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Syrphid flies, Ischiodon scutellaris (Fabricius) and Episyrphus balteatus (DeGeer), are among the most common aphidophagous species in wheat growing areas of Punjab, Pakistan. Exploit predatory species efficiently in any biological control program requires an in-depth understanding of predator and prey interactions. The present study was conducted aiming to explore and compare the predatory potential of these predatory species against the wheat aphid, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) along with their relative fitness at different temperatures in terms of duration of lifecycle stages under laboratory conditions. The shortest egg and pupal durations were observed at 33 °C, followed by 27 and 23 °C. Females of both species had longer life span (20.4 and 22.4 days) compared to the respective males (17.2 and 16.2 days). The pupal stage for I. scutellaris was significantly shorter than for E. balteatus at different temperatures; but statistically insignificant differences were found for any other life stage. The larvae of I. scutellaris consumed significantly more aphids (438.16) than E. balteatus (398.37) during their larval life span, and this difference was significant during the 1st and 3rd instars. However, the average daily prey intake of both species was found similar until the 10th day after hatching, and thereafter, I. scutellaris consumed significantly higher numbers of aphids/day. Obtained results may offer a baseline data for future conservation studies on biological control of aphids.

Ischiodon scutellaris (Fabricius, 1805) Figs 2D, 3 G���H, 6 A Scaeva scutellaris Fabricius, 1805: 252 (holotype: ♂, UZMC; type locality: India, Tamil Nadu, Tranquebar). Syrphus coromandelensis Macquart, 1842: 149. Sphaerophoria annulipes Macquart, 1855: 116. Syrphus splendens Doleschall, 1856: 410. Syrphus nodalis Thomson, 1869: 497. Syrphus erythropygus Bigot, 1884: 87. Syrphus ruficauda Bigot, 1884: 96. Melithreptus novaeguineae Kert��sz, 1899: 178. Ischiodon trochanterica Sack, 1913: 6. Melithreptus ogasawarensis Matsumura, 1916: 23. Ischiodon boninensis Matsumura, 1919: 128. Epistrophe platychiroides Frey, 1946: 164. Ischiodon penicillatus Hardy, 1952: 363 (nomen nudum). Epistrophe magnicornis Shiraki, 1963: 141. Sphaerophoria macquarti Van der Goot, 1964: 220. Differential diagnosis Species with basoflagellomere elongate and subacute apically, face yellow, metasternum bare and abdominal terga 2���5 distinctly marginated (Figs 2D, 3 G���H). It differs from S. grandicornis by having a dorsal yellow macula on the katepisternum and the male metatrochanter with a ventral spine-like process or calcar. Material examined FRENCH POLYNESIA: Austral Islands: 1 ♀, Rapa Iti, motu Karapoo rahi, 4 Apr. 2017, F. Jacq leg. (ZFMK: ZFMK-DIP-00019531). ��� Gambier Islands: 2 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂, 2 puparia, Mangareva, Rikit��a, 6 Apr. 1966, P. Cochereau leg. (MNHN); 1 ♀, Mangareva, 16 Apr. 1966, Malaise trap, P. Cochereau leg. (MNHN). ��� Marquesas Islands: 5 ♀♀, Fatu Hiva, ���Omoa, 6���26. Aug. 2013, Malaise trap, F. Jacq leg. (3 ♀♀: CTR; 2 ♀♀: ZFMK: ZFMK-DIP-00019714, ZFMK-DIP-00019715); 1 ♀, 1 ♂, Hiva Oa, 5 Mar. 2013, F. Jacq leg. (1 ♀: CTR; 1 ♂: ZFMK: ZFMK-DIP-00019721); 2 ♀♀, Nuku Hiva, Vall��e fran��aise, Apr. 2013, Malaise trap, F. Jacq leg. (CTR); 1 ♀, Nuku Hiva, Anaho, 13 Aug. 2014, F. Jacq leg. (CTR); 13 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, Tahuata, 5 Sep. 2012, Malaise trap, F. Jacq leg. (9 ♀♀, 1 ♂: CTR; 4 ♀♀, 1 ♂: ZFMK: ZFMK-DIP-00019708 to ZFMK-DIP-00019712). ��� Society Islands: 13 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂, Bora Bora, Vairupe, 13 Nov. 2012, Malaise trap, F. Jacq leg. (11 ♀♀, 1 ♂: CTR; 2 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂: ZFMK: ZFMK-DIP-00019719, ZFMK-DIP-00019720, ZFMK-DIP-0001971922, ZFMK- DIP-00019723); 1 ♂, Huahine, motu Maeva, 16��41���51.5��� S, 150��58���50.8��� W, 1 Jul. 2007, S. Charlat leg. (SCL: symbiocode_07570); 1 ♀, Huahine, Pohue Rahi, 16��46���51.2��� S, 150��58���34.7��� W, 470 m a.s.l., 4 Jul. 2007, S. Charlat leg. (SCL: symbiocode_08019); 1 ♂, same collection data as preceding (SCL: symbiocode_08018); 1 ♂, Huahine, Pohue Rahi, 16��46���54.44��� S, 150��58���10.07��� W, 265 m a.s.l., 23 Sep. 2012, T. Ramage leg. (CTR); 2 ♂♂, Huahine, Pointe Tiva, 16��49���17.31��� S, 150��59���4.42��� W, 5 m a.s.l., 22 Sep. 2012, T. Ramage leg. (CTR); 1 ♀, Moorea, motu Tiahura, 17��29���15��� S, 149��54���43��� W, Malaise trap, Oct. 2006, S. Charlat leg. (SCL: symbiocode_01632); 2 ♀♀, same collection data as preceding but Nov. 2006 (SCL); 1♀, Moorea, Opunohu, Trois Cocotiers Trail, 17��33���00��� S, 149��50���15���W, 420 m a.s.l., 2 Dec. 2006, Malaise trap, S. Charlat leg. (SCL: symbiocode_03845); 4 ♂♂, Moorea, 17��31���40��� S, 149��50���06��� W, 300 m a.s.l., 6 Jun. 2007, S. Charlat leg. (SCL: symbiocode_02597); 1 ♂, Raiatea, Faaroa Bay, 16��49���00.5��� S, 151��23���58.5��� W, 300 m a.s.l., 26 Jun. 2007, S. Charlat leg. (SCL: symbiocode_05172); 1 larva, Raiatea, marae Taputapuatea, 16��50���08��� S, 151��21���31��� W, 27 Jun. 2007, S. Charlat leg. (SCL: symbiocode_05606); 1 ♂, Raiatea, Te Mehani Rahi, 16��45���36.1��� S, 151��29���19.4��� W, 29 Jun. 2007, S. Charlat leg. (SCL: symbiocode_04987); 3 ♀♀, Raiatea, Avera Rahi, 16��47���42.17��� S, 151��24���48.82��� W, 10 m a.s.l., Malaise trap, 28 Sep. 2012, T. Ramage leg. (CTR); 1 ♀, Raiatea, Opoa, Aratao, 11 Jul. 2013, F. Jacq leg. (CTR); 1 ♂, Raiatea, Te Mehani ���ute ���ute, on Apetahia, 2014, F. Jacq and T. Laroche leg. (CTR); 1 ♀, 1 ♂, Raiatea, Opoa, 18 May 2015, Malaise trap, F. Jacq leg. (ZFMK: ZFMK-DIP-00019716, ZFMK-DIP-00019717); 1 ♂,Taha���a, Mount Ohiri Trail, 16��36���19.81��� S, 151��31���46.48��� W, 130 m a.s.l., 30 Sep. 2012, T. Ramage leg. (CTR); 1♂, Tahiti, 1854, Deyrolle leg. (MNHN); 1 ♂, Tahiti, Fautaua Valley, 333 m a.s.l., 23 Aug. 1928, A.M. Adamson leg. (NBCN); 1 ♀, Tahiti, Mount Marau, 17��36���08��� S, 149��33���42��� W, 970 m a.s.l., 4 Apr. 2006, Malaise trap, E. Claridge leg. (SCL: symbiocode_04455); 1 ♂, Tahiti, Arue, 17��32���8.26��� S, 149��31���6.74��� W, 200 m a.s.l., 16 Sep. 2012, T. Ramage leg. (CTR); 1 ♂, Tahiti, Vall��e de la Punaruu, 17��37���43.38��� S, 149��33���47.73��� W, 170 m a.s.l., 3 Oct. 2012, T. Ramage leg. (CTR); 1 ♂, Tahiti, Plateau Te Tamanu, 17��38���0.40��� S, 149��33���12.57��� W, 560 m a.s.l., 6 Oct. 2012, T. Ramage leg. (ZFMK: ZFMK-DIP-00019729); 1 ♀, Tahiti, Punaauia, 11 Oct. 2012, Malaise trap, T. Ramage leg. (CTR); 2 ♀♀, Tahiti, Mahina, 16 Nov. 2012, Malaise trap, F. Jacq leg. (CTR); 2 ♀♀, Tahiti, Papeete, Sainte-Am��lie, 2014, F. Jacq leg. (CTR); 1 ♀, Tahiti, Papeete, Sainte-Am��lie, Mar. 2015, Malaise trap, F. Jacq leg. (CTR); 1 ♀, Tahiti, Mont Marau, 1400 m a.s.l., 27 Aug. 2017, T. Ramage and F. Jacq leg. (ZFMK: ZFMK-DIP-00026903). ��� Tuamotu Islands: 1 ♀, Hao, 15 May 1966, Malaise trap, P. Cochereau leg. (MNHN); 2 ♂♂, Moruroa, Eider, 8 May 1966, on flowers of Messerschmidia argentea, P. Cochereau leg. (MNHN); 1 ♂, Morane, Motu est, 1 Jun. 2012, F. Jacq leg. (ZFMK: ZFMK-DIP-00019713); 2 ♀♀, Morane, Motu ouest, 3 Jun. 2012, F. Jacq leg. (1 ♀: CTR; 1 ♀: ZFMK: ZFMK-DIP-00019718). Geographical distribution Widespread species in the Oriental and Australasian Regions (Japan west to India and south to Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Micronesia, Samoa and other Pacific islands, including French Polynesia). Status in French Polynesia Present; recorded from Marquesas Islands, Gambier Islands, Tuamotu Islands, Austral Islands and Society Islands. Flowers visited Ischiodon scutellaris has been seen visiting two plant species, Hippobroma longiflora (L.) G.Don and Apetahia raiateensis Baill. (Campanulaceae). Apetahlia raiateensis is a shrub endemic to the three trachytic plateaus of Raiatea and it is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN(UICN France, MNHN & DIREN Polyn��sie fran��aise 2015). In terms of conservation, the identification of the pollinators of this species may be useful (F. Jacq, pers. comm.). A couple of males at the MNHN were collected on flowers of Messerschmidia argentea (L. f.) I.M.Johnst. (= Tournefortia argentea L. f. = Heliotropium foertherianum Diane & Hilger, 2003). Due to the overall similarity between females of I. scutellaris and A. nigripilosa in the field, some records of visited flowers cannot be confidently assigned to one of these species and they are not included. Biology Cochereau (1966, 1974) observed the food web of I. scutellaris (as Xanthogramma sp.) in Mangareva, Gambier Islands. Larvae of I. scutellaris attacked several aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on different plants: Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch, 1856) and Sitobion avenae (Fabricius, 1775) on several species of Poaceae; Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus, 1758) on Brassica oleracea L., (Brassicaceae); and Aphis gossypii Glover, 1877 on several plants belonging to Araceae, Asteraceae, Malvaceae and Myrtaceae. He also observed that the pupae of I. scutellaris were parasitized by a braconid wasp (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Genetics The GenBank accession numbers for this species are: 28S gene (MF446488, specimen ZFMK- DIP-00019720), 18S gene (MF446444, specimen ZFMK-DIP-00019720), protein-coding COI gene (MF446540, specimen ZFMK-DIP-00019720; MF446516, specimen ZFMK-DIP-00019721). The BOLD Process IDs for the DNA barcodes (5������COI) for this species are: SYC 1600-14 (= KX053515, specimen symbiocode_01632),SYC2519-14(= KX053518,specimen symbiocode_02597), SYC3765-14 (= KX053516,specimensymbiocode_03845),SYC4375-14(= KX053520,specimensymbiocode_04455), SYC4907-14 (= KX053519, specimen symbiocode_04987), SYC5089-14 (= KX053521, specimen symbiocode_05172), SYC5521-14 (= KX053513, specimen symbiocode_05606), SYC7453-14 (= KX053514,specimen symbiocode_07570),SYC7894-14(= KX053517,specimen symbiocode_08018) and SYC7895-14 (= KX053522, specimen symbiocode_08019). The Barcode Index Number (BIN) for these specimens is BOLD:AAE5566 (https://doi.org/10.5883/BOLD:AAE5566). References Macquart 1855: 116 (description, Marquesas Islands); Thomson 1869: 497 (description, Tahiti); Aubertin & Cheesman 1929: 172 (records); Hull 1937: 83 (catalogue); Thompson 1989: 16 (cit.); Thompson & Vockeroth 1989: 444 (catalogue). Remarks Old records of this species are not easy to verify, as some authors used S. grandicornis and I. scutellaris as synonyms for a long time., Published as part of Ramage, Thibault, Charlat, Sylvain & Mengual, Ximo, 2018, Flower flies (Diptera, Syrphidae) of French Polynesia, with the description of two new species, pp. 1-37 in European Journal of Taxonomy 448 on pages 12-15, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2018.448, http://zenodo.org/record/3814059, {"references":["Fabricius J. C. 1805. Systema Antliatorum: secundum Ordines, Genera, Species adiectis Synonymis, Locis, Observationibus, Descriptionibus. Carolus Reichard, Brunsvigae [= Braunschweig, Germany].","Macquart P. J. M. 1842. Dipteres exotiques nouveaux ou peu connus. Tome deuxieme, 2 e partie. Memoires de la Societe royale des Sciences, de l'Agriculture et des Arts de Lille 1: 65 - 200.","Macquart P. J. M. 1855. Dipteres exotiques nouveaux ou peu connus. 5 e supplement. Memoires de la Societe royale des Sciences, de l'Agriculture et des Arts de Lille 2 (1): 25 - 156.","Doleschall C. L. 1856. Eerste bijdrage tot de kennis der dipterologische fauna van Nederlandsch Indie. Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indie 10: 403 - 414. https: // biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 13612961","Thomson C. G. 1869. Diptera. Species nova descripsit. In: Kongliga Svenska Fregatten Eugenies Resa omkring Jorden under Befal af C. A. Virgin, aren 1851 - 1853: 443 - 614. Vol. 2 (Zoologi), part 1 (Insecta). P. A. Norstedt & Soner, Stockholm.","Bigot J. M. F. 1884. Dipteres nouveaux ou peu connus. 24 e partie (1), XXXII: Syrphidi (2 e partie). Especes nouvelles, No III (2). Annales de la Societe entomologique de France, serie 6, 4: 73 - 80, 81 - 116.","Kertesz K. 1899. Verzeichniss einiger, von L. Biro in Neu-Guinea und am malayischen Archipel gesammelten Dipteren. Termeszetrajzi Fuzetek 22: 173 - 195.","Sack P. 1913. H. Sauter's Formosa-Ausbeute. Syrphiden I. (Dipt.). Entomologische Mitteilungen 2: 1 - 10.","Matsumura S. & Adachi J. 1916. Synopsis of the economic Syrphidae of Japan. Pl. [sic] [= Pt.] I. The Entomological Magazine, Kyoto 2: 1 - 36.","Matsumura S. & Adachi J. 1919. Synopsis of the economic Syrphidae of Japan. Pt. III. [sic] [= IV]. The Entomological Magazine, Kyoto 3: 128 - 144.","Frey R. 1946. Ubersicht der Gattungen der Syrphiden-Unterfamilie Syrphinae (Syrphinae + Bacchinae). Notulae Entomologicae 25: 152 - 172.","Hardy D. E. 1952. Notes and exhibitions. Ischiodon penicillatus (Hull). Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society 14: 363.","Shiraki T. 1963. Diptera: Syrphidae. Insects of Micronesia 13: 129 - 187.","Van der Goot V. S. 1964. Fluke's catalogue of Neotropical Syrphidae (Insects, Diptera), a critical study with an appendix on new names in Syrphidae. Beaufortia 10: 212 - 221.","Cochereau P. 1966. Compte rendu d'une Mission d'Inventaire faunistique aux Iles Gambier et Tuamotu (Avril-Mai 1966). ORSTOM, Noumea, New Caledonia.","Cochereau P. 1974. Ebauche d'un inventaire faunistique de l'ile de Mangareva (Archipel des Gambier). Cahiers du Pacifique 18 (2): 479 - 532.","Fabricius J. C. 1775. Systema Entomologiae, sistens Insectorum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, adiectis Synonymis, Locis, Descriptionibus, Observationibus. Kortii, Flensbvrgi et Lipsiae [= Flensburg and Leipzig].","Aubertin D. & Cheesman L. E. 1929. Diptera of French Oceania. Entomologist 62: 172 - 176. Bergh J. C. & Short B. D. 2008. Ecological and life-history notes on syrphid predators of woolly apple aphid in Virginia, with emphasis on Heringia calcarata. BioControl 53: 773 - 786. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / s 10526 - 007 - 9114 - 0","Hull F. M. 1937. A check list of the Syrphidae of Oceania. Occasional Papers of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum 13 (10): 79 - 87.","Thompson F. C. & Vockeroth J. R. 1989. 51. Family Syrphidae. In: Evenhuis N. L. (ed.) Catalog of the Diptera of the Australasian and Oceanian Regions: 437 - 458. Bishop Museum Special Publication 86. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu and E. J. Brill, Leiden."]}

3. lschiodon scutellaris (Fabricius). Scaeva scutellaris Fabricius, Systema Antliat., 252, 1805. Xanthogramma grandicornis (Macquart), Grimshaw, Fauna Hawaiiensis 3: 19, 1901. Ischiodon scutellaris, Bezzi, Diptera of the Fiji Islands, 72, 1928. Mt. Alifan, June 27, Swezey; Piti, Aug. 24, Sept. 15, Swezey; common, the larvae feeding on Aphis maidis on corn. Three specimens in Bishop Museum, Fullaway., Published as part of O. H. Swezey, 1946, SOME MISCELLANEOUS DIPTERA OF GUAM, pp. 195-200 in Insects of Guam-II, Hawaii, Honolulu :Bernice P. Bishop Museum on page 195, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5127686