Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2026-06-15
Page range: 180-192
Abstract views: 84
PDF downloaded: 9

Two new species of stingless bee-mimicking flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) from the Colombian Amazonian rainforest

Universidad de Antioquia; Instituto de Biología; Grupo de Entomología Universidad de Antioquia – GEUA; Calle 67 53-108; AA 1226 Medellín; Colombia.
Fundación Universitaria Cervantes San Agustín; Carrera 14 No. 12 – 39; Florencia; Caquetá; Colombia.; Universidad de la Amazonia; Grupo de Investigación en Entomología Universidad de la Amazonia -GIEU-; Laboratorio de Entomología; Av. 11 5-69; Juan XXIII; Florencia; Caquetá; Colombia.
Naturalis Biodiversity Center / EIS; P.O. Box 9517; 2300 RA Leiden; the Netherlands.
Universidad de Antioquia; Instituto de Biología; Grupo de Entomología Universidad de Antioquia – GEUA; Calle 67 53-108; AA 1226 Medellín; Colombia.; Universidad de la Amazonia; Grupo de Investigación en Entomología Universidad de la Amazonia -GIEU-; Laboratorio de Entomología; Av. 11 5-69; Juan XXIII; Florencia; Caquetá; Colombia.
Diptera Amazonia Carreramyia female genitalia Hypselosyrphus Microdontinae Neotropical region

Abstract

Two new species of flower flies that mimic stingless bees are described, belonging to the genera Carreramyia Doesburg and Hypselosyrphus Hull (Diptera: Syrphidae: Microdontinae) from the Colombian Amazon rainforest. Carreramyia tacita sp. nov. and Hypselosyrphus macagualensis sp. nov. are described and compared with congeneric species, supported by photographs and comparison of diagnostic characters. Modifications to previous keys are provided.

References

  1. Brèthes, J. (1908) Masarygidae, una nueva familia de dipteros. Anales del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Buenos Aires, 10 (3), 439–443.
  2. Carvalho-Filho, F.S. (2014) Description of new species of Surimyia Reemer and Carreramyia Doesburg (Diptera: Syrphidae) from the Brazilian Amazon. Zootaxa, 3887 (1), 79–87. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3887.1.5
  3. Cheng, X. & 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. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1879.1.3
  4. Cumming, J.M. & Wood, D.M. (2017) Adult morphology and terminology. In: Kirk-Spriggs, A.H. & Sinclair, B.J. (Eds.), Manual of Afrotropical Diptera. Volume 1. Suricata, Pretoria, pp. 89–134.
  5. Curran, C.H. (1940) Some new Neotropical Syrphidae (Diptera). American Museum Novitates, 1086, 1–14.
  6. de Souza Amorim, D., Brown, B.V., Boscolo, D., Ale-Rocha, R., Alvarez-Garcia, D.M., Balbi, M.I.P.A., De Marco Barbosa, A., Capellari, R.S., De Carvalho, C.J.B., Couri, M.S., De Vilhena Perez Dios, R., Fachin, D.A., Ferro, G.B., Flores, H.F., Frare, L.M., Gudin, F.M., Hauser, M., Lamas, C.J.E., Lindsay, K.G., Marinho, M.A.T., Marques, D.W., Marshall, S.A., Mello Patiu, C., Menezes, M.A., Morales, M.N., Nihei, S.S., Oliveira, S.S., Pirani, G., Ribeiro, G.C., Riccardi, P.R., De Santis, M.D., Santos, D., Dos Santos, J.R., Silva, V.C., Wood, E.M. & Rafael, J.A. (2022) Vertical stratification of insect abundance and species richness in an Amazonian tropical forest. Scientific Reports, 12, 1734. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05677-y
  7. Doesburg, P.H. (1966) Syrphidae from Suriname. Additional records and descriptions. Studies on the Fauna of Suriname and other Guyanas, 9 (35), 61–107.
  8. Evenhuis, N.L. & Pape, T. (2025) Family Syrphidae. Systema Dipterorum, Version 6.5. Available from: http://diptera.org/ (accessed 28 September 2025)
  9. Hull, F.M. (1937) New species of exotic syrphid flies. Psyche, 44, 12–32. https://doi.org/10.1155/1937/46960
  10. Hull, F.M. (1949) The morphology and inter-relationship of the genera of syrphid flies, recent and fossil. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London, 26, 257–408. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1949.tb00224.x
  11. Mittermeier, R.A., Turner, W.R., Larsen, F.W., Brooks, T.M. & Gascon, C. (2011) Global biodiversity conservation: The critical role of hotspots. In: Zachos, F.E. & Habel, J.C. (Eds.), Biodiversity Hotspots: Distribution and Protection of Conservation Priority Areas. Springer, Berlin & Heidelberg, pp. 3–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20992-5_1
  12. Miranda, G.F.G. (2014) Ceriomicrodon petiolatus Hull, 1937 (Diptera: Syrphidae: Microdontinae): Redescription and new records. Zootaxa, 3846 (4), 584–590. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3846.4.7
  13. Miranda, G.F.G. (2017) Identification key for the genera of Syrphidae (Diptera) from the Brazilian Amazon and new taxon records. Acta Amazonica, 47 (1), 53–62. https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-4392201601022
  14. Miranda, G.F.G. & Moran, K. (2017) The female abdomen and genitalia of Syrphidae (Diptera). Insect Systematics & Evolution, 48, 157–201. https://doi.org/10.1163/1876312X-48022153
  15. Montoya, A.L. & Wolff, M. (2023) Taxonomic revision of the Neotropical genus Argentinomyia Lynch-Arribálzaga, 1891 (Diptera: Syrphidae), with description of 16 new species. Zootaxa, 5234, 1–157. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5234.1.1
  16. Montoya, A.L., Parada-Marín, H.M. & Ramos-Pastrana, Y. (2022) Description of a new flower fly species of the Copestylum vagum group (Diptera: Syrphidae) from pristine Amazonian rainforests of Colombia and Suriname. Zootaxa, 5091 (3), 401–415. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5091.3.1
  17. Montoya, A.L., Parra, J.L. & Wolff, M. (2021) Structure and diversity of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in northwestern Colombian Paramos: Towards the identification of bioindicator species in the Tropical Andes. Journal of Insect Conservation, 25 (4), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-021-00346-3
  18. Montoya, A.L., Pérez, S.P. & Wolff, M. (2012) The diversity of flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Colombia and their Neotropical distribution. Neotropical Entomology, 41, 46–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-012-0018-z
  19. Parada-Marín, H.M., Montoya, A.L. & Ramos-Pastrana, Y. (2021) New record of Cepa apeca (Diptera, Syrphidae, Eristalinae, Merodontini) in the Andean-Amazonian region of Colombia and expansion of its geographic range. Acta Amazonica, 51 (2), 162–165. https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-4392202003841
  20. Parada-Marin, H.M., Montoya, A.L., Ramos-Pastrana, Y., Córdoba-Suarez, E. & Mengual, X. (2024) Intraspecific variability of the flower fly Toxomerus flaviplurus (Hall, 1927) (Diptera: Syrphidae), with new distributional records in Colombia and Bolivia. Boletín Científico Museo de Historia Natural Universidad de Caldas, 28 (2), 33–47. https://doi.org/10.17151/bccm.2024.28.2.2
  21. Parada-Marín, H.M., Montoya, A.L. & Ramos-Pastrana, Y. (2025) Diversity and baits preference of flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) collected using Van Someren-Rydon traps in the Colombian Andean-Amazon Piedmont during two rainy seasons. Neotropical Entomology, 54, 52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-025-01260-y
  22. Rafael, J.A. & Gorayeb, I. (1982) Tabanidae (Diptera) da Amazônia, I – Uma nova armadilha suspensa e primeiros registros de mutucas de copas de árvores. Acta Amazonica, 12, 222–236. https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-43921982121232
  23. Reemer, M. (2013) Taxonomic exploration of Neotropical Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) mimicking stingless bees. Zootaxa, 3697 (1), 1–88. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3697.1.1
  24. Reemer, M. (2014) A review of Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae) of Surinam, with a key to the Neotropical genera. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 157, 27–57. https://doi.org/10.1163/22119434-00002035
  25. Reemer, M. & Ståhls, G. (2013) Generic revision and species classification of the Microdontinae (Diptera, Syrphidae). ZooKeys, 288, 1–213. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.288.4095
  26. Reemer, M. & Mengual, X. (2025) Revision of the Neotropical species of the hoverfly genus Serichlamys Curran, 1925 (Diptera, Syrphidae, Microdontinae). ZooKeys, 1243, 51–106. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1243.132809
  27. Reemer, M. & Mengual, X. (2026) Ubristes mirabilissimus sp. nov., a new stingless bee mimicking hoverfly from the Ecuadorian Amazon (Diptera: Syrphidae: Microdontinae). Evolutionary Systematics, 10 (1), 47–54. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.10.185722
  28. Sack, P. (1941) Syrphidae (Dipt.). In: Titschack, E. (Ed.), Beiträge zur Fauna Perus. Band 1B. Nach der Ausbeute der Hamburger Südperu-Expedition 1936, anderer Sammlungen, wie auch auf Grund von Literaturangaben. Verlag Conrad Behre, Hamburg, 403 pp.
  29. Shannon, R.C. (1925) An extraordinary adult myrmecophile from Panama. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 10, 211–213.
  30. Shorthouse, D.P. (2010) SimpleMappr, a web-enabled tool to produce publication-quality point maps. Available from: http://www.simplemappr.net (accessed 16 February 2026)
  31. Schmid, V.S., Morales, M.N., Marinoni, L., Kamke, R., Steiner, J. & Zillikens, A. (2014) Natural history and morphology of the hoverfly Pseudomicrodon biluminiferus and its parasitic relationship with ants nesting in bromeliads. Journal of Insect Science, 14 (38), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1093/jis/14.1.38
  32. Thompson, F.C. (1969) A new genus of Microdontine flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) with notes on the placement of the subfamily. Psyche, 76, 74–85. https://doi.org/10.1155/1969/62102
  33. Thompson, F.C., Vockeroth, J.R. & Sedman, Y.S. (1976) Family Syrphidae. In: Papavero, N. (Ed.), A catalog of the Diptera of the Americas south of the United States. Vol. 46. Universidade de São Paulo, Museu de Zoologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Secretaria da Agricultura do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, pp. 1–195.
  34. van Steenis, J., Miranda, G.F.G., Tot, T., Mengual, X. & Skevington, J.H. (2023) Glossary of morphological terminology of adult Syrphidae (Diptera): an update and extension. Journaal van Syrphidae, 2 (4), 1–99. https://doi.org/10.55710/1.AIMS1978
  35. Walker, F. (1852) Diptera. Insecta Saundersiana, 1 (3), 157–252.

How to Cite

Montoya, A.L., Parada-Marin, H.M., Reemer, M. & Ramos-Pastrana, Y. (2026) Two new species of stingless bee-mimicking flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) from the Colombian Amazonian rainforest. Zootaxa, 5831 (2), 180–192. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5831.2.2