Genus Eristalinus (Syrphidae, Diptera) in Galicia (NW Spain)

There are 4 species of Eristalinus, a genus easy to identify thanks to their spotted/banded eyes.

-E. aeneus
-E. megacephalus
-E. sepulchralis
-E. taeniops

There is this very useful identification guide, but to point out the main differences:
E. taeniops is the easiest to identify because it's the only one with banded eyes, while the rest have spotted eyes.
E. megacephalus has a much lighter abdomen, with either white bands or big orange blotches.
E. aeneus and E. sepulchralis are the most similar ones, but while E. aeneus has a uniformly metalic abdomen, in the sides of segments 2 and 3 E. sepulchralis has pollinose areas. The eyes are also different, in E. sepulchralis they have more hair, and in the male they don't touch as in most hoverflies.

Posted on 06 de abril de 2024, 10:57 AM by antonva