Megasyrphus catalina

(Curran, 1930)

Yellow-legged Gossamer

Megasyrphus catalina is a of hoverfly in the Syrphidae, described by Curran in 1930. The species is known by the 'Yellow-legged Gossamer.' As a member of the Syrphinae and tribe Syrphini, it belongs to a diverse group of flies commonly known as flower flies or hoverflies, many of which are important . The specific epithet 'catalina' likely references the Santa Catalina Mountains in Arizona, suggesting a southwestern North American distribution. Very few observations of this species have been documented, with only four records in iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Megasyrphus catalina: /mɛˈɡæsɜrfəs ˌkætəˈliːnə/

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Distribution

The specific epithet 'catalina' suggests association with the Santa Catalina Mountains in southern Arizona. The appears to have a southwestern North American distribution, though precise range boundaries remain poorly documented due to limited observation records.

More Details

Taxonomic history

Described by Charles Howard Curran in 1930, this has received limited taxonomic attention since its original description.

Data deficiency

With only four iNaturalist observations recorded, this is among the more poorly documented hoverflies in North America, highlighting ongoing gaps in insect biodiversity knowledge even in relatively well-studied regions.