Volucella pellucens (Linnaeus, 1758)

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 : 4

Key to the species of the Volucella pellucens species group

1. Legs with apexes of femora, bases of tibiae, and basotarsomeres yellowish brown ( Figs. 5F, H ); head with upper post­ocular orbit clearly seen in lateral view ( Figs. 2C, F )................................................................................................. inflata (Fabricius)

­ Legs almost entirely dark brown to black (e.g. Figs. 5B, D ); head with upper post­ocular orbit barely seen in lateral view (e.g. Figs. 1C, F )................................................... 2

2. Abdominal tergite 2 predominantly black with a pair of pale transverse areas, at most 2/3 of tergite length ( Figs. 5I, K ) .................................................... nigricans Coquillett

­ Abdominal tergite 2 almost entirely pale except for narrow median longitudinal stripe in yellow brown to dark brown (e.g. Figs. 5A, C ) ........................................................ 3

3. Abdominal tergite 2 longer than tergite 3 when measured medially; male basoflagellomere in lateral view slightly constricted in middle ( Fig. 1C ); male eye contiguity about half as long as frontal triangle ( Fig. 1B ); female eyes densely pilose ( Fig. 1F ) .................................................................................................. thompsoni n.sp.

­ Abdominal tergite 2 slightly but clearly shorter than tergite 3 when measured medially; male basoflagellomere in lateral view transversely elliptic ( Fig. 4D ); male eye contiguity about as long as frontal triangle ( Figs. 4B, C ); female eyes bare ( Fig. 4G ) 4

4. Female scutum posteriorly without distinct brown triangular macula, or occasionally with faint brownish tinge ( Figs. 5O , 6A, B ) .................. pellucens pellucens (Linnaeus)

­ Female scutum posteriorly with distinct brown triangular macula ( Figs. 5S , 6C, D )..... .................................................................................. pellucens tabanoides Motschulsky

Figures

FIGURE 1. Volucella thompsoni n.sp. 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 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 4. Volucella pellucens (Linnaeus). A, male head, anterior view; B, male head, dorsal view (pellucens pellucens type); C, male head, dorsal view (pellucens tabanoides type); D, male head, lateral view; E–G, female head in anterior, dorsal, and lateral view; H, male genitalia, lateral view; I, surstylus, inner view; J, male genitalia, posterodorsal view. b epand lb = basal epandrial lobe.

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).

FIGURE 6. Female thoracic patterns of Volucella pellucens subspecies. A, B, V. pellucens pellucens; C, D, V. pellucens tabanoides.