The subfamily Microdontinae contains slightly more than 400 species of

hoverflies Hover flies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies, make up the insect family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed mainly on nectar and pollen, whi ...

(family Syrphidae) and, while diverse, these species share several characteristics by which they differ from other syrphids. The Microdontinae are

myrmecophile Myrmecophily ( , ) is the term applied to positive interspecies associations between ants and a variety of other organisms, such as plants, other arthropods, and fungi. Myrmecophily refers to mutualistic associations with ants, though in its m ...

s, meaning they live in the nests of ants.

Larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

l Microdontinae are scavengers or predators in ant nests, 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). A number of genera (e.g. ''Masarygus'', ''Paragodon'', ''Schizoceratomyia'' and ''Surimyia'') lack the "spurious vein" which is characteristic of all other Syrphidae. For other distinguishing characteristics, see Thompson (1969).

Genera

A revised list of the genera in Microdontinae was carried out by Reemer & Ståhls (2013): *'' Afromicrodon''

Thompson Thompson may refer to: People * Thompson (surname) * Thompson M. Scoon (1888–1953), New York politician Places Australia *Thompson Beach, South Australia, a locality Bulgaria * Thompson, Bulgaria, a village in Sofia Province Canada * ...

, 2008 *'' 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 *'' Cervicorniphora'' Hull, 1945 *'' Chrysidimyia'' Hull, 1937 *'' Domodon'' Reemer, 2013 *'' Furcantenna'' Cheng, 2008 *''

Heliodon A heliodon (HEE-leo-don) is a device for adjusting the angle between a flat surface and a beam of light to match the angle between a horizontal plane at a specific latitude and the solar beam. Heliodons are used primarily by architects and student ...

'' Reemer, 2013 *'' Hypselosyrphus'' Hull, 1937 *'' Indascia'' Keiser, 1958 *'' Kryptopyga'' Hull, 1944 *'' Laetodon'' Reemer, 2013 *'' Masarygus'' Bréthes, 1909 *'' Menidon'' Reemer, 2013 *'' Mermerizon'' Reemer, 2013 *'' Metadon'' Reemer, 2013 *''

Microdon Hover flies (family Syrphidae) of the genus ''Microdon'' are unusual among the Diptera. Like other members of the subfamily, they are myrmecophiles, meaning they inhabit the nests of ants. There are 249 species known worldwide, with the greate ...

'' Meigen, 1803 **'' Chymophila'' Macquart, 1834 **'' Dimeraspis'' Newman, 1838 **'' Megodon'' Keiser, 1971 **''Microdon'' Meigen, 1803 **'' Myiacerapis'' Hull, 1949 **''

Syrphipogon ''Syrphipogon'' is a subgenus of the hoverfly genus ''Microdon''. There are two known species. They are very large Microdontinae, microdontine flies of about 25 mm. They have a deeply sulcate Scutellum (insect), scutellum and a facial Asilid ...

'' Hull, 1937 *'' Mixogaster'' Macquart, 1842 *'' Oligeriops'' Hull, 1937 *'' Omegasyrphus'' Giglio-Tos, 1891 *'' Paragodon''

, 1969 *''

Paramicrodon ''Paramicrodon'' is a genus of hoverflies, with eight known species. They differ from ''Microdon'' by their short antennae and the lack of appendices on vein R4+5. Biology Larvae are found in ant Ants are eusocial insects of the family ...

'' de Meijere, 1913 *'' Paramixogaster'' Brunetti, 1923 *'' Parocyptamus'' Shiraki, 1930 *'' Peradon'' Reemer, 2013 *'' Piruwa'' Reemer, 2013 *'' Pseudomicrodon'' Hull, 1937 *'' Ptilobactrum'' Bezzi, 1915 *'' Rhoga''

Walker Walker or The Walker may refer to: People *Walker (given name) *Walker (surname) *Walker (Brazilian footballer) (born 1982), Brazilian footballer Places In the United States *Walker, Arizona, in Yavapai County *Walker, Mono County, California * ...

, 1857 *'' Rhopalosyrphus'' Giglio-Tos, 1891 *'' Schizoceratomyia'' Carrera, Lopes & Lane, 1947 *'' Serichlamys'' Curran, 1925 *'' Spheginobaccha'' de Meijere, 1908 *'' Stipomorpha'' Hull, 1945 *'' Sulcodon'' Reemer, 2013 *'' Surimyia'' Reemer, 2008 *'' Thompsodon'' Reemer, 2013 *'' Ubristes''

, 1852

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1950647 Myrmecology Taxa named by Camillo Rondani Brachycera subfamilies

Genera

References

Further reading

External links