.1.3 Open access. Reference page.
Pérez-Lachaud, G. et al. 2013: An unusual, but not unexpected, evolutionary step taken by syrphid flies: the first record of true primary parasitoidism of ants by Microdontinae. Biological journal of the Linnean Society, DOI: 10.1111/bij.12220 Reference page.
Reemer, M. 2013. Taxonomic exploration of Neotropical Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) mimicking stingless bees. Zootaxa 3697(1): 1–88. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3697.1.1 Open access. Reference page.
Reemer, M. 2014. A review of Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) of Surinam, with a key to the Neotropical genera. Tijdschrift voor entomologie 157(1): 27–57. DOI: 10.1163/22119434-00002035 Paywall. Reference page.
Reemer, M. & Ståhls, G. 2013. Generic revision and species classification of the Microdontinae (Diptera, Syrphidae). ZooKeys 288: 1–213. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.288.4095 Open access. Reference page.
Reemer, M. & Ståhls, G. 2013. Phylogenetic relationships of Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) based on molecular and morphological characters. Systematic entomology 38(4): 661–688. DOI: 10.1111/syen.12020 Open access.Reference page.

The subfamily Microdontinae contains slightly more than 400 species of hoverflies (family Syrphidae) and, while diverse, these species share several characteristics by which they differ from other syrphids. The Microdontinae are myrmecophiles, meaning they live in the nests of ants. Larval Microdontinae are scavengers or predators in ant nests,[1] and, in contrast to other syrphid larvae, have no readily apparent body segmentation. Some species also do not exhibit the typical adult flower-visiting behaviour of other hoverflies, but instead remain near their larval host colonies (some of these species have no functional mouthparts and cannot feed as adults).[2]

A number of genera (e.g. Masarygus, Paragodon, Schizoceratomyia and Surimyia) lack the "spurious vein" which is characteristic of all other Syrphidae.[3] For other distinguishing characteristics, see Thompson (1969).[4]

Genera

A revised list of the genera in Microdontinae was carried out by Reemer & Ståhls (2013):[5]

Afromicrodon Thompson, 2008[2]
Archimicrodon Hull, 1945
Archimicrodon Hull, 1945
Hovamicrodon Keiser, 1971
Aristosyrphus Curran, 1941
Aristosyrphus Curran, 1941
Eurypterosyrphus Barretto & Lane, 1947
Bardistopus Mann, 1920
Carreramyia Doesburg, 1966
Ceratophya Wiedemann, 1824
Ceratrichomyia Séguy, 1951
Ceriomicrodon Hull, 1937[6]
Cervicorniphora Hull, 1945
Chrysidimyia Hull, 1937[7]
Domodon Reemer, 2013[5]
Furcantenna Cheng, 2008[2]
Heliodon Reemer, 2013[5]
Hypselosyrphus Hull, 1937[6]
Indascia Keiser, 1958
Kryptopyga Hull, 1944
Laetodon Reemer, 2013[5]
Masarygus Bréthes, 1909
Menidon Reemer, 2013[5]
Mermerizon Reemer, 2013[5]
Metadon Reemer, 2013[5]
Microdon Meigen, 1803
Chymophila Macquart, 1834
Dimeraspis Newman, 1838
Megodon Keiser, 1971
Microdon Meigen, 1803
Myiacerapis Hull, 1949
Syrphipogon Hull, 1937[7]
Mixogaster Macquart, 1842
Oligeriops Hull, 1937[6]
Omegasyrphus Giglio-Tos, 1891
Paragodon Thompson, 1969[4]
Paramicrodon de Meijere, 1913
Paramixogaster Brunetti, 1923
Parocyptamus Shiraki, 1930
Peradon Reemer, 2013[5]
Piruwa Reemer, 2013[5]
Pseudomicrodon Hull, 1937[6]
Ptilobactrum Bezzi, 1915
Rhoga Walker, 1857
Rhopalosyrphus Giglio-Tos, 1891
Schizoceratomyia Carrera, Lopes & Lane, 1947
Serichlamys Curran, 1925
Spheginobaccha de Meijere, 1908
Stipomorpha Hull, 1945
Sulcodon Reemer, 2013[5]
Surimyia Reemer, 2008[3]
Thompsodon Reemer, 2013[5]
Ubristes Walker, 1852

References

Duffield, R. M. (1981). "Biology of Microdon fuscipennis (Diptera: Syrphidae) with interpretation of reproductive strategies of Microdon species found north of Mexico". Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 83: 716–724.
Cheng, Xin-Yue; Thompson, F. Christian (2008). "A generic conspectus of the Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) with the description of two new genera from Africa and China" (PDF). Zootaxa. 1879: 21–48. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1879.1.3.
Reemer, Menno (2008). "Surimyia, a new genus of Microdontinae, with notes on Paragodon Thompson, 1969 (Diptera, Syrphidae)" (PDF). Zoologische Mededelingen. 82: 177–188.
Thompson, F. Christian (1969). "A new genus of microdontine flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) with notes on the placement of the subfamily" (PDF). Psyche. 76 (1): 74–85. doi:10.1155/1969/62102.
Reemer, Menno; Ståhls, Gunilla (2013). "Generic revision and species classification of the Microdontinae (Diptera, Syrphidae)". ZooKeys (288): 1–213. doi:10.3897/zookeys.288.4095. PMC 3690914. PMID 23798897.
Hull, Frank M. (1937). "New species of exotic syrphid flies" (PDF). Psyche. 44 (1–2): 12–32. doi:10.1155/1937/46960.

Hull, Frank M. (1937). "A megamorphic and two curious mimetic flies" (PDF). Psyche. 44 (4): 116–121. doi:10.1155/1937/67124. Retrieved 2018-05-25.

Further reading
Reemer, Menno; Ståhls, Gunilla (2013). "Phylogenetic relationships of Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) based on molecular and morphological characters". Systematic Entomology. 38 (4): 661–688. doi:10.1111/syen.12020.