Medetera, Fischer von Waldheim, 1819

Grichanov, I. Ya. & Gilasian, E., 2023, A new species of Medetera Fischer von Waldheim, 1819 (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) with a key to the species known from Iran, Russian Entomological Journal 32 (3), pp. 322-329 : 324-325

Key to Medetera species from Iran (males)

NOTES. This key builds extensively on Negrobov & Naglis [2016] but has scattered modifications based on material examined for the present study in our respective collections. The final decision on species identification needs the male genitalia examination.

1. Distal section of vein M 4 5–6 times as long as crossvein dm-m; basal section of M 4 swollen along its almost entire length; 1.4–1.8 mm ...................................... М. spinigera

– Distal section of M 4 at most 3–4 times as long as crossvein dm-m; basal section of M 4 usually not swollen ............. 2

2. Mid tibia without dorsal setae in basal third .................... 3

– Mid tibia with a pair of anterodorsal and posterodorsal setae in basal third, sometimes with only one posterodorsal seta ...... 5

3. Postocular setae white; antenna dark with mostly white arista-like stylus; thoracic setae white; body 2.3 mm ............ ................................................................... М. anjudanica

– Postocular setae black; antenna entirely dark; thoracic setae mostly black ................................................................... 4

4. Tibiae usually dark; apical projection of phallus with acute apex and subapical tooth; dorsal lobe of surstylus strongly curved; cercus with three apical projections; 2 mm ......... ......................................................................... М. belgica

– Tibiae usually yellow or brownish yellow; apical projection of aedeagus with obtuse apex, without middorsal tooth; cercus usually with only two apical projections; apical projection of phallus with a small dorsobasal tooth; 1.9–2.2 mm .................................................................. М. muralis

5. Scutellum with 2 strong marginal setae; surstyli in ventral view with rounded edges near tip of setae of epandrial lobes; 1.7–2.2 mm ............................................. М. mixta

– Scutellum with 4 strong marginal setae; surstyli various .... 6

6. Three or four pairs of strong dorsocentral setae of almost equal length; second pair of dorsocentral setae sometimes smaller than remaining dorsocentrals; sometimes a small additional pair of dorsocentral setae anteriorly ............. 7

– Usually more than 3–4 pairs of dorsocentral setae decreasing in size anteriorly; anterior dorsocentral setae distinctly smaller than posterior dorsocentrals ............................ 15

7. Three pairs of dorsocentral setae of almost equal length; if 4 pairs of dorsocentral setae present, then second pair distinctly smaller than other pairs ...................................... 8

– Four pairs of dorsocentral setae of almost equal length.........................................................................................11

8. Four pairs of dorsocentral setae, second pair distinctly smaller than other pairs .................................................. 9

– Three pairs of dorsocentral setae of almost equal length .... 10

9. Distal section of M 4 longer than or equal to crossvein dm-m; epandrium not higher than length of tergite 5; 2.6–3.2 mm .................................................................... М. truncorum

– Distal section of M 4 distinctly shorter than crossvein dm-m; epandrium higher than length of tergite 5; 2.6–2.9 mm ... ........................................................................... М. roghii

10. Postpedicel 2 times longer than high; distal section of M 4 half as long as crossvein dm-m; surstylus distinctly longer than epandrium (4/3), with simple setae at apex; 2.6 mm. ...................................................................... М. pavlovskii

– Postpedicel 1.5 times longer than high; distal section of M 4 at least 3/4 as long as crossvein dm-m; surstylus distinctly shorter than epandrium (3/4), with simple setae and 1 thick curved bristle at apex; 3.1 mm ....... М. neopavlovskii sp.n.

11. Tibiae and tarsi mainly yellow ....................................... 12

– Tibiae and tarsi dark brown or black, knees sometimes yellow ................................................................................. 14

12. Fore femur dark basally; costal section between R 2+3 and R 4+5 more than twice as long as costal section between R 4+5 and M 1+2; epandrial lobes with long simple setae of equal length; 3.2–3.9 mm .................................. М. lamprostoma

– Fore femur yellow; costal section between R 2+3 and R 4+5 at most twice as long as costal section between R 4+5 and M 1+2; epandrial lobes each with plumose seta ........................ 13

13. Fore coxa dark; tarsi dark from apex of basitarsus; clypeus scarcely shining, with weak pruinosity; epistome matt; ventral lobe of surstylus with two strong simple apical setae, dorsal lobe of surstylus without dorsoapical seta; median seta of epandrial lobes spatulate; 2.6–3.7 mm .......... .......................................................................... М. flavipes

– Fore coxa yellow; segments 1–4 of all tarsi dark at extreme apex; clypeus metallic shining, with weak pruinosity only laterally; epistome greenish grey, with some bronze tinge and with metallic spot venrally; ventral lobe of surstylus with one simple and one club-shaped apical seta, dorsal lobe of surstylus with strong dorsoapical seta; setae of epandrial lobes flattened but not spatulate; 2.9–3.8 mm .. ........................................................................... М. media

14. Two pairs of dorsocentral setae in front of transverse suture, anterior seta small; surstylus with long distance between two dorsoapical bristles, about as long as the longest bristle; 2.7–3.6 mm ........................................... М. jacula

– One pair of dorsocentral setae in front of transverse suture; surstylus with two dorsoapical bristles situated more apically, with distance between them about half as long as the longest bristle; 3–4 mm .......................... М. meridionalis

15. Basal section of M 4 with distinct swelling; 1.9–2.1 mm ... ............................................................................... М. freyi

– Basal section of M 4 without swelling .............................. 16

16. Distal section of M 4 more than 1.5 times as long as crossvein dm-m .................................................................... 17

– Distal section of M 4 at most 1.5 times as long as crossvein dm-m ............................................................................ 21

17. Basal antennal segments yellow; 2.2–2.3 mm .................. ....................................................................... М. palmaris

– Basal antennal segments black ........................................ 18

18. At least tibiae yellow; 1.8–2.2 mm ................ М. pallipes

– Legs including tibiae dark brown or black ..................... 19

19. Postocular setae brown or black; 2.4–2.8 mm ... М. abstrusa

– Postocular setae yellow or white; 2.2 mm ........... М. seguyi

20. Propleural setae unequal in length; 2.6–3.7 mm ............... ....................................................................... М. feminina

– Propleural setae strong, almost equal in length .............. 21

21. At least tibiae yellow; clypeus metallic shining, without pruinosity; 3.7–4.5 mm ................................. М. diadema

– Legs black, only knees sometimes yellow; clypeus with pruinosity at least laterally; 2.0– 2.7 mm ................... М. veles