Microdon (Microdon) violaceus ( Macquart, 1842 )

Barahona-Segovia, Rodrigo M., Riera, Pamela, Pañinao-Monsálvez, Laura, Guzmán, Vicente Valdés & Henríquez-Piskulich, Patricia, 2021, Updating the knowledge of the flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Chile: Illustrated catalog, extinction risk and biological notes, Zootaxa 4959 (1), pp. 1-178 : 101-102

Microdon (Microdon) violaceus ( Macquart, 1842)

Figs 148–150

Aphritis violaceus Macquart, 1842: 13

Type locality and data. “ Chile ” (T, ♂, MNHNP) .

Material examined. Coquimbo : Hacienda El Mauro ( Fraga, 1937); Valparaíso: Catapilco, 14.XII.1965, Leg. Thompson ( MNHNCL) ; Quillota , 12.XII.1965; Leg. NN ( MNHNCL) ; Quebrada Limache , 21.IX.1967, Leg. N. Hichins ( MNHNCL) ; Mantagua , 17.XII.1967, Leg. Cerda ( MNHNCL); 1♂, Rodelillo, 12.X.1967, Leg. NN ( MNHN- CL); Peñablanca, 30.X.1964, Leg. NN ( MNHNCL) ; Marga Marga , 08.I.1980, Leg. Hichins ( MNHNCL) ; Quebrada Las Palmas , XII.1964, Leg. N. Hichins ( MNHNCL) ; Cerro La Plata , Lliu Lliu, 18.IX.1969, Leg. NN ( MNHNCL) ; El Salto, 19.XII.1963, Leg. Hichins ( MNHNCL) ; El Peral, 24.X.1971, Leg. P. Ramírez F ( MZUC) ; Santo Domingo , 13.XI.1968, Leg. Hichins ( MNHNCL) ; Metropolitana : Caleu, TilTil, 05.XI.1994, Leg. Cerda ( MNHNCL) ; Cerro San Cristóbal , X.1885, Leg. NN ( MNHNCL) ; La Obra, 12.XI.1967, Leg. NN ( MNHNCL) ; El Canelo, 16.XI.1952, Leg. Cerda ( MNHNCL) ; El Manzano, 13.XII.2018, Leg. Rodrigo Barahona Segovia ( PCRBS) ; Río Colorado , 24.X.1934, Leg. Cerda ( MZUC) ; Puente El Yeso, 28.XII.1966, Leg. NN ( MEUC) ; Quebrada de la Plata, 510m, 7.XII.1996, Leg. N. Hichins ( MEUC) ; Los Queches , Aculeo, X.1964, Leg. L.E. Peña ( MEUC) ; O’Higgins : Peumo, XI.1952, Leg. E.O.B. ( MZUC) ; Maule : Las Nieves, Linares, 12.XI.1947, Leg. L.E. Peña ( INIA) ; Ñuble : Invernada, I.1971, Leg. Ocare ( MEUC) ; B. Forestal, 15.XII.1992, Leg. Cerda ( MNHNCL) ; Las Trancas , 26.X.2006, Leg. M. Beeche ( SAG) ; La Araucanía: Nahuelbuta National Park , 15.I.1978, Leg. NN ( MNHNCL) ; Traiguen ( Porter, 1927b); Los Ríos: Santo Domingo, 13.XI.1988, Leg. Krahmer ( SAG) ; Fundo Caupolican , 30.X.1971, Leg. Krahmer ( MNHNCL) ; Valdivia , 20.X.1971, Leg. E. Krahmer ( UACH) ; Isla Mancera ( Porter, 1927a) .

References. Macquart, 1842: 73 (desc.); Blanchard, 1852: 404 (desc.); Philippi, 1865: 733 (desc.); Williston, 1886: 310 (cat.); Reed, 1888: 297 (cat.); Lynch Arribálzaga, 1891: 129 (cat.); Kertész, 1910: 359 (cat.); Porter, 1927a: 83 (notes); Porter, 1927b: 122 (cat.); Porter, 1932: 190 (cat. & notes); Shannon & Aubertin, 1933: 124 (cat.); Mahan, 1935: 288 (desc.); Curran, 1936: 1 (key); Fraga, 1937: 198 (natural history); Curran, 1940: 1 (key); Curran, 1941: 248 (key); Stuardo, 1946: 122 (cat.); Fluke, 1957: 33 (cat.); Etcheverry, 1963: 62 (cat.); Thompson et al., 1976: 46.67 (cat.); Reemer & Ståhls, 2013: 139 (rev.); Marín-Armijos et al., 2017: 172 (cat.).

World distribution. Argentina, Ecuador and Chile.

Chilean distribution. From Coquimbo to Los Ríos region ( Fig. 152 ).

Altitudinal range. From coastal to highland ecosystems (5– 2,500 m.a.s.l.).

Biology. Microdon violaceus larvae are associated with the native ant genus Camponotus May. Mahan (1935) describes the complete natural history and breeding habits of the larvae of this species. Males and females have dichoptic eyes ( Fig. 148 ). Two types of larvae of this subfamily have been reported in our citizen science program ( Figs 150–151 ), suggesting at least one new species of Microdontinae ( Fig. 151 ). New surveys should be conducted in order to improve the knowledge of this group.

Conservation status. LC; EOO = 1,588,091 km 2, AOO = 152 km 2 and 27 localities (or subpopulations).

Figures

FIGURE 152. Distribution map of Microdon violaceus (Macquart, 1842) species in Chile.

FIGURE 148–151. Microdon violaceus (Macquart, 1842): (148) couple mating, Laguna Acuelo (photo by Vicente Valdés); (149) dorso-lateral view, Cajón del Maipo, Santiago (photo by Rodrigo Barahona-Segovia); (150) larvae in a nest of Camponotus sp. (photo by César Martínez); (151) unknown larvae of Microdontinae subfamiliy with a centinel of Camponotus morosus, (Smith), La Campana National Park (Photo by Francisco Rosales).