New information about the third stage larva and larval habitat of Microdon (Chymophila) bruchi Shannon, 1927 (Diptera, Syrphidae) from Argentina

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we provide new biological information about Microdon(Chymophila) bruchi Shannon, 1927. We present new records of M. bruchi in nests of Camponotus mus Roger, 1863 built inside Vitis vinifera L. plants from Argentina (Mendoza Province) and records of this species for Catamarca and Entre Ríos, Argentina. DNA barcodes and data on morphology and locomotion for third-stage larvae are provided. An identification key is also given to distinguish M. bruchi from other Neotropical species of Chymophila. We designate a lectotype for Microdon bruchi Shannon, 1927, and we consider Microdon argentinae Hull, 1937 a junior synonym of M. bruchi.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D507A381-27BA-40D6-BC08-28F14579694F

KEYWORDS:

• ant–syrphid fly interaction
• ant nest
• DNA barcode
• larval morphology
• identification key
• vineyards

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the following collection managers for allowing us to study specimens under their care: Torsten Dikow (USNM) and Philip Perkins (MCZ). We thank María Silvina Lassa (MEByM-Conicet) for providing technical assistance with SEM and Claudia Etzbauer (ZFMK) for her help in the molecular lab. We are also grateful to Alfredo Gavosto for providing access to the sampling site.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the “Rediseño del cultivo de vid adoptando prácticas ambientalmente sustentables y valorando servicios ecosistémicos clave en Mendoza” [PICT 2016-0586].