Platycheirus aurolateralis and P. splendidus (Diptera: Syrphidae), insects new to Ireland and their separation from related species

摘要

Until recently, three Platycheirus species with partially yellow antennae (P. albimanus Fabr, P. scutatus Mg. and P. sticticus Mg.) have been known from the Atlantic zone of Europe. But revisionary work has culminated in the recognition of three additional European species closely related to P. scutatus. Although one of these appears to be confined to the Alps (Doczkal et al. 2002), the other two (P. aurolateralis and P. splendidus) occur in the Atlantic zone, including Britain. This paper provides first Irish records of the latter two species and a key that may be used both with dry specimens and specimens in alcohol (or other preservative), to separate the males from males of the other Atlantic zone Platycheirus species with partly yellow antennae. This key is based on Irish, British and continental material of each of the species involved, rather than on Irish specimens alone. Identification of the females of these species cannot yet be reliably achieved. At present, the only published key in which P. aurolateralis and P. splendidus are included, together with the other Platycheirus species currently known to occur in Ireland, is that in Ball ef al. (2002). Difficulties in use of that key for identification of P. aurolateralis and P. splendidus males are mentioned below. An overview of the known biology of these species is provided by Speight (2003).