Pseudopelecocera, 2019

Vujić, Ante, Ståhls, Gunilla & Radenković, Snežana, 2019, Hidden European diversity: a new monotypic hoverfly genus (Diptera: Syrphidae: Eristalinae: Rhingiini), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 185, pp. 1188-1211 : 1201-1202

PSEUDOPELECOCERA VUJIĆ & RADENKOVIĆ GEN. NOV.

Type: Pelecocera latifrons Loew, 1856: 46 ; Mengual et al. (2015a) (lectotype des.). The phylogenetic analyses of both the three-genes and combined data (and also separate analysis of COI gene tree) agreed with the results of Ståhls et al. (2004) in not resolving the Pelecocera latifrons taxon in the Pelecocera sensu lato (sg. Chamaesyrphus + Pelecocera s. str.) clade. Morphological characters (listed in Table 2) confirm its distinctness from Pelecocera and Chamaesyrphus . For Pelecocera latifrons , here we erect the new genus Pseudopelecocera Vujić & Radenković gen. nov. We also place the species Pelecocera persiana in the new genus Pseudopelecocera based on descriptive data and illustrations given in Kuznetzov (1989) and Mengual et al. (2015a), as morphological characters agree well with those of P. latifrons . Morphological closeness between these two taxa was previously noted by Doczkal (2002).

Diagnosis: Basoflagellomere large, triangular, with a thick dorso-apical arista ( Fig. 10D); eye dichoptic in both sexes; frons wide (as wide as eye), with distinct transversal striae ( Fig. 11A); dorsal margin of lunula almost straight; no thoracic bristles; bare proepisternum; mesotarsi without black bristles ventrally; vein dm-cu almost parallel to hind margin; spermal pump bifurcated ( Fig. 12F); ejaculatory apodeme in the shape of a spatula (not fan- or stick-like) ( Fig. 12F); distiphallus angulated and not fused with basiphallus ( Fig. 13D:a); lateral sclerites of distiphallus fused; surstylus without ridge ( Fig. 13E).

Etymology: The new genus is named after the former genus Pelecocera from which it is separated, with prefix pseudo from the ancient Greek word pseud ē s meaning pretending or having a close resemblance. The name is to be considered as feminine.