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 oidipou s Hurkmans, 1993 Figs 3C , 4E , 6H-K , 11C , 13D , 15B , 16E , 20E , 24F, G , 25C , 27 , 30B Merodon oidipous Hurkmans, 1993: 171. Type locality: Turkey, Hakkari province (holotype). Merodon persicus Hurkmans, 1993: 171. Type locality: Iran, Fars province. Syn. nov. Type locality. Turkey, Hakkari province; Iran, Fars province. Type material examined. Merodon persicus Hurkmans : Original description was based on one male specimen designated as holotype ( Hurkmans 1993 ). - Holotype : IRAN • ♂; Fars Province, Road Chiraz (Shiraz)-Kazeroun, Fort Sine-Sefid; 25 May 1937; Brandt F.H. leg.; NBCN [specimen dry pinned, left antenna, right proleg, left third, fourth and fifth tarsomeres, left metaleg, right fourth and fifth tarsomeres and genitalia are missing, left wing partly damaged. Metafemur glued on locality label together with some tarsomeres]. Original labels: "Iran Fars 1937 / Rd Chriraz-Kazeroun / Fort Sine-Sefid / coll F.H. Brandt 25.V." [day and month with graphite pencil written], "Merodon persicus / HURKMANS / HOLOTYPE" [red label, handwritten], " Lampetia ♂ / smirnovi Param. / det. v. Doesburg" [ Lampetia smirnovi handwritten], "Museum Leiden / Collectie / Van Doesburg / rec. 1973", "LML-05-26" , "02590" . - Merodon Merodon Hurkmans : Original description was based on holotype and two paratypes from Hakkari province in Turkey ( Hurkmans 1993 ). This species was described based on only males and classified as a member of " tarsatus group" by Hurkmans (1993) . - Holotype : TURKEY • ♂; Hakkari, Suvarihalil pas W. side; 2100 m a.s.l.; 14 Jun. 1984; Lucas J.A.W. leg.; NBCN [specimen dry pinned in good condition, third, fourth and fifth tarsomeres of metaleg are missing, genitalia in separate microvial]. Original labels: "TURKIJE: Hakkari / Suvarihalil pas / W. side 2100m / 14-6-1984 / Leg. J.A.W. Lucas", "Holotype of Merodon / oidipous Hurkmans [handwritten, red label]", " Merodon Merodon / Hurkmans 1993 / det. Vujic 2008", "AM-05-45" , "02592" . - Paratypes : TURKEY • 2 ♂♂; Hakkari, Suvarihalil pas W. side; 2100 m a.s.l.; 14. Jun. 1984; Lucas J.A.W. leg.; NBCN. Figure 23. Male genitalia. A - C M. dumosus Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. , D - F M. latiantennatus Vujic , Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. , G - I M. marginicornis . (A, B, D, E, G, H) epandrium, (C, F, I) hypandrium; (A, C, D, F, G, I) lateral view, (B, E, H) ventral view. Abbreviations: al - anterior surstyle lobe, c - cercus, ea - ejaculatory apodeme, l - lingula, pl - posterior surstyle lobe. Scale bar: 0.5 mm. Notes on synonymy. Hurkmans designated Merodon persicus as a member of " Merodon tarsatus group". Specimens described as M. oidipous and M. persicus belong to one species and based on prior citation of M. oidipous in the same publication, M. persicus becomes a junior synonym. Additional material examined. IRAN • 2 ♂♂ , 2 ♀♀ ; Fars Province , Dasht-e Arjan ; 29°33 '07" N , 51°56 '31" E ; 2260 m a.s.l. ; 5 May 2016 ; Kafka M. leg.; M. B. coll . • 1 ♂ ; Fars Province , 15 km S of Dasht-e Arjan ; 29°33 '09" N , 51°56 '22" E ; 2261 m a.s.l. ; 2-6 May 2016 ; Oboril M. leg.; J.H. coll . • 3 ♀♀ ; same data as for preceding; J.H. coll. 18265, 18273, 18275 • 1 ♂ ; Fars Province , 10 km E Kazeroun ; 29°34 '00" N , 51°52 '00" E ; 1300 m a.s.l. ; 23 May 2014 ; Halada J. leg.; M. B. coll . • 1 ♀ ; Fars Province , 1 km W of Sangar ; 29°59 '50" N , 52°08 '07" E ; 2093 m a.s.l. ; 4-5 May 2016 ; Oboril M. leg.; J.H. coll. 18268 • 4 ♂♂ , 3 ♀♀ ; Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province , Yasuj , Sarab-e Taveh ; 30°29 '24" N , 51°39 '29" E ; 2390 m a.s.l. ; 4 May 2016 ; Kafka M. leg.; M. B. coll . • 1 ♂ ; Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province , 20 km S of Yasuj ( Jasudz ); 30°29 '26" N , 51°39 '27" E ; 2144 m a.s.l. ; 30 May 2015 ; Banar P. leg.; J.H. coll. 18266 • 1 ♀ ; same data as for preceding; J.H. coll. 18272 • 1 ♂ ; Isfahan Province ( Esfahan Province ), Semirom County , Kommeh ; 31°01 '01" N , 51°35 '28" E ; 2760 m a.s.l. ; 12 May 2007 ; Gilasian E. leg.; HMIM 04462 . Diagnosis. Medium sized (8-11 mm), long pilose, dark species with olive-brown to bluish reflection (Fig. 20E ); antennae reddish-brown to dark brown, basoflagellomere elongated, about 2 times as long as wide (Figs 11C , 13D ); tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow (Figs 15B , 16E ); body pile pale yellow to gray; sterna with long white pilosity. Male: metafemur curved, broad, about 3.2 times longer than wide, covered with long pilosity (Fig. 15B ); basotarsomere of metatarsus extremely expanded, more than 3 times broader than the second tarsomere (Figs 6H, I , 15B ), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile on basal 1/3 (Fig. 6H, I ), with ventrolateral row of strong setae; sternum 4 with very long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 4E ); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe enlarged and trapezoidal, posterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 24F, G : al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme large, about as broad as long (Fig. 25C : ea); lingula elongated and narrow (Fig. 25C : l). Female: tarsi brown, at least dorsally; in ventral view broad, medially extended, but from lateral view with sunken and twisted ventral surface (Fig. 6J, K ). Similar to Merodon smirnovi and M. tarsatus from which differs in smaller ventral brush-like area of dense pile on basotarsomere of metaleg, limited to basal 1/3 (Fig. 6H, I ), while is about 2/3 in M. smirnovi (Fig. 6A, B ) and 3/4 in M. tarsatus (Fig. 6L ); and by shape of the male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe as long as posterior surstyle lobe in M. oidipous (Fig. 24F : al), while is shorter in M. smirnovi (Fig. 24A, C : al) and M. tarsatus (Fig. 1A : al). Re-description. Male. Head : Antenna reddish-brown to dark brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 11C ) elongated about 2 times as long as wide, about 2.2 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 11C ); 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 black to brown, bare; eye contiguity about 6-8 facets long; 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. 30B ); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 3: 1: 2.5. - Thorax : Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect, yellow pile; scutum usually without 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 mostly 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; metafemur broad, curved about 3.2 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about as long as width of metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 15B ); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with very long pale yellow pile; basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, more than 3 times broader than second tarsomere (Figs 6H, I , 15B ), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile limited to basal 1/3 (Fig. 6H, I ), with ventrolateral row of strong setae (Fig. 6I ). - Abdomen : About 1.3 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2-4 each with pairs of narrow, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga all yellow to gray-whitish, except medial part of terga 2-4 usually with short black pile (Fig. 20E ); sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish-yellow pile. - Male genitalia : Anterior surstyle lobe enlarged and trapezoidal, covered with dense, short pile (Fig. 24 F : al); posterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 24F : pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 24F : c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; lingula elongated and narrow (Fig. 25C : l). - Female (first description). Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere slightly tapering to apex, about 1.5 times longer than wide (Fig. 13D ); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins variable in shape and size; 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; pollinose fasciae on terga 2-4 distinct; basotarsomere of metatarsus brown (at least dorsally), from ventral view broad, medially extended, without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile (Fig. 6J ), but from lateral view with sunken and twisted ventral surface (Fig. 6K ); basotarsomere of metaleg with a few distinct strong spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae (Fig. 6J, K ). Figure 24. Male genitalia, epandrium. A - C M. smirnovi , D , E M. pakistanicus Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. , F , G M. oidipous . (A, C, D, F) lateral view, (B, E, G) ventral view. Abbreviations: al - anterior surstyle lobe, c - cercus, pl - posterior surstyle lobe. Scale bar: 0.5 mm. Distribution and ecological data. Merodon oidipous occurs in southern Iran and southeastern Turkey (Fig. 27 ). It was recorded within arid and semi-arid forests ecosystem with Quercus brantii as the dominant vegetation type, and cold and arid semi steppe scrubland and grasslands ecosystem ( Astragalus spp.) ( Azizi Jalilian et al. 2020 ), at localities which belong to the Zagros mountains forest steppe ecoregion ( Olson et al. 2001 ). Iranian collection sites of M. oidipous located in the Zagros mountain range include: Yasuj , with very cold winters and moderate summers, 15.2°C average annual temperature and 864 mm annual precipitation, with Quercus persica as the dominant plant species; Dasht-e Arjan, located in the 'Arjan Biosphere Reserve' , with an altitude range of 853-3041 m a.s.l., with wild almond trees ( Prunus scoparia ) ( 'Arjan' in Persian) as the dominant plant species; Semirom, with very cold winters and moderate summers, 335 mm annual precipitation and 12.5°C average annual temperature, with Astragalus verus , Poa bulbosa and Bromus tomentellus as the dominant plant species. On the basis of our data the flight period is May.