Taxonomic revision of the Merodon tarsatus species group (Diptera, Syrphidae) Author Vujic, Ante https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8819-8079 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; Author Radenkovic, Snezana https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7805-9614 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; Author Barkalov, Anatolij Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of the Academy of Sciences, 630091 Novosibirsk, Russia; Author Kocis Tubic, Natasa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6077-7378 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; Author Likov, Laura https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7215-1006 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; Author Tot, Tamara https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8776-9362 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; Author Popov, Grigory https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2519-1937 Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 01030 Kyiv, Ukraine; Grigory Popov Author Prokhorov, Alex https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3367-260X Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 01030 Kyiv, Ukraine; Grigory Popov Author Gilasian, Ebrahim Insect Taxonomy Research Department, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, 19395 - 1454 Iran; Author Anjum, Shehzad National Insect Museum, National Agriculture Research Centre, 44000 Islamabad, Pakistan; Author Djan, Mihajla https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2427-0676 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; Author Kakar, Banafsha Department of Zoology, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University, 87300 Quetta, Pakistan; Author Andric, Andrijana https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8239-7595 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; andrijana.andric@biosense.rs text Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 2023 2023-02-10 81 201 256 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570 1864-8312-81-201 FF52A05BBDC0474E98480DC95A8155B2 6948310230AC5B61A4F483591644E453 Merodon smirnovi Paramonov, 1927 stat. rev. Figs 5E , 6A-F , 10E , 12C , 15D , 17C , 19D , 24A-C , 25A , 26 , 30F , 35A, B Merodon smirnovi Paramonov, 1927: 76 (= 320). Type locality. Turkestan, Tashkent. Type material examined. Lectotype (designated here in order to fix identity of the species): UZBEKISTAN • 1 ♂; Turkestan, d. Tashkent, Ak-Tash; 21 Jun. 1925; Smirnov E.S. leg.; SIZK [specimen dry pinned in good condition, left fourth and fifth tarsomeres of metaleg missing, genitalia in separate microvial]. Original labels: "Ak-Tash / d. Tashkent / Turkestan / 21.VI.25. Smirnov l." [yellowish, pale violet ink, black-bordered label], " Merodon / "smirnovi n. sp. / ♂. Cotypus / Paramonov. det" [pink double black-bordered, pale violet ink label], "Lectotypus / Merodon smirnovi Param., 1927 G.V. Popov des. 2007" [red label], "02568" . - Paralectotype (designated here): UZBEKISTAN • 1 ♀; Turkestan, d. Tashkent, Ak-Tash; 21 Jun. 1925; Smirnov E.S. leg.; SIZK [specimen dry pinned in very good condition]. Original label: "Ak-Tash / d. Tashkent / Turkestan / 21.VI.25. Smirnov l." [yellowish, pale violet ink, black-bordered label], " Merodon / "smirnovi n. sp. / ♀ Cotypus / Paramonov. det" [pink double black-bordered, pale violet ink label], "Paralectotypus / Merodon Merodon smirnovi Param., 1927 G.V. Popov des. 2007" [red label], "02569" . Figure 30. Head of male, dorsal view. A M. angustitarsis Vujic & Gilasian sp. nov. , B M. oidipous , C M. pakistanicus Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. , D M. rufitarsis , E M. tarsatus , F M. smirnovi . Scale bar: 1 mm. Additional material examined. KAZAKHSTAN • 1 ♀ ; Fabritchny , 40 km E of Alma Ata ; 43°13 '21" N , 77°20 '54" E ; 23 Jun. 1992 ; Halada M. leg.; NBCN 02553 • 1 ♂ ; Karatau Mountains , 15 km N of Atabaj ; 43°38 '39" N , 68°19 '45" E ; 550-700 m a.s.l. ; 9 May 1994 ; Merz B. leg.; NBCN 02550 • 2 ♂♂ ; Almaty Region , Raiymbek District , Charyn River (also known Sharyn River ); 43°17 '47" N , 78°59 '24" E ; 20 May 2003 ; Selin A. leg.; S.K. coll. 02549, 02556 • 1 ♀ ; same data as for preceding; S.K. coll. 02557 • 1 ♀ ; Almaty Region , Enbekshikazakh District , Kokpek ; 43°29 '56" N , 78°37 '10" E ; 21 May 2003 ; Selin A. leg.; S.K. coll. 02555 • 1 ♂ ; Almaty Region , Tamgaly ; 43°48 '07" N , 75°32 '02'' E ; 886 m a.s.l. ; 8 May 2015 ; Bot S. leg.; S.B. coll. 25467 • 2 ♀♀ ; same data as for preceding; S.B. coll. 25468, 25469 • 1 ♂ ; Almaty Region , Altyn-Emel National Park , Kalkan field station; 43°51 '00" N , 78°45 '00" E ; 29 Apr. 2012 ; Barkalov A. leg.; on flowers on Ferula sp.; SZMN 05811 • 1 ♀ ; same data as for preceding; SZMN 05814 • 1 ♂ ; Almaty Region , Altyn-Emel National Park , near Ayak-Kalkan mount; 43°52 '00" N , 78°43 '00" E ; 23-30 Apr. 2012 ; Barkalov A. , Danilov Yu. leg.; SZMN • 33 ♂♂ , 26 ♀♀ ; Almaty Region , Altyn-Emel National Park ; 23 Apr.-4 May 2012 ; Barkalov A. , Danilov Yu. N. , Zinchenko V. leg.; on Ferula sp.; SZMN • 1 ♀ ; Almaty Province , Sarkand District , Koylyk ; 45°41 '30" N , 80°18 '13" E ; 25 May 2004 ; Selin A. leg.; S.K. coll. 02552 . - KYRGYZSTAN • 1 ♀ ; Talasskij mountain ridge; 12 Jul. 1964 ; Shabalina leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂ , 1 ♀ ; Alay ( Alai Range ), valley of Gulcha river ; 22 Jun. 1963 ; Peck L. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂ , 1 ♀ ; Alay ( Alai Range ), Kirgizata river ; 5 Jun. 1965 ; Peck L. leg.; SZMN • 2 ♂ ; Chatkal Range , Chap-Chyma pass; 41°31 '00" N , 70°50 '00" E ; 2400 m a.s.l. ; 2 Jul. 1966 ; Milko D. leg.; SZMN • 4 ♂♂ , 2 ♀♀ ; Environs of Ala-Koel lake; 42°17 '46" N , 78°30 '17" E ; 19 Jun. 1966 , 12 Jul. 1968 ; Ibraimova , Peck L. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♀ ; 12 km S Sosnovka , Kara-Balta ; 42°39 '00" N , 73°54 '00" E ; 1630 m a.s.l. ; 28 Jun. 1997 ; Dolin W. leg.; NHMW 02554 • 1 ♂ ; Chuey Region , valley of Kara-Balta river ; 1800 m a.s.l. ; 28 May 1995 ; Milko D. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂ ; Chuey Region , near Bishkek , Holodnaja Woda ; 42°42 '00" N , 75°51 '00" E ; 1260 m a.s.l. ; 12 Jun. 1998 ; Hartmann P. leg.; D.D. coll. 02551 • 1 ♂ ; vic. of Talas , Talas River ; 42°31 '00" N , 72°14 '00" E ; 1280 m a.s.l. ; 16 Jun. 2000 ; Pak O. leg.; flood-plane forest; SIZK . - TAJIKISTAN • 1 ♂ ; Zeravshan Mountain , Marguzorskie Lakes , Padrut settlement; 39°10 '09" N , 67°50 '14" E ; 2100 m a.s.l. ; 29 Jun. 1987 ; Zaitsev V. leg.; SZMN . - UZBEKISTAN • 1 ♀ ; Tashkent Region , Bostanlik District , Chimgan ; 41°30 '58" N , 70°01 '44" E ; 1820 m a.s.l. ; 12 May 2008 ; Selin A. leg.; MZH G0932 • 1 ♀ ; Tashkent Region , Bostanlik District , Chimgan , 85 km NE of Tashkent ; 41°43 '18" N , 70°07 '39" E ; 1700-2000 m a.s.l. ; 9 Jun. 1982 ; Chvala M. leg.; NMPC 18247 . Figure 31. Head of male, dorsal view. A M. dumosus Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. , B M. hypochrysos , C M. latiantennatus Vujic , Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. , D M. marginicornis , E , F M. turkestanicus , G M. namaghijamii Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. Scale bar: 1 mm . Diagnosis. Medium sized to large (9-13 mm), long pilose, dark species with olive-brown reflection (Fig. 19D ); antennae dark brown to reddish-brown, basoflagellomere elongated, about 2.5 times as long as wide (Figs 10E , 12C ); tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow (Figs 15D , 17C ); body pile pale yellow to gray; sterna with short white pilosity, except sternum 2 with medial patch of long whitish pile (Fig. 35A, B ). Male: metafemur about 3.5 times longer than wide, covered with long whitish pilosity (Fig. 15D ); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 3 times broader than the second tarsomere (Fig. 6A, B ), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for about 2/3 of its length (Fig. 6A, B ); ventral margin of metatrochanter strongly angular; sternum 4 with very elongated laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 5E ); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe rectangular, while posterior surstyle lobe oval to triangular (since intraspecific variability), with angular ventral margin (Fig. 24A, C : al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme large, broader than long (Fig. 25A : ea); lingula very elongated and narrow (Fig. 25A : l). Female: tarsi yellow to reddish (Fig. 17C ). Similar to Merodon tarsatus from which differs in sternum 2 with medial patch of long white pile (Fig. 35A, B ), while pile are uniformly distributed on sternum 2 in M. tarsatus (Fig. 35C ); by partly reddish-yellow tibiae and tarsi (usually black in M. tarsatus ); by longer basoflagellomere, more than 2.5 times as long as wide in M. smirnovi (Fig. 10E ), while less than 2.4 times as long as wide in M. tarsatus (Fig. 11F ); in male basotarsomere of metaleg with ventral area of strong setae extends on about 2/3 (Fig. 6A, B ), while in M. tarsatus on 3/4 (Fig. 6L ); and by male genitalia: angular ventral margin of posterior surstyle lobe in M. smirnovi (Fig. 24A, C : pl), while ventral margin of posterior surstyle lobe oval in M. tarsatus (Fig. 1A, C, D : pl). Differs from male of M. namaghijamii Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. by holoptic eyes, eye contiguity more than 6 facets long in M. smirnovi (Fig. 30F ), while in M. namaghijamii Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. eyes dichoptic (Fig. 31G ); by partly reddish-yellow tarsi, black in M. namaghijamii Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. ; and by different shape of posterior surstyle lobe (Fig. 24A, C : pl, 1G: pl). Similar to M. pakistanicus Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. , but male differ by strongly incrassate basotarsomere of metaleg (Fig. 6A, B ), while is less incrassate in M. pakistanicus Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. (Fig. 9D ); and by different shape of male genitalia (Figs 24A-C , 25A ). Differs from M. turkestanicus by the shape of posterior surstyle lobe (Figs 1E : pl, 24A, C: pl); by eye contiguity more than 10 facets long (Fig. 30F ) in male, while in M. turkestanicus eyes dichoptic or shortly connected by distance of 1-5 facets long (Fig. 31E, F ). Re-description. Male. Head : Antenna dark brown to reddish-brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 10E ) elongated about 2.5 times as long as wide, more than 2 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 10E ); arista dark and thickened at basal third; face and frons black to dark blue with gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny brown, bare; eye contiguity about 6-14 facets long (Fig. 30F ); vertex isosceles, shiny black; vertex with long, pale yellow-whitish pile, in some cases mixed with a few black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with gray-yellow pile, ventrally covered with dense gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 30F ); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 2.5: 1: 1.5-2. - Thorax : Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect, yellow pile; scutum without or with indistinct pollinose vittae; anterior half of scutum from dull to shiny; posterodorsal part of anterior anepisternum, posterior anepisternum (except anteroventral angle), anterior anepimeron, dorsomedial anepimeron, and posterodorsal and anteroventral parts of katepisternum with long, dense pale yellow pile; wings entirely covered with microtrichia; wing veins brown; calypter pale yellow; halter yellow; femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow; pile on legs pale yellow; ventral margin of metatrochanter strongly angular; metafemur broad, about 3.5 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about as wide as metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 15D ); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with very long yellow pile; basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, more than 3 times broader than second tarsomere (Figs 6A, B , 15D ), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for about 2/3 of its length (Fig. 6A, B ). - Abdomen : About 1.3 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2-4 each with pair of narrow, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga all yellow to gray-whitish (Fig. 19D ); sterna dark brown, covered with short whitish-yellow pile, except sternum 2 with medial patch of long white pile (Fig. 35A ). - Male genitalia : Anterior surstyle lobe rectangular, about 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense short pile (Fig. 24A, C : al); posterior surstyle lobe oval to triangular, with angular ventral margin (Fig. 24A, C : pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 24A : c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; ejaculatory apodeme large, broader than long (Fig. 25A : ea); lingula very elongated and narrow (Fig. 25A : l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere with slightly rounded apex, about 2.7 times longer than wide (Fig. 12C ); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; frons covered with mostly gray-yellow pile; ocellar triangle covered with black pile; terga covered with gray-whitish to yellow pilosity; medial part of terga 2-4 usually with short adpressed black pile in some specimens; pollinose fasciae on terga 2-4 distinct; basotarsomere of metatarsus less expanded, ventrally without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile and without distinct spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae (Fig. 6C-F ); sternum 2 with sparse medial patch of long pile (Fig. 35B ). Distribution and ecological data. Merodon smirnovi occurs in Kyrgyzstan, southeastern Kazakhstan, northeastern Uzbekistan (near borders with Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan) and western Tajikistan (Fig. 26 ). Its localities are within four ecoregions: Tian Shan foothill arid steppe, Tian Shan montane steppe and meadows, Central Asian northern desert, and Gissaro-Alai open woodlands ( Olson et al. 2001 ). The latter ecoregion includes localities in Uzbekistan within the tau (mid-mountain) zone distinguished by the dominance of Juniperus forests and presence of deciduous forests, and within the upper adyr (lowlands and foothills) zone characterized by the ephemeroid vegetation, dry forb steppes, and shrub communities ( Sennikov et al. 2016 ). A variety of landscapes of Gissaro-Alai open woodlands in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan range from foothill semideserts and sage deserts ( Artemisia spp.) to alpine meadows; the steppe grasses grow alongside wild fruit and nut forests, and at the higher altitudes a mosaic of Juniperus forests forms the montane belt. Many geophytes (e.g., Allium , Iris , Tulipa , Eremurus ) are present. The valleys of mountain rivers house riparian forests. Tian Shan foothill arid steppe and montane steppe and meadows vegetation in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan includes Artemisia spp. steppe, dry sparse Stipa spp. and Festuca spp. grassland, Kobresia spp. meadows in the alpine zone, intermixed with Picea spp. forest stands in the subalpine zone ( WWF 2022 ). Semidesert ecosystems of southern Kazakhstan (and true deserts further south) are characterized by Artemisia spp.; Calligonum L. and Astragalus L. are widespread. In the West Tien-Shan, there are characteristic mountain riparian forests, xerophile woodlands, spruce forests, Juniper forests and wild fruit and nut forests. Tall-forb vegetation of the localities of M. smirnovi in the Pamir-Alai and western Tian Shan Mountains in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan includes: mesic mown and grazed subalpine meadows and pastures on fertile soils, forb rich mesophilous tall-forb communities of the western Pamir-Alai Mountains, scree-like tall-forb communities of the eastern Irano-Turanian region, and dry tall-forb communities of the subhumid zone of the eastern Irano-Turanian region ( Nowak et al. 2020a ). Ferula sp. ( Apiaceae ) was noted as a flower visited by the adults of M. smirnovi in Kazakhstan (Fig. 36 ). On the basis of our data the flight period is from April to July. Remarks. Original description was based on two syntypes from Uzbekistan ( Paramonov 1927 ). Type material studied. Merodon Merodon was revised by Hurkmans (1993) without examination of types and he proposed synonymy with Merodon M. . We established an independent position of this taxon and revised its status from Hurkmans (1993) and confirmed the validity of the species.