Psilota, Meigen, 1822

Zhao, Le, Liu, Xin, Smit, John T., Li, Gang, Liu, Han-Yue, Dang, Li-Hong & Huo, Ke-Ke, 2022, A new species of the genus Psilota Meigen, 1822 (Diptera: Syrphidae) from China, Zootaxa 5154 (2), pp. 225-238 : 232-233

Key to the males of Psilota from the Palaearctic Region

This key is mainly based on Smit & Vujić (2008) and Radenković et al. (2020).

1 Face at most only slightly microtrichose, clearly shiny face below the antenna. Thorax and abdomen (bluish) black colored.................................................................................. 2 ( P. atra species-group)

- Face heavily microtrichose, clearly dull beneath antennae. Thorax and abdomen more bronze-colored................................................................................................ 7 ( P. innupta species-group)

2 Epandrium in lateral view longer than broad............................................................... 3

- Epandrium in lateral view as long as broad, or broader than long............................................... 5

3 Metafemur not swollen and with a shallow groove apicoventrally, formed by two rows of mixed short and long black pines. Basoflagellomere about 2 times longer than broad. Epandrium in lateral view 1.2 times longer than broad (see figure 11A in Radenković et al., 2020)..................................................................... Psilota aegeae

- Metafemur swollen................................................................................... 4

4 Metafemur slightly swollen, without a spinose ridge. Epandrium in lateral view almost 1.5 times longer than wide (see figure 13 in Smit & Vujić, 2008).................................................................. Psilota kroshka

- Metafemur clearly swollen and with spinose ridge apicoventrally. Epandrium in lateral view almost 2 twice longer than wide (see figures 11B, D in Radenković et al., 2020)..................................................... Psilota atra

5 Epandrium about as long as wide in lateral view (see figure 15 in Smit & Vujić, 2008). Face only 1.7 times longer than frons. Basoflagellomere only little longer than wide, face and frons predominantly light haired, some black ones beside and just above the antenna................................................................................. Psilota nana

- Epandrium broader than long in lateral view................................................................ 6

6 Surstylus very long and slender. Inner lobe about twice as long as the maximum length of the epandrium. Outer lobe extremely narrow, often not curved but folded backwards (see figure 8 in Smit & Vujić, 2008)................... Psilota exilistyla

- Surstylus less long and slender. Inner lobe at most 1.5 times as long as the maximum length of the epandrium, outer lobe wider, curved down at the end, rarely a little backwards (see figure 4 in Smit & Vujić, 2008)................ Psilota anthracina

7 Wing, though faint, clearly infuscate in the middle. Metafemur not swollen but with a spinose ridge apicoventrally........ 8

- Wing entirely hyaline without a faint cloud. Metafemur not swollen and without a spinose ridge; pleura entirely shining. Outer lobe bent or curved downwards at the middle (see figures 9–12 in Smit & Vujić, 2008).................. Psilota innupta

8 Epandrium in lateral view almost 1.4 times longer than wider (see figure 17 in Smit & Vujić, 2008). Pleura lightly dusted. Basoflagellomere more than 2.5 times as long as wide.......................................... Psilota nigripilosa

- Epandrium in lateral view as long as broad, or broader than long.............................................… 9

9 Epandrium in lateral view almost 1.12 times wider than long (fig. 11). Pleura entirely shining. Basoflagellomere approximately 1.8 times as long as wide...................................................... … Psilota bashanensis sp. nov.

- Epandrium in lateral view as long as wide (see figure 6 in Smit & Vujić, 2008). Pleura slightly dusted. Basoflagellomere approximately 1.5 times as long as wide....................................................... Psilota brevicornis