XML Print


1- Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
2- Department of Zoology, Sunrise University Alwar, Rajasthan 301026, India
3- Institute of Entomology, The Provincial Special Key Laboratory for Development and Utilization of Insect Resources, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P.R. China , kakojan112@gmail.com
Abstract:   (132 Views)
An updated checklist of the hoverflies including distribution and seasonal occurence data of known species in Nepal is presented. The list is based on all available published literature on taxonomy, biodiversity, ecology, and biological aspects of the syrphid fauna of Nepal up to 2023. A total of 205 species from three subfamilies and 63 genera are known to occur in Nepal. Among the three subfamilies, Eristalinae shares maximum species (111 species, 54%), followed by Syrphinae (90 species, 44%), and Microdontinae (four species, 2%). is presented. Among these, 48 (23%) species are recorded in Nepal only. The distribution of known hoverfly species in the country is not uniform, with the Bagmati (82 species) and Koshi (75 species) provinces having the greatest number of species, while the Madhesh (four species) and Lumbini (one species) provinces having the lowest records. The highest number of species are recorded in May (51 species), followed by July (50 species) and June (48 species). Winter season records are relatively low, and distribution data are still incomplete for some sites. Based on the present review, comprehensive and systematic sampling across the entire country is necessary for further exploration of Nepal's hoverfly fauna.
Full-Text [PDF 3484 kb]   (34 Downloads)    

Article Type: Checklist | Subject: Systematics/Diptera
Received: 2023/12/21 | Accepted: 2024/04/7

References
1. Barkalov, A.V. & Cheng, X.Y. (1998) New species and new records of hover-flies of the genus Cheilosia Mg. from China (Diptera, Syrphidae). Zoosystematica Rossica, 7, 313-321.
2. Barkalov, A.V. & Cheng X.Y. (2004) Revision of the genus Cheilosia Meigen, 1822 (Diptera: Syrphidae) of China. Contributions on Entomology International, 5, 267-416.
3. Barkalov, A.V. & Ståhls, G. (2022) Cheilosia (Diptera, Syrphidae: Rhingiini) of Nepal with descriptions of 29 new species. European Journal of Taxonomy, 829, 1-127. [DOI:10.5852/ejt.2022.829.1863]
4. Bhatia, H.L. & Shaffi, M. (1933) Life histories of some Indian Syrphidae. Indian Journal of Agricultural Science, 2, 543-570.
5. Brunetti, E. (1907) Notes on the Oriental Syrphidae. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 1 (4), 0379-0380. [DOI:10.26515/rzsi/v1/i4/1907/163412]
6. Brunetti, E. (1908) Notes on Oriental Syrphidae with Descriptions of new Species I. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 2 (1), 49-96. [DOI:10.26515/rzsi/v2/i1/1908/163308]
7. Brunetti, E. (1913) Zoological results of the Arbor Expedition, 1911-12. XI. Diptera. Records of the Indian Museum 8, 149-190. [DOI:10.26515/rzsi/v8/i2/1913/163167]
8. Brunetti, E. (1923) Pipunculidae, Syrphidae, Conopidae, Oestridae. Diptera. Vol. 3. In: Shipley, A.E. (ed) The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Taylor & Francis, London. pp. 1-424
9. Budhathoki, N., Dhakal, S. & Dyola, U. (2021) Diversity of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Nagarjun, Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Nepal. Biodiversitas, 22, 5382-5388. [DOI:10.13057/biodiv/d221220]
10. Claussen, C.J. & Weipert, J. (2003) Zur Schwebfliegenfauna Nepals (Insecta: Diptera: Syrphidae) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung Westnepals. Biodiversität und Naturausstattung im Himalaya. Verein der Freunde und Förderer des Naturkundemuseums Erfurt ev, Erfurt, 343-380.
11. Claussen, C. & Weipert, J. (2004) Notes on the subgenus Paragus (Pandasyopthalmus) (Diptera, Syrphidae) from Nepal, with the description of a new species. Volucella, 7, 75-88.
12. Coe, R.L. (1964) Diptera from Nepal. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History, Entomology, 15, 255-290. [DOI:10.5962/bhl.part.20541]
13. Dawah, H.A. Abdullah, M.A., Ahmad, S.K., Al-Dhafer, H. & Turner, J. (2020) An overview of the Syrphidae (Diptera) of Saudi Arabia. Zootaxa, 4855 (1), 1-69. [DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.4855.1.1]
14. Djellab, S., van Eck, A. & Samraoui, B. (2013) A survey of the hoverflies of northeastern Algeria (Diptera: Syrphidae). Egyptian Journal of Biology, 15, 1-12. [DOI:10.4314/ejb.v15i1.1]
15. Doczkal, D. (2002) Description of Leucozona pruinosa spec. nov. (Diptera, Syrphidae) from the Himalayas. Volucella, 6, 41-43.
16. Dousti, A.F. (2023) An updated checklist of Syrphidae (Diptera, Brachycera) from Iran. Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics, 9 (2), 207-264. [DOI:10.52547/jibs.9.2.207]
17. Doyle, T. Hawkes W.L.S., Massy, R., Powney, G.D., Menz, M.H.M. & Wotton, K.R. (2020) Pollination by hoverfies in the Anthropocene. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Biological Sciences, 27 (287), 20200508. [DOI:10.1098/rspb.2020.0508]
18. Dyola, U., Baniya, C.B., Acharya, P.R., Subedi, P., Pandey, A. & Sapkota, K. (2022) Community structure of pollinating insects and its driving factors in different habitats of Shivapuri‐Nagarjun National Park, Nepal. Ecology and Evolution, 12 (3), e8653. [DOI:10.1002/ece3.8653]
19. Dyola, U., Baniya, C.B., Acharya, P.R., Hassan, M.A., Pandey, A. & Sapkota, K. (2023) A faunistic study on the hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park, Central Nepal. Oriental Insects, 57 (4), 1004-1040. [DOI:10.1080/00305316.2023.2171497]
20. Evenhuis, N.L. & Pape, T. (eds) (2024) Systema Dipterorum, Version: 5.1. Available from http://diptera.org/ [Accessed 7 March 2024]
21. Ghorpadé, K. (1994) Diagnostic keys to new and known genera and species of Indian subcontinent Syrphini (Diptera: Syrphidae). Colemania: Insect Biosystematics, 3, 1-15.
22. Ghorpadé, K. (2014) An updated check-list of the Hover-flies (Diptera-Syrphidae) recorded in the Indian subcontinent. Colemania, 44, 1-30.
23. Ghorpadé, K. (2015a) A summary, updated account of the Hoverflies (Diptera-Syrphidae) of the Nepal Himalaya. Colemania, 49, 1-11.
24. Ghorpadé, K. (2015b) Hover-flies (Diptera-Syrphidae) documented from the Northwest Frontier of the Indian sub-continent: a circumstantial history and inclusive bibliography. Colemania, 50, 1-151.
25. Ghorpadé, K. & Shehzad, A. (2013) An annotated checklist and select bibliography of the hover-flies (Diptera-Syrphidae) of Pakistan, Indian subcontinent. Colemania, 37, 1-26.
26. Ghorpadé, K., Prasad, K.D. & Pavan, S. (2011) Hover-flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of the Coromandel Coast in Andhra Carnatic, Peninsular India. Bionotes (Aligarh), 13 (2), 78-86.
27. Hassan, M.A., Mahmood, K., Nazir, K., Fatima, N. & Aslam, M.A. (2017) Faunistic work on the Hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of district Narowal, Pakistan. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 5, 626-630.
28. Hassan, M.A., Ghorpadé, K., Mahmood, K., Shehzad, A., Nazir, N. & Fatima, N. (2018a) Preliminary studies on the Syrphidae (Diptera) of Poonch district, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. Oriental Insects, 52 (2), 190-209. [DOI:10.1080/00305316.2017.1394924]
29. Hassan, M.A., Ghorpadé, K., Bodlah, I., Mahmood, K. & Iqbal, Z. (2018b) Additional notes on the genus Paragus Latreille (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Pakistan with a new country record. The Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 28(3), 708-714.
30. Hassan, M.A., Bodlah, I., Aihetasham, A., Bodlah, M. A. & Hussain, K. (2019a) First Record of Baccha maculata Walker, 1852 (Diptera: Syrphidae) from the Pothwar Punjab, Pakistan. Punjab University Journal of Zoology, 34 (2), 133-135. [DOI:10.17582/journal.pujz/2019.34.2.133.135]
31. Hassan, M.A., Bodlah, I., Bodlah, M.A. & Hussain, R. (2019b) New records of the genus Ceriana Rafinesque, 1815 (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Pakistan. Munis Entomology and Zoology Journal, 14 (1), 185-187.
32. Hassan, M.A., Bodlah, I., Ahmad, M., Kayani, A.R. & Mahmood, K. (2020) First record of the genus Graptomyza Wiedemann, 1830 (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Pakistan. The Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 30 (2), 512-516. [DOI:10.36899/JAPS.2020.2.0059]
33. Hassan, M.A., Bodlah, I., Shehzad, A., Fatima, N. & Fazal, S. (2021) First record of the genus Myolepta Newman, 1838 (Diptera: Syrphidae) for Pakistan, with description of a new species. Oriental Insects, 55 (4), 564-573. [DOI:10.1080/00305316.2020.1848656]
34. Hassan, M.A, Shehzad A., Dyola, U., Qasim, M., Fatima, N. & Maryam, Z. (2022) Two new records of the hoverfly genus Eumerus Meigen (Diptera: Syrphidae) for Pakistan. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 62, e202262067. [DOI:10.11606/1807-0205/2022.62.067]
35. Hippa, H. (1978) Classification of Xylotini (Diptera, Syrphidae). Acta Zoologica Fennica, 156, 1-153.
36. Kapoor, V.C., Malla, Y.K. & Rajbhandari, Y. (1979) Syrphid flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Kathmandu Valley, Nepal with a check list of syrphids of Nepal. Journal of Natural History Museum, Kathmandu, 3, 51-68.
37. Khosravian, Z., Sadeghi, H. & Ssymank, A. (2015) Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of Kerman province, Iran. Far Eastern Entomologist, 290, 1-12.
38. Klecka, J., Hadrava, J., Biella, P. & Akter, A. (2018) Flower visitation by hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in a temperate plant-pollinator network. PeerJ, 6, e6025. [DOI:10.7717/peerj.6025]
39. Knutson, L.V., Thompson, F.C., Vockeroth, J.R. (1975) Family Syrphidae. In: Delfinado, M.D. & Hardy, D.E. (eds) A Catalog of the Diptera of the Oriental Region. Vol. II. Suborder Brachycera through division Aschiza, suborder Cyclorrhapha. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, pp. 307-374.
40. Konstantinov, A.S., Korotyaev, B.A. & Volkovitsh, M.G. (2009) Insect biodiversity in the Palaearctic Region. In: Foottit, R.G. & Adler, P.H. (eds) Insect Biodiversity: Science and Society. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Oxford, UK, pp. 107-162. [DOI:10.1002/9781444308211.ch7]
41. Lambeck, H.J.P. & Kiauta, B. (1973) On a small collection of syrphid flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) from the Kathmandu Valley and the Khumbu Himal region (Nepal). Entomologische Berichten, 33, 72-78.
42. Mengual, X. & Ghorpadé, K. (2010) The flower fly genus Eosphaerophoria Frey (Diptera, Syrphidae). ZooKeys, 33, 39-80. [DOI:10.3897/zookeys.33.298]
43. Mengual, X., Ståhls, G. & Rojo, S. (2015) Phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic ranking of pipizine flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) with implications for the evolution of aphidophagy. Cladistics, 31 (5), 491-508. [DOI:10.1111/cla.12105]
44. Mengual, X., Bot, S., Chkhartishvili, T., Reimann, A., Thormann, J. & von der Mark, L. (2020) Checklist of hover flies (Diptera, Syrphidae) of the Republic of Georgia. ZooKeys, 916, 1-123. [DOI:10.3897/zookeys.916.47824]
45. Mengual, X., Mayer, C., Burt, T.O., Moran, K.M., Dietz, L., Nottebrock, G., Pauli, T., Young, A.D., Brasseur, M.V., Kukowka, S. & Skevington, J.H. (2023) Systematics and evolution of predatory flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) based on exon-capture sequencing. Systematic Entomology, 48 (2), 250-277. [DOI:10.1111/syen.12573]
46. Miličić, M.S., Janković, M.A., Milić, D.M., Radenković, S.R. & Vujić, A.A. (2018) Strictly protected species of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in Serbia in the face of climate change. Zbornik Matice Srpske Za Prirodne Nauke, 135, 53-62. [DOI:10.2298/ZMSPN1835053M]
47. Nielsen, T.R. (2001) New and little known hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae) from Tibet. Dipteron, 4, 11-16.
48. Nielsen, T.R. (2016) Records and notes on some Oriental Platycheirus species and description of the female P. himalayensis Brunetti, 1915 (Diptera, Syrphidae). Norwegian Journal of Entomology, 63, 169-174.
49. Nielsen, T.R. & Barkalov, A.V. (2017) A revision of and key to the Holarctic and Oriental Platycheirus manicatus group species (Diptera, Syrphidae). Norwegian Journal of Entomology, 64, 28-52.
50. Ôhara, K. (1980) The genus Platycheirus Lepeletier and Serville, 1828 (Diptera, Syrphidae) of Japan, with descriptions of three new species. Esakia, 15, 97-142. [DOI:10.5109/2405]
51. Pape, T., Blagoderov, V. & Mostovski, M.B. (2011) Order Diptera Linnaeus, 1758. In: Zhang, Z.Q. (ed.) Animal biodiversity: An outline of higher-level classification and survey of taxonomic richness. Zootaxa, 3148, 222-229. [DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.3148.1.9]
52. Reemer, M. (2012) Natural history of Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae): a review. Unravelling a hotchpotch: phylogeny and classification of the Microdontinae (Diptera: Syrphidae). PhD dissertation, Universiteit Leiden, Leiden, 384 p. [DOI:10.3897/zookeys.288.4095]
53. Reemer, M. (2016) Syrphidae (Diptera) of Surinam: Eristalinae and synthesis. Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 159 (2), 97-142. [DOI:10.1163/22119434-15902002]
54. Reemer, M. & Hippa, H. (2008) Review of the species of Pseudovolucella Shiraki, 1930 (Diptera: Syrphidae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 151 (1), 77-93. [DOI:10.1163/22119434-900000253]
55. Reemer, M. & Ståhls, G. (2013) Generic revision and species classification of the Microdontinae (Diptera, Syrphidae). ZooKeys, 288, 1-213. [DOI:10.3897/zookeys.288.4095]
56. Rojo, S., Gilbert, F., Marcos-García, M. A., Nieto, J. M. & Mier, M. P. (2003) A World Review of Predatory Hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae: Syrphinae) and their Prey. CIBIO Ediciones, Alicante. 319 p.
57. Sankararaman, H., Daniel, J.A., Manickavasagam, S. & Pennards, G. (2020) First record of two interesting genera of hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in South India. Journal of Insect Biodiversity, 14 (2), 54-63. [DOI:10.12976/jib/2020.14.2.4]
58. Sankararaman, H., Anooj, S.S. & Mengual, X. (2022) Review of Indian species of Monoceromyia Shannon (Diptera: Syrphidae) with description of two new species. Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology, 25 (1), 101820. [DOI:10.1016/j.aspen.2021.09.011]
59. Satyal, P. (2004) Forestry Sector in Nepal: A Country Profile Report. Forests Monitor, Cambridge, UK. 43 p.
60. Sengupta, J., Naskar, A., Maity, A., Hazra, S., Mukhopadhyay, E., Ghosh, S. & Banerjee, D. (2016) An Updated Distributional Account of Indian Hover flies (Insecta: Diptera: Syrphidae). Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 4 (6), 381-396.
61. Sengupta, J., Naskar, A., Maity, A., Hazra, S., Sarkar, N.K. & Banerjee, D. (2017) Hover Flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Darjeeling Himalaya-A Part of Indo-Burmese Hotspot. Indian Journal of Entomology, 79 (3), 336-353. [DOI:10.5958/0974-8172.2017.00065.7]
62. Sengupta, J., Naskar, A., Maity, A. & Banerjee, D. (2018) A taxonomic account of hover flies (Insecta: Diptera: Syrphidae) with 4 new records from cold dry zones of Himachal Pradesh, India. International Journal of Advancement in Life Sciences Research, 1 (4), 13-30. [DOI:10.31632/ijalsr.2018v01i04.003]
63. Sengupta, J., Naskar, A., Homechaudhuri, S. & Banerjee, D. (2019) Diversity of hover flies (Insecta: Diptera: Syrphidae) with 3 new record from high Hill Zone of Himachal Pradesh, India. International Journal of Advancement in Life Sciences Research, 2 (4), 21-37. [DOI:10.31632/ijalsr.2019v02i04.004]
64. Sengupta, J., Naskar, A., Parui, P., Homechaudhuri, S. & Banerjee, D. (2020) A new record from the genus Callicera Panzer, 1809 (Insecta: Diptera: Syrphidae) from India. Munis Entomology & Zoology, 15 (1), 140-144.
65. Shehzad, A., Ghorpadé, K., Rafi, M.A., Zia, A., Bhatti, A.R., Ilyas, M. & Shah, S.W. (2017) Faunistic study of hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of Pakistan. Oriental Insects, 51 (3), 197-220. [DOI:10.1080/00305316.2016.1274275]
66. Shrestha, P.K. & Aryal, R.P. (2000) Diversity of dipteron fauna in Dhapakel, Lalipur District, Central Nepal. Journal of Natural History Museum, Kathmandu, 19, 41-56.
67. Skevington, J.H., Locke, M.M., Young, A.D., Moran, K., Crins, W.J. & Marshall, S.A. (2019) Field Guide To The Flower Flies of Northeastern North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton. 512 p. [DOI:10.2307/j.ctv7xbrvz]
68. Sorokina, V.S. (2009) Hover flies of the genus Paragus Latr. (Diptera, Syrphidae) of Russia and adjacent countries. Entomological Review, 89, 351-366. [DOI:10.1134/S0013873809030130]
69. Sorokina, V.S. & Cheng, X.Y. (2007) New species and new distributional records of the genus Paragus Latr. (Diptera, Syrphidae) from China. Volucella, 8, 1-33.
70. Vujić, A., Gilbert, F., Flinn, G., Englefield, E., Ferreira, C.C., Varga, Z., Eggert, F., Woolcock, S., Böhm, M., Mergy, R., et al. (2022) Pollinators on the Edge: our European hoverflies. The European Red List of Hoverflies. European Commission, Brussels, Belgium. 108 p.
71. Thapa, V.K. (2015) Insect diversity in Nepal. VK Thapa Publication, Kathmandu, Nepal, 1097 p.
72. Thangjam, R., Kadam, V., Ningthoujam, K. & Sorokhaibam, M. (2019) Hoverflies of Assam (Diptera: Syrphidae): new records and their diversity. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 7 (4), 965-969.
73. Thompson, F.C. (1966) A new Sphegina from Nepal (Diptera: Syrphidae). Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society, 42-45.
74. Thompson, F.C. (1974) The genus Spheginobaccha de Meijere (Diptera: Syrphidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 100 (3), 255-287.
75. Thompson, F.C. (2012) Fabulous flower flies for famous fly fanatics (Diptera: Syrphidae). A tribute to the dipterists of the Canadian National Collection. The Canadian Entomologist, 144 (1), 1-16. [DOI:10.4039/tce.2012.4]
76. Thompson, F.C. (2019) Syrphidae. Systema Dipterorum, Version: 5.1. Available from: http://sd.zoobank.org/ Nomenclators [Accessed 7 March 2024]
77. Thompson, F.C. & Ghorpadé, K. (1992) A new coffee aphid predator, with notes on other Oriental species of Paragus (Diptera: Syrphidae). Colemania, 5, 1-24.
78. Thompson, F.C. & Vockeroth, J.R. (1989) Family Syrphidae. In: Evenhuis, N.L. (ed.) Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions. E.J. Brill, Leiden and Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, pp. 437-458.
79. van Steenis, J. & Hippa, H. (2012) Revision and phylogeny of the Oriental hoverfly genus Korinchia Edwards (Diptera: Syrphidae). Tijdschrift voor Entomologie, 155 (2-3), 209-268. [DOI:10.1163/22119434-00002014]
80. van Steenis, J., Hippa, H. & Mutin, V.A. (2018) Revision of the Oriental species of the genus Sphegina Meigen, 1822 (Diptera: Syrphidae). European Journal of Taxonomy, 489, 1-198. [DOI:10.5852/ejt.2018.489]
81. van Steenis, J., Wu, B., Ssymank, A.M., van Steenis, W., Skevington, J.H., Young, A.D., Palmer, C.J., van Zuijen, M.P., Lechner-Ssymank, B. & Shiao, S.F. (2021) Preliminary results of the 2016 international Taiwan expedition on Syrphidae (Diptera). Formosan Entomologist, 41 (2), 78-134.
82. Vockeroth, J.R. (1971) The identity of some holarctic and Old World species of Sphaerophoria (Diptera: Syrphidae). The Canadian Entomologist, 103 (11), 1627-1635. [DOI:10.4039/Ent1031627-11]
83. Wiegmann, B.M. (1986) A new species of Myolepta (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Nepal, with its phylogenetic placement and a key to oriental species. Journal of the New York Entomological Society, 94 (3), 377-382.
84. Weipert, J. & Claussen, C. (2006) A new species of the genus Orthonevra Macquart, 1829 (Diptera, Syrphidae) from Nepal, with notes on the placement of two Oriental species. Studia Dipterologica, 12, 319-330.
85. Wotton, K. R., Gao, B., Menz, M. H., Morris, R. K., Ball, S. G., Lim, K. S., Reynolds, D.R., Hu, G. & Chapman, J.W., (2019) Mass seasonal migrations of hoverflies provide extensive pollination and crop protection services. Current Biology, 29 (13), 2167-2173. [DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2019.05.036]
86. Yang, D., Wang, M.Q. & Li, W.L. (2020) Species catalog of China. Vol. 2. Animals, Insecta (VII), Diptera (3), Brachycera Cyclorrhaphous. Science Press, Beijing. 1312 p.

Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA

Send email to the article author


Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.