Helophilus antipodus

Helophilus antipodus
Adult of Helophilus antipodus from North Island, New Zealand
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Diptera
Family:	Syrphidae
Genus:	Helophilus
Species:	H. antipodus
Binomial name
Helophilus antipodus Schiner, 1868
Distribution map of Inaturalist H. antipodus sighting
Synonyms[1]
Helophilus interruptus Lamb, 1909 Helophilus vicinus Hutton, 1901

Helophilus antipodus is a endemic species of hoverfly observed throughout New Zealand . It belongs to the genus Helophilus in the family Syrphidae (flower flies). The adults are pollinators.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by Schiner in 1868 from a single female from Auckland New Zealand.[2] In 1901, Hutton named this species as Helophilus vicinus using male specimens from Chatham Islands.[3] In 1909, Lamb used a female specimen from Campbell islands to describe Helophilus interruptus.[4] In 1921, Miller clarified that there was just one species; Helophilus antipodus.[5][6]

Description

Front tibia is yellow, with a black ring at the end. Hind femur are all black. Wing-viens black, and slightly infusecate.[4] Campared with Helophilus montanus, their Lateral ocelli is closer to eyes than to each other; oral margin is not strongly produced; they are larger and more robust flies.[7] Similar in appearance to the New Zealand three-lined hoverfly (Helophilus seelandicus)[8]

Distribution

Helophilus antipodus is found over much of New Zealand including many subantartic Islands (Auckland Islands, Campbell islands).[6]

On the mainland this fly is a pollinator of the endemic orchid Dendrobium cunninghamii.[9]

Gallery

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  Compound eyes of Helophilus antipodus
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  Wing of Helophilus antipodus
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  Back of Helophilus antipodus
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  Belly of Helophilus antipodus

References

1. "Helophilus antipodus Schiner, 1868". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
2. Denner, F. (2017). "Type specimens of Syrphidae (Insecta: Diptera) in the Natural History Museum in Vienna". Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien. Serie B für Botanik und Zoologie. 119: 55–166. ISSN 0255-0105. JSTOR 26343206.
3. Hutton, F. W. (1901). "Synopsis of the Diptera Brachyera of New Zealand". Trans. Proc. N.Z. Inst. 33: 1–95.
4. Philosophical Institute of Canterbury (Christchurch,N.Z.) (1909). The Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand: Reports on the Geo-physics, Geology, Zoology, and Botany of the Islands Lying to the South of New Zealand, Based Mainly on Observations and Collections Made During an Expedition in the Government Steamer "Hinemoa" (Captain J. Bollons) in November, 1907. J. Mackay, Government printer.
5. Miller. "Material for a Monograph on the Diptera Fauna of New Zealand: Part II, Family Syrphidae". Transactions & Proc. New Zealand Inst.
6. Harrison, R. A. (May 1976). "The arthropoda of the Southern Islands of New Zealand (9) Diptera". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 6 (2): 107–152. doi:10.1080/03036758.1976.10421469. ISSN 0303-6758.
7. THOMPSON, F. CHRISTIAN (2008-02-29). "A conspectus of New Zealand flower flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) with the description of a new genus and species". Zootaxa. 1716 (1). doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1716.1.1. ISSN 1175-5334.
8. "Helophilus antipodus". iNaturalist NZ. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
9. Lehnebach, C. A. (2004). "Pollination Ecology of Four Epiphytic Orchids of New Zealand". Annals of Botany. 93 (6): 773–781. doi:10.1093/aob/mch097. ISSN 0305-7364. PMC 4242302. PMID 15113741.