Merodon neolydicus Vujic

Vujic, Ante, Radenkovic, Snezana & Likov, Laura, 2018, Revision of the Palaearctic species of the Merodondesuturinus group (Diptera, Syrphidae), ZooKeys 771, pp. 105-138 : 113-117

Merodon neolydicus Vujic nom. n. Figs 1, 2B, 3B, 4D, 5A, 5C, 6A, 7A, 8D, 10, 19A

Note.

New name for M. lydicus Hurkmans in an unpublished manuscript, cited in Milankov et al. (2008b) and Miličić et al. (2018); M. lydicus is here designated a nom. nud.

Diagnosis.

Dark species with broad abdomen. Oral margin only slightly notched (Fig. 2B). Basoflagellomere small, 1-1.2 times as long as broad (Figs 4D, 8D). Legs usually dark, except for pale knees. Metafemur with less developed apical triangular processes, only the apical thorn is distinct (Fig. 5A, C). Terga mostly black, terga 2 and 3 each can have small reddish lateral fasciae or maculae; transverse pair of distinct narrow microtrichose fasciate maculae on terga 2-4, approx. 1/8 of tergal length, which in some specimens can be absent from all terga (Figs 6A, 7A). Males: eye contiguity 9-12 facets long (Fig. 3B). Male genitalia with smooth thecal ridge, posterior surstyle lobe with parallel margins (Figure 1). Similar to M. cabanerensis , from which it differs by its larger size (10-13 mm for M. neolydicus nom. n. and 8-11 mm for M. cabanerensis ), the shape of the male genitalia (Figs 1 and 9), and its distribution ( M. cabanerensis is found in the Western Mediterranean and M. neolydicus nom. n. occurs in the Eastern Mediterranean).

Examined material.

Type locality: Greece: Chios, Kato Fana, 38°12'27.72"N, 25°55'37.2"E.

Type material.

Holotype: male, pinned, in WML. Original label: Chios, Kato Fana, 38°12'30.01"N, 25°55'43.81"E, 3.iv.2010, leg. M. J. Taylor.

Paratypes: Israel: 2 specimens, Jerusalem, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 17.iii.1951, leg. O. Theodor (NMNL); 1 specimen, Jerusalem, Wadi Ruaz, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 24.iii.1951, leg. O. Theodor (NMNL); 1 specimen, Jerusalem, Wadi Ruaz, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 10.iii.1957, leg. O. Theodor (NMNL); 2 specimens, Jerusalem, 21.iii.1929, leg. Y. Tapukin, det. Lampetia hirsuta by Sack (BMNH); 1 specimen, Jerusalem, Mountain Scopus, 15.vii.1930 (NMNL); 1m, Monfort, 33°2'35.15"N, 35°11'5.40"E, 10.iii.1981, leg, Frieidberg (TAU); 1f, Haifa, Har Carmel, 32°45'59.60"N, 35°1'19.027"E, 23.ii.1995, leg. J. A. W. Lucas (NMNL); 1m, Haifa, Har Carmel, 32°45'59.60"N, 35°1'19.027"E, 27.ii.1995, leg. J. A. W. Lucas (NMNL); 1f, Haifa, 32°45'59.60"N, 35°1'19.027"E, 26.ii.1977, leg. A. Freidberg, det. Merodon hirsutus by Hurkmans (TAU); Greece: 1m, Chios, Armolia, 38°16'20.28"N, 26°2'40.2"E, 3.iv.2012, leg. M. Taylor (AEU); 1f, Chios, Ag. Pateres, 38°22'19.92"N, 26°3'2.52"E, 24.iv.2002, leg. M. J. Taylor (M. Taylor coll.); 1f, Chios, Kato Fana, 38°12'27.72"N, 25°55'37.2"E, 30.iii.1998, leg. M. J. Taylor, det. Merodon species 2 by C. Palmer (C. Palmer coll.); 6m, Chios, Kato Fana, 38°12'30.01"N, 25°55'43.81"E, 28.iii.2010, leg. M. J. Taylor (WML); 2m, Chios, Kato Fana, 38°12'30.01"N, 25°55'43.81"E, 26.iii.2010, leg. M. J. Taylor (WML); Iran: 1m, Yasug-Kakan, 30°35'58.99"N, 51°49'3"E, 2100m, 1-2.v.1996, leg. M. Hradsky (FSUNS); 1m, Esfahan, Semirom, Dolat Gharin, 31°32'5"N, 51°36'20"E, 2710m, 11.v.2007, leg. E. Gilasian (E. Gilasian coll.); 1m, Dascht Arajan, 38°30'29.99"N, 46°35'11"E, 20.iii.1965, leg. Saf. (FSUNS); Syria: 1m+1f (other information missing) (NHMW); Turkey: 1m, Antalya, Finike, 36°23'52.11"N, 30°6'57.87"E, 50-100m, 7.iv.1964, leg. Guichard, Harvey (BMNH); 1m, Demirkazik, Kayseri, 37°49'0"N, 35°10'0"E, 12-13.vi.1993, leg. M. Hull (C. Palmer coll.); Amanus, 1914, leg. Tölg (NHMW); Lebanon: 1m, Hammana, Lebanon Mountains, 33°49'45.03"N, 35°42'54.81"E, 15.v.1953, leg. G. A. Mavromoustakis (KBIN); 1m, Hammana, Lebanon Mountains, 33°49'45.03"N, 35°42'54.81"E, 16.v.1953, leg. G. A. Mavromoustakis (KBIN); 1f, Beyrouth, 19.v.1953, leg. G. A. Mavromoustakis (KBIN).

Additional material.

Turkey: 1f, Afyon, Suhut, 38°31'52"N, 30°32'45"E, 1000m, 9.v.1995 (FSUNS); 1m, Mardin Province, Mardin, 37°18'2"N, 40°45'32"E, 22.iv.2000 (NMNL); 1m, Nigde, 37°49'59.99"N, 34°45'0"E, 16.v.1961, det. Merodon tricinctus by Hurkmans (NMNL); Israel: 1f, Zova, 31°46'35.49"N, 35°7'7.205"E, 31.iii.1974, leg. M. Kaplan, det. Merodon hirsutus by Hurkmans (TAU); 1m, Beit Guvrim, 31°36'11.09"N, 34°54'3.94"E, 29.iii.1992, leg. A. Freidberg (TAU); 1m, Jerusalem, Wadi Ruaz Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 29.iii.1952, leg. O. Theodor, det. Lampetia hirsuta by P. H. van Doesburg (NMNL); 1m, Lahav, 31°21'51.90"N, 34°51'17.96"E, 27.ii.1974, leg. A. Freidberg (TAU); 1m, Meged coastal plain, 32°1'46.87"N, 34°57'52.58"E, 27.i.1956, leg. O. Theodor, det. L. annulata by Doesburg (TAU); 2m, Meged, 32°1'46.87"N, 34°57'52.58"E, 27.i.1951, leg. O. Theodor (TAU); 1m+1f, Meged coastal plain, 32°1'46.87"N, 34°57'52.58"E, 27.i.1951, leg. O. Theodor, det. L. annulata by Doesburg (TAU); 1f, Lahav, 31°21'51.90"N, 34°51'17.96"E, 26.iii.1978, leg. A. Freidberg, det. Merodon alexei by Hurkmans (TAU); 1m, HaDarom, Beersheba, 31°6'0"N, 34°38'60"E, 24.iii.1954, leg. O. Theodor, det. Lampetia hirsuta by P. H. Doesburg (NMNL); 1m+1f, Haifa, Mount Carmel, 32°43'43"N, 35°2'48"E, 24.ii.1995 (NMNL); 21m+2f, Haifa, Mount Carmel, 32°43'43"N, 35°2'48"E, 22-27.ii.1995 (NMNL); 1m, Mount Hermon, 32°43'34.10"N, 35°18'57.14"E, 1450m, 22.iv.1973, leg. D. Furth (TAU); 1m, Hazafon, Nahal Bezet, 33°4'59.9"N, 35°6'0"E, 22.iii.1974 (NMNL); 1m, N. Bezet, 33°4'59.9"N, 35°6'0"E, 22.iii.1974, leg. D. Furth (TAU); 1f, Jerusalem, Wadi Ruaz, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 22.iii.1952, leg. O Theodor, det. Merodon natans by Hurkmans (TAU); 1m, Jerusalem, Wadi Ruaz, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 22.iii.1952, leg. O. Theodor (TAU); 3m, Jerusalem, Wadi Ruaz, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 22.iii.1952, leg. O. Theodor, det. Lampetia hirsuta by P. H. van Doesburg (NMNL); 2m, Jerusalem, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 21.ii.1953, leg. O. Theodor, det. Merodon natans by Hurkmans (TAU); 3m, Jerusalem, Wadi Ruaz, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 21.ii.1953, leg. O. Theodore, 2 m det. Lampetia hirsuta by P. H. Doesburg (NMNL); 1m, Jerusalem, Meged, 32°1'46.87"N, 34°57'52.58"E, 21.i.1951, leg. O. Theodor (TAU); 1m, Mount Hermon, 32°42'34.10"N, 35°18'57.14"E, 1700m, 17.v.2009, leg. A. Freidberg (TAU); 5m, Hai Tanu, 15.iii.1975, leg. M. Kaplan, A. Freidberg (TAU); 4m, Tanuri, 15.iii.1975, leg. F. Kaplan (TAU); 1m, W. Faria, 15.ii.1979, leg. D. Furth (TAU); 1m, Hazafon, Montfort, 33°2'60"N, 35°13'60"E, 14.iii.1985 (NMNL); 1m, Montfort, 33°2'60"N, 35°13'60"E, 14.iii.1985, leg. A. Freidberg (TAU); 1m, Kefar Menahem, 31°43'46.45"N, 34°50'57.54"E, 11.iii.1993, leg. A. Freidberg (TAU); 1f, Hazafon, Montfort, 33°2'35.15"N, 35°11'5.40"E, 10.iii.1981 (NMNL); 8m+2f, Montfort, 33°2'35.15"N, 35°11'5.40"E, 10.iii.1981, leg. A. Freidberg, F. Kaplan (TAU); 1f, Carmel, 32°43'43"N, 35°2'48"E, 10.iii.1979, leg. R. King, det. Merodon aeneus by Hurkmans (TAU); 1m, Jerusalem, Wadi Ruaz, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 10.iii.195? (last digit of the year is unreadable in the specimen record) leg. O. Theodor, det. Merodon natans by Hurkmans (TAU); 1m, 8.iii.1975, det. Merodon hirsutus by Hurkmans (TAU); 1m, Montfort, 33°2'35.15"N, 35°11'5.40"E, 6.iii.2000, leg. A. Freidberg (TAU); 1m+1f, Nahal-kziv, 33°1'59.98"N, 35°13'35.99"E, 5.iii.2008, leg. L. Friedman, A. Fridberg (TAU); 1m, W. Faria, 5.iii.1973, leg. M. Kaplan (TAU); 1m, Montfort, 33°2'35.15"N, 35°11'5.40"E, 4.iii.1993, leg. A. Freidberg (TAU); 1f, N. Oren, 31°56'31.79"N, 34°58'17.26"E, 4.iii.1975, leg. F. Kaplan, det. Merodon natans by Hurkmans (TAU); 2m, N. Oren, 31°56'31.79"N, 34°58'17.26"E, 4.iii.1975, leg. F. Kaplan, M. Kaplan (TAU); 1f, Jerusalem, Bet Hakerem, Curum 10 km Bouch ir, 28°58'30"N, 50°50'17"E, 3.iii.1951 (NMNL); 2m, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 3.iii.1951, leg. O. Theodor, 1m det. Merodon natans by Hurkmans (TAU); 1m, Wadi Ruaz, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 3.iii.1951, leg. O. Theodor, det. Lampetia annulata by P. H. Doesburg (NMNL); 4m, Jerusalem, Wadi Ruaz, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 1.iv.1953, leg. O. Theodor, 3m det. Merodon natans by Hurkmans (TAU); 1m+1f, Jerusalem, Wadi Ruaz, Bet Hakerem, 31°46'31.72"N, 35°10'0.44"E, 1.iv.1953, leg. O. Theodor, det. Lampetia hirsuta by P. H. Doesburg (NMNL); 1m, Jerusalem, 1.iv.1953, det. Lampetia by P. H. Doesburg (NMNL); Iran: 1f, Curum, 10 km from Bouchir, 28°58'30"N, 50°50'17"E, 24.ii.1995, det. Merodon tricinctus by Hurkmans (NMNL); 1m, Fars, Kakan, Yasug, 30°35'58.99"N, 51°49'3"E, 2.v.1996 (NMNL); 1m, 1.iv.1936, det. Merodon murina (MZH); unknown country: 1f, 21.v.1904, leg. Aihalad (MZH).

Description.

Male.Head (Figs 2B, 3B): Antenna (Figure 4D) brown to black, basoflagellomere 1.1-1.2 times as long as wide; arista dark brown. Vertical triangle isosceles, 2.2 times longer than eye contiguity. Vertex and face covered with whitish microtrichia, except for shiny oral margin. Ocellar triangle equilateral, black pilose. Frons with pale yellow pile. Eye contiguity approx. 9-12 facets long. Eye pile mostly pale.

Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with bronze lustre, covered with dense, erect gray-whitish or yellow pile. Scutum with barely visible 2 longitudinal microtrichose vittae. Wing hyaline with dark-brown veins, and densely covered with microtrichia, except basal edges of cells BM and CuP. Femora and tibiae brown-black, except for paler knees and base of tibiae; tarsi dark brown dorsally (except for usually paler tarsal segments on pro- and mesolegs), light brown ventrally. Pile on legs yellow. Metafemur (Figure 5A) slightly curved.

Abdomen: Terga 2 and 3 can have small reddish lateral triangular fasciae or maculae; terga 2-4 each with more or less distinct white transverse fascia of microtrichia interrupted in the middle (lacking in some specimens); pile on terga erect and whitish yellow on lateral sides, but terga 2 and 3 medially with adpressed black pile, except for white pile on microtrichose bands (Figure 6A).

Male genitalia (Figure 1): Anterior surstyle lobe bent inwards (Figure 1B), with ventral margin slightly convex (Figure 1A); median parts of surstylus with one inner thorn (Figure 1B); posterior surstyle lobe wide and triangular, pointed apically (Figure 1A). Hypandrium wide, with smooth thecal ridge (Figure 1C).

Female (Figs 5C, 7A, 8D). Similar to the male except for typical sexual dimorphism and shiny frons with narrow line of microtrichia along eye margin, mostly covered with black pile. Postalar callus and postpronotum can be yellow-red or brown.

Etymology.

The epithet lydicus is Latin, meaning "from Lydia", and refers to the region of origin of the holotype, viz. western Turkey, which once was included in the Kingdom of Lydia and neo refers to the new name for this species known from unpublished manuscript. It is to be treated as an adjective.

Distribution.

Species distributed in the Eastern Mediterranean and Iran (Figure 10).