A SYNOPSIS OF THE SYRPHIDAE OF NEBRASKA 



WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES FROM 



NEBRASKA AND COLORADO 



By EVERETT E. WEHR 



UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA 



In June, 1907, Mr. Paul R. Jones published in the Journal 

 of the New York Entomological Society "A Preliminary List of 

 Nebraska Syrphidae with Descriptions of New Species." At 

 that time there was available only a comparatively small col- 

 lection of Syrphid flies, but apparently it contained a fairly 

 good representation of the species found in the state. Sub- 

 sequent collectors have contributed a considerable amount of 

 new material from the state in which there are twelve addi- 

 tional species, two of which are new. With these additions, 

 the Nebraska list is increased to ninety species. 



At the present time the classification of the family 

 Syrphidae seems to be undergoing a course of complete revi- 

 sion. Many of the old generic names that had been suppressed 

 for a number of years have been brought into use again, and 

 many of the genera subdivided. Such a course of revision has 

 simplified the synoptic keys and facilitated the determination 

 of doubtful species. It is sincerely hoped that this good work 

 will continue to completion. The author believes that insuf- 

 ficient work on the group as a whole has resulted in the erec- 

 tion of many specific names which are probably not valid. 



As a guide to the division of the family Syrphidae into sub- 

 families and genera, the writer has followed the classification 

 recently proposed by Shannon.* This work on the family is 

 the most recent and complete now published. Mention should 

 also be made of Metcalf's paper on "Syrphidae of Ohio" and 

 Williston's "Synopsis of North American Syrphidae," as these 



* Bulletin Brooklyn Entomological Society, XVI, Nos. 3 and 4 ; XVII, No. 1, 

 (1921-22). 



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