Meromacrus

Rondani, 1848

Elegant Flies

Species Guides

2

Meromacrus is a of 43 of large, conspicuous hoverflies (Syrphidae) distributed from the southern United States through the Neotropics to northern Argentina and Chile. are frequent flower visitors and . Larvae are saprophagous, developing in decaying plant matter including rot holes, decaying stems, and rotting cacti.

Meromacrus by (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz. Used under a CC-BY license.Meromacrus by no rights reserved, uploaded by Jean-Paul Boerekamps. Used under a CC0 license.Meromacrus by (c) Kai Squires, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kai Squires. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Meromacrus: /mɛ.ˈroʊ.mə.krəs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

The is characterized by large size and conspicuous appearance among syrphid flies. Specific diagnostic features for distinguishing Meromacrus from related genera are not documented in available sources. can be identified using the key provided by Ricarte et al. (2020).

Images

Habitat

Larvae inhabit decaying organic matter in diverse microhabitats: rot holes in tree stumps (including Ceiba pentandra), water pockets in banana leaf axils, bromeliads, Heliconia flower bracts, decaying banana stems, coffee pulp, and rotting columnar cacti. frequent flowers in natural and agricultural environments, including cactus flowers in arid regions.

Distribution

Neotropical and Nearctic regions, ranging from the southern United States to northern Argentina and Chile. Documented from Mexico, Rica, Cuba, Bahamas, USA, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, and Taiwan.

Diet

Larvae are saprophagous, feeding on decaying plant materials. feed on flower nectar and pollen.

Host Associations

  • Espostoa melanostele - larval development site (rotting cactus)First record of Meromacrus larva in rotting cactus; Meromacrus cactorum
  • Ceiba pentandra - larval development site (rot-hole in stump)Meromacrus yucatense
  • Heliconia - larval development site (flower bracts)
  • Musa (banana) - larval development site (leaf axils, decaying stems)
  • Coffea (coffee) - larval development site (pulp)
  • Opuntia ficus-indica - flower visitationMeromacrus cactorum in Chile
  • Cumulopuntia sphaerica - flower visitationMeromacrus cactorum in Chile
  • Browningia candelaris - flower visitationVulnerable cactus ; Meromacrus cactorum in Chile

Life Cycle

Complete with documented pupal duration of 6-31 days. Larvae of M. yucatense pupated 22 days after collection; emerged between March 25 and April 26 under shade conditions. Multiple larval can coexist in the same tree hole.

Behavior

are frequent flower visitors. Larvae of different have been observed coexisting in the same tree hole.

Ecological Role

provide pollination services to wild and cultivated plants, including vulnerable cactus . Larvae contribute to decomposition of plant materials. The has been used as an indicator of biodiversity and quality.

Human Relevance

pollinate cultivated plants including mango. Potential value as bioindicators of environmental quality.

More Details

Taxonomic Status

The is in need of taxonomic revision. Meromacrus draco has been synonymized with M. gloriosus.

Recent Species Descriptions

Two new were described in 2020: Meromacrus cactorum from Peru and Meromacrus yucatense from Mexico, with their and breeding sites documented.

First Chilean Record

Meromacrus cactorum was first recorded from Chile in 2021, representing a range extension for the .

Tags

Sources and further reading