Merodon brevis Paramonov, 1926: 157

Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Tubić, Nataša Kočiš, Likov, Laura, Popov, Grigory, Rojo, Santos & Miličić, Marija, 2023, Integrative taxonomy of the Merodon aberrans (Diptera, Syrphidae) species group: distribution patterns and description of three new species, Contributions to Zoology 92 (1), pp. 51-96 : 60-62

Merodon brevis Paramonov, 1926: 157 .

Type locality: Armenia, “Inaklu, Erivan ”.Original description was based on a holotype located in

the Paramonov’s collection (examined):

Holotype: male with labels: [N 326], [Инаклю (= Inaklyu, modern Antarut village, Downloaded from Brill.com 08/29/2023 02:13:25AM via free access 40.35N, 44.266667E, asl 1450 m) / Эчмиадз. у. (= Echmiadzin (modern Vagharshapat) District) / Эрив. г. (= Yerevan Region, Armenia) 18.vii.24.], [ Merodon / brevis n. sp. / ♂ Typus / Paramonov d.] (SIZK, examined).

Note. Paramonov pointed out that the type is kept in his personal collection ( Paramonow, 1926: 157). The exact storage location of the type was not known for a long time ( Liepa, 1969; Hurkmans, 1993). It is interesting that the description indicates a different day for specimen collection (10.vii.24). This specimen is a holotype by monotypy according to article 73.1.2 ICZN (1999).

Other material. Armenia, Abaran, KarnyYarich, 40.566667N, 44.516656E, leg. A. Shelk, 10.vii.1926, Syunik, 1 male in NBCN. Armenia , Syunik, Tsghuk vill. env., 39.669444N, 45.846111E, asl 2100 m, 07.vii.2019, leg. O. Gubin, 07.vii.2019, 1 male, 1 female in ( SIZK); Syunik, Zangezur Mountains , 12 km NNW of Meghri, Lichkvaz vill. env., Boghaqar Reserve , 38.989125N, 46.180389E, asl 1400 m, leg. O. Gubin, 10.vii.2019, leg. O. Gubin, 3 males, 2 females in ( SIZK) . Iran, Chichekli forest, 38.661983N, 46.5208E, leg. S. Khaghaninia, 1 female in KS collection; Iran, Chichekli forest, 38.56945N, 46.50152E, leg. S. Khaghaninia, 1 female in KS collection; Iran, Chichekli forest , 38.70085N, 46.18817E, leg. S. Khaghaninia, 1 female in KS collection . Turkey, Bingol, Buglan Gecidi , 38.9394444N, 41.1536111E, leg. J. A. W. Lucas, 30.vii.1992, 8 males, 3 females in NBCN. Turkey, Agri, Agri, 39.6666667N, 43.1666667E, 27.vi.1993, leg. M. Helada, 1 male in NBCN. Turkey, Bingol, Buglan Gecidi, 38.9394444N, 41.1536111E, 05.vii.1986, 1 male and 1 female in NBCN (designated as paratype of M. aberrans ssp. isperensis by Hurkmans, 1993: 177). Turkey, Erzurum, Cat , 39.615977N, 40.997060E, 31.vii.2005, leg. J. H. Stuke, 1 female in SJH collection .

Diagnosis: Medium-sized (9–13 mm), dark species, with bluish to olive–brown lustre ( fig. 28 ); basoflagellomere reddish–yellow ( fig. 29A, B, D, G); pile on ventral margin of metafemur about a third of its width, with some longer pile, as long as half of metafemur ( fig. 30A, B); basoflagellomere elongated, 2.1 times as long as wide; legs black, tibiae and tarsi partly reddish–yellow to brown, profemur and mesofemur yellowish apically; metafemur about 3.8 times longer than wide ( fig. 30A, B ), apical part of metafemur with at least some black pile ( fig. 32A, C ); terga 2–4 each with a pair of narrow, triangular, white pollinose fasciate maculae ( fig. 28B, D ). Male genitalia is shown in fig. 31 . Similar to Merodon flavitibius , from which it differs in having a yellow–red and elongated basoflagellomere ( fig. 29D ), and longer and unequally long pile on ventral margin of metafemur ( fig. 30A, B ), while in M. flavitibius the basoflagellomere is shorter and black to dark brown ( fig. 13A ), and the pile on ventral margin of metafemur is uniformly long, and less than 1/3 of its length ( fig. 12A, B ).

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via free access Very similar to M. warnckei , from which it differs in having shorter pilosity on ventral margin of metafemur ( fig. 30A, B ), a ratio of length of longest pile to width of metafemur is 0.45, comparing with 0.7 in M. warnckei ( fig. 10A, B ), and the presence of at least some black pile on apical part of metafemur ( fig. 32A, C ), while in M. warnckei all pile is pale yellowish ( fig. 10A, B ).

Description of female: Head ( figs. 28C, D , 29B, G ). Scape and pedicel brown; basoflagellomere ( fig. 29B, G ) yellow–red, elongated, about 1.7 times as long as wide, and about 2 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, tapering to the apex; fossette dorsolateral; arista brown and thickened on basal third, about 1.5 times as long as basoflagellomere; face and frons black, with whitish pollinosity, covered with dense whitish pile; oral margin black, partly pollinose; lunula shiny black to brown, bare; frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; ocellar triangle isosceles, mostly covered with black pile; occiput with whitish pile, covered with a dense, whitish-grey pollinosity; eyes covered with dense whitish-grey pile ( fig.29B ). Thorax ( fig. 28C, D ). Mesonotum black with greybluish lustre, covered with dense, erect whitish pile ( fig. 28C, D ), except some black pile near wing bases; scutum with four pollinose vittae ( fig. 28D ); 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; calypteres white yellow; halteres yellow; femora mostly black, tibiae partly reddish–yellow, tarsi reddish to brown ( figs. 28C, D , 30B ); pile on legs whitish to pale yellow; metafemur narrow, about 3.6 times longer than wide, with unequal pile on ventral surface, mostly short, about 1/6 of its width, and some longers, as long as 1/4 of its width ( fig. 30B ). Abdomen ( fig. 28C, D ). Narrow, about 1.3 times longer than mesonotum; terga black; terga 2–4 each with a pair of distinct, white pollinose fasciate maculae; pile on terga all whitish, except black pile medially on terga 3–5; sterna dark brown, covered with whitish pile.

Distribution and biological data: This species is recorded in Armenia, Iran and Turkey ( fig. 8 ). In Armenia, the species has been found on the edges of deciduous mountain forest ( Quercus , Fagus , Acer ) with shrubs ( Rosa , etc.) and grasslands ( Poaceae , Asteraceae , Astragalus , Artemisia , etc.), and in ruderal vegetation (herbaceous legumes, Carduus ) on roadsides among subalpine meadows ( Poaceae , Trifolium ) ( fig. 34B, C ). The altitude range in Armenia is 1400–2100 m asl. The flight period is from the end of June until the end of July. Developmental stages: not described.

Figures

FIGURE 8 Distribution map of Merodon brevis, Merodon hamifer, Merodon petiolatus sp. nov., Merodon retectus sp. nov. and Merodon warnckei.

FIGURE 10 Metaleg of Merodon warnckei, lateral view.A) male, B) female.

FIGURE 12 Metaleg of Merodon flavitibius, lateral view.A) male, B) male, C) female.

FIGURE 13 Body parts of Merodon flavitibius, male. A) head, lateral view, B) thorax, lateral view, C) abdomen, dorsal view.

FIGURE 28 Body of Merodon brevis. A) male, lateral view, B) abdomen of male, dorsal view, C) female, lateral view, D) female, dorsal view.

FIGURE 29 A) Merodon brevis, head of male, lateral view, B) M.brevis, head of female, lateral view, C) M.aberrans, antenna of male, lateral view, D) M.brevis, antenna of male, lateral view, E) M.retectus sp.nov., antenna of male, lateral view, F) M.aberrans, antenna of female, lateral view, G) M.brevis, antenna of female, lateral view, H) M.retectus sp. nov., antenna of female, lateral view.Abbreviations:x, distance from top of basoflagellomere and most prominent point of pedicel; y, width of basoflagellomere at level of base of arista.

FIGURE 30 Body parts of Merodon brevis. A) metaleg of male, lateral view, B) metaleg of female, lateral view, C) thorax of male, lateral view.

FIGURE 31 Male genitalia of Merodon brevis. A) epandrium, lateral view, B) epandrium, ventral view, C) hypandrium, lateral view. Abbreviations: al, anterior surstyle lobe; c, cercus; il, interior accessory lobe of posterior surstyle lobe; l, lingula; pl, posterior surstyle lobe.

FIGURE 32 Holotype of Merodon brevis, male.A) metafemur and metatibia of the left leg, lateral view, B) male genitalia, lateral view, C) metafemur and metatibia of the right leg, lateral view, D) male genitalia, ventral view.

FIGURE 34 Photos of localities.A) the habitat of M.flavitibius, Arailer (Armenia), rich mesophilous mountain grasslands, 2100 m asl., B) the joint habitat of M.brevis and M.flavitibius, Boghaqar (Armenia), edges of deciduous mountain forest with shrubs and grasslands, 1340–1400 m asl, C) The habitat of M. brevis, Tsghuk (Armenia).Subalpine meadows, ruderal vegetation (herbaceous legumes, Carduus) on roadsides. 2100 m asl, D) the habitat of M.aberrans, Vršac Mountains, 300 m asl., Serbia. PHOTO BY GRIGORY POPOV (A-C) AND TAMARA TOT (D).