Merucata Soares, Camargo & Lamas, 2025

Soares, Matheus M. M., Camargo, Alexssandro, Scorpione, Gabriela & Lamas, Carlos J. E., 2025, Unveiling the hidden robber-fly diversity: Merucata, a new Neotropical Asilinae genus (Diptera, Asilidae) with description of seven new species, Zootaxa 5692 (3), pp. 469-505 : 470-473

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5692.3.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B56B0660-D255-4781-B29B-0DF671A4AB35
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17321819
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/78128795-3349-FFF8-FF79-F9E7FF28F87B
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Merucata Soares, Camargo & Lamas
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Merucata Soares, Camargo & Lamas gen. nov.

Type species: Merucata caipora Soares, Camargo & Lamas sp. nov. by present designation. Type locality: Brazil, state of Mato Grosso, Poconé .

Etymology. From the Tupi-guarani meru = fly and cata = savanna-like vegetation, alluding to the known distribution of the genus occurring mainly in the Cerrado biome (Brazilian Savanna). The gender is feminine.

Included species. Merucata caipora Soares, Camargo & Lamas sp. nov. ( Brazil, states of Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Tocantins), M. capixaba Scorpione, Soares & Camargo sp. nov. ( Brazil, state of Espírito Santo), M. cerradensis Soares, Camargo & Lamas sp. nov. ( Brazil, state of Mato Grosso), M. contiae Soares, Camargo & Lamas sp. nov. ( Brazil, state of Mato Grosso do Sul), M. curupira Soares, Camargo & Lamas sp. nov. ( Brazil, state of Piauí), M. elliptica ( Scarbrough & Perez-Gelabert, 2010) comb. nov. ( Trinidad and Tobago and newly recorded from Venezuela), M. pujoli Scorpione, Soares & Lamas sp. nov. ( Brazil, Federal District), and M. vieirai Soares, Camargo & Lamas sp. nov. ( Brazil, state of Mato Grosso do Sul).

Diagnosis. Head (e.g., Figs 1C, D View FIGURE 1 , 6C, D View FIGURE 6 , 8C, D View FIGURE 8 ). Scape about 2 times longer than pedicel; postpedicel lanceolate, slightly tapered distally, about as long as scape and pedicel combined, apical 2/3 covered with squamiform setae; stylus with two bare elements, slightly longer than postpedicel and abruptly tapered at apex; frons with convergent slopes; face slightly gibbose at lower 1/3 to 1/2 with dorsal margin sloping very gradually to facial plane; mystax dense to sparse, occupying entire facial gibbosity; palpus short, one-segmented. Thorax (e.g., Figs 1A, B View FIGURE 1 , 12B, D View FIGURE 12 , 17A, B View FIGURE 17 ). Scutum tumid, 1–6 pairs of postsutural dorsocentral macrosetae (sometimes slightly thinner than other macrosetae of thorax), 2 notopleural macrosetae, 1 supra-alar and 1–2 postalar macrosetae; dorsal anepisternal seta absent, posterior anepisternal setae white; scutellum tumid as scutum, without impressed rim on posterior border; 2 scutellar macrosetae on posterior border, with sparse, fine, short setae on disc; anatergal setae absent; katatergite with row of white or mixed white and black macrosetae, meron + metanepisternum with slender white setae; postmetacoxal bridge absent, postmetacoxal area entirely membranous. Wing (e.g., Figs 1E View FIGURE 1 , 4E View FIGURE 4 , 8F View FIGURE 8 , 10E View FIGURE 10 ). Cell r 1 closed before wing margin; without costal dilatation; bifurcation of R 4+5 at level or after apex of discal cell; R 5 ending after wing apex; supernumerary stump crossvein on R 4 absent (sometimes present only in one wing, but not forming cell ( Figs 10E View FIGURE 10 , 12E View FIGURE 12 )); cells m 3 and cua closed. Legs (e.g., Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 10A View FIGURE 10 , 15A View FIGURE 15 ). Femora mostly covered with short white setae (except in M. capixaba sp. nov. with anterior and dorsal surfaces wholly covered with black setae ( Fig. 4A, D View FIGURE 4 )); empodia and pulvilli present. Abdomen (e.g., Figs 1A, B View FIGURE 1 , 2A, B View FIGURE 2 , 3A, B View FIGURE 3 , 10A, B View FIGURE 10 ). Mostly covered with black setae; tergite 1 with distinct macroseta laterally; tergites 2–8 with row of macrosetae at posterior margin (usually longer laterally and diminishing in size towards dorsal posterior margin, sometimes indistinguishable from remaining dorsal setosity); sternites without macrosetae. Terminalia ( Figs 2 View FIGURE 2 , 5 View FIGURE 5 , 7 View FIGURE 7 , 9 View FIGURE 9 , 11 View FIGURE 11 , 14 View FIGURE 14 , 16 View FIGURE 16 , 18 View FIGURE 18 ). Narrow (as wide as tergite 8 (e.g., Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 14A View FIGURE 14 )) or wide (wider than tergite 8 (e.g., Figs 7A View FIGURE 7 , 9A View FIGURE 9 )) in dorsal view. Epandrium with inner dorsal process, covered with short spiniform macrosetae, with apicoventral projection in M. curupira sp. nov. ( Fig. 11B, D View FIGURE 11 ); hypandrium usually with posterior row of slender to strong macrosetae (e.g., Figs 2L View FIGURE 2 , 5J View FIGURE 5 , 9K View FIGURE 9 ); phallus divided into three long prongs, encompassing about half of phallus length (e.g., Figs 2G View FIGURE 2 , 5G View FIGURE 5 , 9G View FIGURE 9 ).

Female. Similar to male, except abdomen tapering towards apex and presence of three spermathecae ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ).

Remarks. In the identification key provided by Papavero et al. (2009), the new genus runs to the Myaptex group, based on the following set of characters: antennal stylus bare; subalar sclerite without conical projection; anatergite bare; scutellum with at least one pair of well-developed marginal macrosetae and without an impressed rim; wing with only two submarginal cells; costal section between tips of veins R 5 and M 1 subequal to or much shorter than costal section between tips of veins R 4 and R 5 (i.e., R 5 ends after wing apex); claws acute; abdominal tergites 2–8 with posterolateral macrosetae; male terminalia not forming an angle of 90° with body axis.

Using the most recent key for the Myaptex group of genera ( Soares et al. 2025), Merucata gen. nov. keys to couplets 8 and 9. To avoid ambiguity and facilitate accurate identification, the final two couplets of the key have been revised and updated to accommodate the new genus. This revision was necessary primarily due to variability at the base of vein R 4, which can lead to misidentification. In some species of the new genus, this vein is slightly angled, while in others it appears nearly straight. Additionally, one of the characters used in couplet 8 of the key by Soares et al. (2025), “mystax restricted to middle of face, resembling a mohawk”, was based on a misidentified specimen. The specimen shown in figure 12 (A, B) of that work does not belong to Martintella , but is in fact a representative of Nevadasilus Artigas & Papavero, 1995 .

At first glance, without running the specimens through a key, they may resemble representatives of Eicherax Bigot. However , they can be easily differentiated by the presence of posterolateral macrosetae on abdominal tergites 2–8. The genus may also resemble Eichoichemus Bigot , but differs by the presence of only two submarginal cells and acute claws. Interestingly, the phallus of the new genus is similar in general shape to that of Triorla Parks , with about half of its length composed of three divided prongs, including a similarly shaped short fan-like ejaculatory apodeme directed anteriorly in both genera. However, Triorla can be easily separated from the new genus by the longer distance between tips of veins R 5 and M 1, and absence of ocellar setae.

Distribution. The new genus is mainly distributed in Brazil, ranging from the state of Piauí (Northeast region) to Mato Grosso do Sul (Central-West region), near to the border with Paraguay. It occurs across multiple biomes, including the Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Cerrado and Pantanal. Merucata elliptica comb. nov. is the only species recorded outside Brazil; originally described from Trinidad and Tobago, it is newly recorded from Venezuela ( Figs 19 View FIGURE 19 , 20 View FIGURE 20 ).

Key to males of species of Merucata gen. nov.

1 All femora and tibiae black (e.g., Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 4A View FIGURE 4 ).............................................................. 2

- Femora and/or tibiae partly yellow to orangish (e.g., Figs 8A, E View FIGURE 8 , 10A View FIGURE 10 , 12A View FIGURE 12 )....................................... 5

2 Face mostly covered with golden pruinosity ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ); anterior surfaces of femora II and III covered with black setae ( Fig. 4A, D View FIGURE 4 ); epandrium glove-shaped in lateral view ( Fig. 5B, D View FIGURE 5 ) [ Brazil: Espírito Santo]................... M. capixaba sp. nov.

- Face mostly covered with silvery pruinosity (e.g., Figs 1C View FIGURE 1 , 6C View FIGURE 6 ); anterior surfaces of femora II and III mostly covered with white setae (e.g., Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 6A View FIGURE 6 ); epandrium subrectangular in lateral view (e.g., Figs 2B, D View FIGURE 2 , 7B, D View FIGURE 7 ).......................... 3

3 Mystax occupying 2/3 of face, composed of mixed black and white macrosetae, not forming dense tuft of macrosetae on ventral margin ( Fig. 6C, D View FIGURE 6 ); male terminalia wider than tergite 8 in dorsal view ( Fig. 7A View FIGURE 7 ); inner margin of inner process of epandrium obscured by dense, short and black macrosetae ( Fig. 7C View FIGURE 7 ) [ Brazil: state of Mato Grosso]........... M. cerradensis sp. nov.

- Mystax occupying 1/2 of face, composed of white macrosetae (only a few black setae at middle of face) forming dense tuft of white macrosetae on ventral margin ( Figs 1C, D View FIGURE 1 , 17C, D View FIGURE 17 ); male terminalia as wide as tergite 8 in dorsal view ( Figs 2A View FIGURE 2 , 18A View FIGURE 18 ); inner margin of inner process of epandrium not obscured by dense, short and black macrosetae ( Figs 2C View FIGURE 2 , 18C View FIGURE 18 )........... 4

4 Anterior surface of femur I with short black setae (rarely with a few sparse white setae), ventral surface mostly bare, with a few sparse short white setae ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ); 1 postalar macroseta; apical 1/3 of anterior surface of femora II and III covered with short black setae ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ); hypandrium with apical tuft of black macrosetae at middle of posterior edge (visible without dissection) ( Fig. 2B, L View FIGURE 2 ) [ Brazil: Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Tocantins]...................... M. caipora sp. nov.

- Anterior surface of femur I with short white setae, ventral surface with short white setae and row of slender white macrosetae at basal 1/2 ( Fig. 17C View FIGURE 17 ); 2 postalar macrosetae; anterior surface of femora II and III wholly covered with white setae ( Fig. 17A View FIGURE 17 ); hypandrium only with sparse posterolateral macrosetae ( Fig. 18K View FIGURE 18 ) [ Brazil: Mato Grosso do Sul]........ M. vieirai sp. nov.

5 Femora dark brown to black anteroventrally and pale brown to orangish dorsally and posteriorly; tibiae entirely orangish or brownish with basal third slightly orangish ( Figs 8A, D View FIGURE 8 , 15 A, C View FIGURE 15 )............................................... 6

- Femora wholly dark brown to black; tibiae entire orangish or with orangish basal half and brownish distal half ( Figs 10A View FIGURE 10 , 12A View FIGURE 12 )............................................................................................... 7

6 Antenna with scape and pedicel mostly yellow to orangish ( Fig. 15C, D View FIGURE 15 ); abdominal sternites pale brown ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ); male terminalia as wide as tergite 8 in dorsal view ( Fig. 16A View FIGURE 16 ); hypandrium almost bare, only with a few short and slender setae ( Fig. 16K View FIGURE 16 ) [ Brazil: Federal District].............................................................. M. pujoli sp. nov.

- Antenna wholly black ( Fig. 8C, D View FIGURE 8 ); abdominal sternites dark brown to black; male terminalia wider than tergite 8 in dorsal view ( Fig. 9A View FIGURE 9 ); hypandrium with dense macrosetae ( Fig. 9K View FIGURE 9 ) [ Brazil: Mato Grosso do Sul]................. M. contiae sp. nov.

7 Wings with bifurcation of R 4 and R 5 at apex of discal cell ( Fig. 12E View FIGURE 12 ); apicoventral margin of epandrium not projected ( Fig. 14D View FIGURE 14 ); inner margin of epandrium with short digitiform dorsal process ( Fig. 14C View FIGURE 14 ) [ Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela]........................................................ M. elliptica ( Scarbrough & Perez-Gelabert, 2010) comb. nov.

- Wings with bifurcation of R 4 and R 5 after apex of discal cell ( Fig. 10E View FIGURE 10 ); apicoventral margin of epandrium projected, forming rounded lobe ( Fig. 11B, D View FIGURE 11 ); inner margin of epandrium with wide dorsal process ( Fig. 11C, D View FIGURE 11 ) [ Brazil: Piauí]................................................................................................. M. curupira sp. nov.