Philhelius pedissequus

Philhelius pedissequus is a species of hoverfly.[2] Prior to 2018, it was known under the genus name Xanthogramma, a junior synonym.[3]

Philhelius pedissequus
male
female
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Syrphidae
Genus: Philhelius
Species:
P. pedissequus
Binomial name
Philhelius pedissequus
(Harris, 1776)
Synonyms[1]
List
  • Doros decoratus Zetterstedt, 1843
  • Musca pedissequum Harris, 1776
  • Scaeva flavicincta Gravenhorst, 1807
  • Syrphus dives Rondani, 1857
  • Syrphus ornatum Meigen, 1822
  • Syrphus pulcher Meigen, 1835
  • Xanthogramma bilobatum Szilády, 1940
  • Xanthogramma flavifrons Szilády, 1940
  • Xanthogramma flavipleura Coe, 1957
  • Xanthogramma nigripes Szilády, 1940
  • Xanthogramma nobilitatum Frey, 1946
  • Xanthogramma ornatum (Meigen, 1822)

Etymology

The Latin species name pedissequus means that follows on foot, like an attendant.

Distribution and habitat

This uncommon species is present in most of Europe, in Western Siberia, in the Near East and in North Africa.[4] It prefers grassland, open fields close to deciduous forest.[5][6]

Description
In flight

Philhelius pedissequus can reach a length of 10–13 millimetres (0.39–0.51 in) and a wing length of 7.25–9.75 mm.[7][5] These hoverflies have a black body, with two yellow lateral stripes on the thorax, and yellow markings on tergites two to five. The pairs of tergites 2 are wedge-shaped and considerably wide.[5][6]

Biology

Flight period last from mid May through September, with a peak at the end of June.[6] The adults feed on different flowers, for example, Ballota nigra, Potentilla erecta and Heracleum sphondylium.[7] Little is known of its larval stages. Larvae have been found underground in nests of the black garden ant (Lasius niger) and yellow meadow ant (Lasius flavus), probably to feed on ant-attended root aphids Forda formicaria and Trama species that they collect.[6][7][8][9]

References
  1. Catalogue of life
  2. Biolib
  3. Evenhuis NL. Nomenclatural studies toward a World List of Diptera genus-group names. Part VI: Daniel William Coquillett. Zootaxa. 2018 Feb 18;4381(1):1-95. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.4381.1.1. PMID: 29689947
  4. Fauba europea
  5. Stuart Ball, Roger Morris Britain's Hoverflies: A Field Guide, Revised and Updated Second Edition
  6. Nature Spot
  7. J.K. Lindsey Commanster
  8. Stubbs, Alan E. & Falk, Steven J. (1983). British Hoverflies: An Illustrated Identification Guide. British Entomological & Natural History Society. pp. 253, xvpp.
  9. Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park - Diptera Survey Report 2007


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