Merodon edentulus Macquart, 1855

Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Likov, Laura, Tot, Tamara, Veselić, Sanja & Djan, Mihajla, 2021, Revision of the Merodon bombiformis group (Diptera: Syrphidae) - rare and endemic African hoverflies, European Journal of Taxonomy 755 (1), pp. 88-135 : 120-122

Merodon edentulus Macquart, 1855 nom. dub., stat. rev.

Merodon edentulus Macquart, 1855: 90 .

This name was introduced by Macquart (1855) based on a single specimen from South Africa. The type material is lost. Curran (1939) stated that this can scarcely be a Merodon because it is said to have no thorn (lamina) on the metafemur. Type locality is Cape of Good Hope ( RSA) from where no specimen of Merodon was collected. The description is insufficient, even for an identification to the genus level. In the same publication, Macquart (1855) described one other exotic Merodon from South America, Merodon angustiventris Macquart, 1855 which was re-identified as a member of the genus Quichuana Knab, 1913 ( Thompson 1988) . Therefore, we regard the name Merodon edentulus to be a nomen dubium.

Variability of species in the Merodon bombiformis group

A variability in shape of the triangular lamina of the metafemur is present in most of the species of the Merodon bombiformis group, as seen in figures of M. bombiformis ( Fig. 21A–D ), M. lotus sp. nov. ( Fig. 22A–C ) M. multifasciatus ( Fig. 21F–H ), M. nasicus ( Fig. 23A–B ) and M. zebra sp. nov. ( Fig. 22D– F ). The triangular lamina is more or less dentate, and the apical dens is distinct ( M. bombiformis , M. multifasciatus , M. vittatus sp. nov.) or less distinct, as in M. lotus sp. nov. and M. nasicus . A scutum with conspicuous pollinose vittae, and terga with pollinose posterior margin and medial fasciae, are characters present in most species, except M. lotus sp. nov., characterized by the absence of pollinosity on thorax and abdomen (in females a pair of indistinct pollinose fasciae on tergum 4). Width and shape of vittae and fasciae on scutum and terga vary, especially in M. multifasciatus , M. nasicus and M. zebra sp. nov. The colour of the postpronotum, lateral sides of scutum, frons and face in M. multifasciatus vary from reddish-brown to black. Specimens from the south of the range ( RSA) are darker than individuals from northern parts (Central Africa).

Figures

Fig. 21.Apical part of male metafemur, lateral view. A–D. Merodon bombiformisHull, 1944 A. Specimen FSUNS (FSUNS ID ZA2_079). B. Specimen NMSA (FSUNS ID 04276). C. Specimen NMSA (FSUNS ID 04277). D. Specimen NBCN LML-05-5 (FSUNS ID 04282). E. M. vittatus Vujić & Likov sp. nov., holotype (NBCN; FSUNS ID 04085). F–G. M. multifasciatus Curran, 1939. F. Specimen NMSA (FSUNS ID 04284). G. Specimen NBCN LML-05-3 (FSUNS ID 03909). H. M. apimina Hull, 1944, paratype (NBCN; FSUNS ID 04086). D, F. Distinct apical dent on triangular process marked with arrow. Scale bar = 1 mm.

Fig. 22. Apical part of male metafemur, lateral view. A–C. Merodon lotus Vujić & Radenković sp. nov. Paratypes. A. Specimen FSUNS (FSUNS ID ZA6_052). B. Specimen FSUNS (FSUNS ID ZA6_060). Specimen FSUNS (FSUNS ID ZA6_066). D–F. M. zebra Vujić & Radenković sp. nov. D. Holotype (RMCA; FSUNS ID 25089). E. Paratype (NBCN; FSUNS ID 05174). F. Paratype (RMCA; FSUNS ID 25090). Scale bar = 1 mm.

Fig. 23. Apical part of male metafemur, lateral view. A–B. Merodon nasicus Bezzi, 1915. A. Specimen RBINS (FSUNS ID 29176). B. Specimen TAUI (FSUNS ID 04972). C. M. funestus (Fabricius, 1794) (FSUNS; FSUNS ID F98), dentate apicoventral triangular lamina on metafemur marked with arrow. Scale bar = 1 mm.