Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Helophilus (in part)
includes 6 subgenera in North America: Anasimyia, Arctosyrphus, Asemosyrphus, Eurimyia, Lunomyia, Polydontomyia
Numbers
13 species in 6 subgenera in North America listed at The Diptera Site
Identification
face white or pale yellowish, the lower portion protruding to varying degrees, depending on species - with one species having a distinct "beak"; top of thorax either all dark or dark with pale longitudinal stripes (as in Helophilus); abdomen either mostly dark or dark with pale partial arc-shaped bands - varies according to species and sex
males can be identified to species by the presence or absence (and size and shape) of spurs at the tip of the tibia and base of the femur of the hindleg; females are more difficult to identify, and some species are indistinguishable based on photos alone
Range
most of North America, including the arctic; also occurs in Central and South America, Africa, and Eurasia
Habitat
larvae are aquatic, developing in a variety of wetland habitats
Season
adults fly from April to October in Ontario; season is extended farther south, and shortened farther north; individual species usually have shorter flight seasons than the genus as a whole
Remarks
The 13 species in North America (with subgenera in parentheses) are:
Lejops (Anasimyia) annulipes
Lejops (Anasimyia) billinearis
Lejops (Anasimyia) borealis
Lejops (Anasimyia) chrysostomus
Lejops (Anasimyia) distinctus
Lejops (Anasimyia) lunulatus [synonyms Helophilus anausis, H. lunulatus]
Lejops (Anasimyia) perfidiosus
Lejops (Arctosyrphus) willingii
Lejops (Asemosyrphus) polygrammus
Lejops (Eurimyia) lineatus [synonym Lejops stipatus]
Lejops (Lunomyia) cooleyi
Lejops (Polydontomyia) curvipes
See Also
Helophilus and
Parhelophilus are larger (10-16 mm) and the common species have wider abdominal bands that are not arc-shaped;
Parhelophilus species also have an orange face, not white or pale yellowish
Internet References
pinned adult images of 3 species (Insects of Cedar Creek, Minnesota)
links to photos of 5 species of live and pinned males and females, with red arrows pointing to key field marks, plus seasonality and larval habitat (Jeff Skevington
et al, Field Guide to Flower Flies of Ontario)
pinned adult images of
L. grisescens (Georgetown U., Washington DC)
pinned adult images of
L. distinctus (Georgetown U., Washington DC)
Fly Nomenclator - enter
Lejops in the Name box for a clickable list of world species (The Diptera Site, USDA)
classification and original type species (The Diptera Site, USDA)
