Volucella inflata (Fabricius)

Choi, Deuk-Soo, Ôhara, Kenji & Han, Ho-Yeon, 2006, Taxonomic notes on the Volucella pellucens species group (Diptera: Syrphidae) with a description of one new species from the Eastern Palaearctic, Zootaxa 1185, pp. 1-19 : 8-10

Volucella inflata (Fabricius) ( Figs. 2A–I , 5E–H )

Syrphus inflatus Fabricius, 1794: 280 (Type­locality: “ Italia ”, Type?, UZMC).

Syrphus diaphanous Gravenhorst, 1807: 370 (Type­locality: [ Germany?], Type?, lost?).

Volucella hochhuthii Gimerthal, 1847: 10 (Type­locality: “aus der Umgegend von Kiew ” [=environs of Kiev] ( Ukraine), Type Female, RIGA).

Volucella inflata: Sack, 1931: 245 (redescription); Walker, 1951: 261 (redescription); Zimina, 1961: 146 (in Palaearctic key); Bankowska, 1963: 58 (in Polish key); Stubbs et Falk, 1983: 216 (British hoverflies); Stackelberg, 1988: 103 (in European part of USSR key); Verlinden, 1991: 178 (in Belgian key).

Diagnosis

This species can be readily distinguished from other members of the Volucella pellucens group by the yellowish brown apexes of femora, bases of tibiae, and basotarsomeres ( Figs. 5E–H ). The pale areas of abdominal tergite 2 look much more yellowish than those of other species ( Figs. 5E, G ). Males can be further differentiated by the scutum with brown lateral margins ( Figs. 5E, F ) and the eyes slightly separated ( Figs. 2A, B ).

Material examined

FRANCE: Broût­Vernet, H. du Buysson, m1 ( USNM); Hte­Savoie Bossy / Frangy , 23. V.1992, J. Steffen, 1♂ ( YSUW) ; Balzers Ellital 550–700m, 13. VI.1997, S. Bieri, 1♀ ( YSUW) . SWITZERLAND: Canton de VAUD: Cudrefin 435m, 23. VI.1976, Paul H. Arnaud, Jr., 1♀ ( USNM) ; Gençve Corsier­Port , 20. V.2003, Cl. Besuchet, 1♂ ( YSUW) ; GE 415m Bernex Chante­Merle , 23. V.1999, B. Merz, 1♂, 1♀ ( YSUW) ; Geneva 350m river of "La Laire", 25.VII.2004, H.­Y. Han & K.­E. Ro, 3♀ ( YSUW) .

Distribution

Europe.

Biology

This species has been found in sap run on Quercus , but whether it feeds on the material of the sap run or is a predator of other insect larvae within the sap run is unknown ( Rotheray, 1993).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Volucella inflata (Linnaeus). A–C, male head in anterior, dorsal, and lateral view; D–F, female head in anterior, dorsal, and lateral view; G, male genitalia, lateral view; H, surstylus, inner view; I, male genitalia, posterodorsal view.

FIGURE 5. Volucella species (dorsal and lateral view). A–D, V. thompsoni n.sp. (A, B, male, C, D, female); E–H, V.inflata (E, F, male, G, H, female); I–L, V. nigricans (I, J, male, K, L, female); M–P, V. pellucens pellucens (M, N, male, O, P, female); Q–T, V. pellucens tabanoides (Q, R, male, S, T, female).