Life on an island: the phylogenetic placement of <i>Loveridgeana</i> and Afrotropical <i>Sphaerophoria</i> (Diptera: Syrphidae) inferred from molecular characters
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Phylogenetic relationships of the <i>Sphaerophoria</i> lineage (<i>Sphaerophoria</i> Le Peletier & Audinet-Serville and related genera) were inferred based on molecular characters, with the specific aim to infer the phylogenetic placement of the Afrotropical <i>Sphaerophoria</i> species and <i>Loveridgeana beattiei</i> van Doesburg & van Doesburg. Three molecular markers were used, i.e., the mitochondrial protein-coding gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and the nuclear 28S and 18S ribosomal RNA genes. The <i>Sphaerophoria</i> lineage genera <i>Exallandra</i> Vockeroth and <i>Loveridgeana</i> were resolved within the genus <i>Sphaerophoria</i>, and the Indomalayan <i>Eosphaerophoria</i> Frey was placed sister to <i>Citrogramma</i> Vockeroth, both related to a large species radiation from the New World. <i>Fazia</i> Shannon and <i>Allograpta</i> Osten Sacken were recovered as non-monophyletic. Our results recovered two different <i>Fazia</i> clades with dissimilar natural history resulted from our analyses, and <i>Allograpta</i> species were resolved into two clades, one with Nearctic and Neotropical species and a second clade with species from Oceanian, Indomalayan and Afrotropical Regions. <i>Exallandra</i> is considered a subgenus of <i>Sphaerophoria</i>, <i>S</i>. (<i>Exallandra</i>) <b>stat. rev.,</b> and <i>Sphaerophoria cinctifacies</i> (Speiser) <b>n. comb.</b> a member of this subgenus together with <i>S. loewii</i> Zetterstedt. A new <i>Sphaerophoria</i> subgenus is designated <i>S.</i> (<i>Loveridgeana</i>) <b>stat. rev.</b> to include <i>S. beattiei</i> <b>n. comb.</b> and the South African species, i.e., <i>S. quadrituberculata</i> Bezzi, <i>S. retrocurva</i> Hull, and <i>S</i>. aff. <i>retrocurva</i>. Based on their phylogenetic distinctiveness, functional traits, and ecological relevance we do recommend further ecological study and protection efforts for this Afrotropical group of pollinators.
