17. Sepedon Latreille, 1804

(Figs. 4, 61, 68)

Sepedon Latreille, 1804: 196 . Type species: Syrphus sphegeus Fabricius, 1775 (Monotypy) .

Diagnosis. Antennae long and porrect, pedicel slender, almost rod like. In many species, frontal vitta and ptilinal suture absent. Only 1 pair of orbital seta, present or absent; ocellar setae absent. Usually 1 pair of apical scutellar setae present, rarely absent. Wings hyaline without reticulated pattern.

Remarks. Comprising about 79 described species, Sepedon is the second largest genus of Sciomyzidae . Species diversity is highest in the Afrotropical Region, with 42 described species. Next highest in diversity is in the Nearctic Region, with 20 described species. Only 10 species are known from the Palearctic Region and 12 from the Oriental Region.

Li & Yang (2017) reviewed the distribution of Sepedon in China, reporting that 8 species had been reported from China but overlooking Sepedon neanias Hendel, 1913 [= Hendel, 1913a], which had also been recorded from China (Knutson 1977). The type locality of S. neanias is Taiwan, but we have not found any other specimens of this species. Among the 9 species of Sepedon known from China, 5 species ( S. ferruginosa, S. lobifera, S. neanias, S. plumbella, and S. senex) are restricted to the Oriental Region of China, 1 species ( S. spinipes) is restricted to the Palearctic Region of China, and 3 species ( S. aenescens, S. noteoi, and S. sphegea) are found in both the Palearctic and Oriental Regions.