Meligramma
Frey, 1946
Species Guides
3- Meligramma cincta
- Meligramma guttata(Spotted Roundtail)
- Meligramma triangulifera(Variable Roundtail)
Meligramma is a of hoverflies (Syrphidae) in the Syrphinae, established by Frey in 1946. The genus contains at least four described , including M. guttatum, M. triangulifera, M. cingulatum, and M. vespertinum. Taxonomic treatment of Nearctic species has historically been complex, with M. tenuis and M. cincta synonymized under M. triangulifera. The genus occurs in both Palearctic and Nearctic regions.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Meligramma: //mɛlɪˈɡræmə//
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Identification
of Meligramma can be distinguished from related hoverfly using morphological keys; Nearctic have been keyed in taxonomic revisions. of at least three Nearctic species have been described for identification purposes. Specific diagnostic characters for the genus versus closely related such as Melangyna require examination of detailed morphological features.
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Distribution
Recorded from Palearctic regions (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and the Nearctic region, including British Columbia where at least one has been described. Distribution patterns have been outlined for individual Nearctic species in taxonomic reviews.
Similar Taxa
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Taxonomic History
Nearctic were previously classified under Melangyna (Meligramma) as a subgenus before being elevated or reclassified. The has undergone revision to clarify species boundaries, including designation of a lectotype for M. guttata and resolution of synonymies involving M. triangulifera.
Species Count
At least four are recognized: M. cingulatum (Egger, 1860), M. guttatum (Fallén, 1817), M. triangulifera (Zetterstedt, 1843), and M. vespertinum (Vockeroth, 1980). A new species from British Columbia was described in a 1980 taxonomic review, potentially representing a fifth species.