''Afromicrodon'' is an

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

hoverflies Hoverflies, also called flower flies or syrphids, make up the insect family (biology), family Syrphidae. As their common name suggests, they are often seen Hover (behaviour), hovering or nectaring at flowers; the adults of many species feed main ...

. The species of the genus ''Afromicrodon'' were previously and erroneously placed in the genus ''

Ceratophya ''Ceratophya'' is a genus of hoverfly, hoverflies, with five known species. They are distinct from ''Microdon'' by the presence of an appendix on vein R4+5. Many species have erroneously been placed in this genus. Some authors place ''Ceratophya' ...

''. ''Afromicrodon'' species are recognized among the

Microdontinae The subfamily Microdontinae contains slightly more than 400 species of hoverfly, hoverflies (family Syrphidae) and, while diverse, these species share several characteristics by which they differ from other syrphids. The Microdontinae are myrmecop ...

by them lacking an appendix on vein R4+5, having short antennae about as long as the face or shorter, and a simple basoflagellomere and simple scutellum without

calcar The calcar, also known as the calcaneum, is the name given to a spur of cartilage arising from inner side of ankle and running along part of outer interfemoral membrane in bats, as well as to a similar spur on the legs of some arthropods. The cal ...

. The

abdomen The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...

oval An oval () is a closed curve in a plane which resembles the outline of an egg. The term is not very specific, but in some areas of mathematics (projective geometry, technical drawing, etc.), it is given a more precise definition, which may inc ...

Distribution

All currently known species are restricted to

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

and the Comoros Islands.

Species

*'' Afromicrodon comoroensis'' (De Meyer, De Bruyn & Janssons, 1990) originally placed in genus ''

'' *'' Afromicrodon johannae'' (van Doesburg, 1957) originally placed in genus ''

Microdon Hover flies (family Syrphidae) of the genus ''Microdon'' are unusual among the Fly, Diptera. Like other members of the subfamily, they are myrmecophiles, meaning they inhabit the nests of ants. There are 249 species known worldwide, with the gr ...

'' *'' Afromicrodon luciferus'' (Hull, 1941) originally placed in genus ''

'' *'' Afromicrodon madecassa'' (Keiser, 1971) originally placed in genus ''

'' *'' Afromicrodon stuckenbergi'' (Keiser, 1971) originally placed in genus ''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2747984 Hoverfly genera Diptera of Africa Microdontinae Brachycera tribes