Merodon dumosus Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic, 2023

Vujic, Ante, Radenkovic, Snezana, Barkalov, Anatolij, Kocis Tubic, Natasa, Likov, Laura, Tot, Tamara, Popov, Grigory, Prokhorov, Alex, Gilasian, Ebrahim, Anjum, Shehzad, Djan, Mihajla, Kakar, Banafsha & Andric, Andrijana, 2023, Taxonomic revision of the Merodon tarsatus species group (Diptera, Syrphidae), Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 81, pp. 201-256 : 201

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FF52A05B-BDC0-474E-9848-0DC95A8155B2
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/AB67FF7B-E07B-43F2-850C-8EE304414A85
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:AB67FF7B-E07B-43F2-850C-8EE304414A85
treatment provided by	Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny by Pensoft
scientific name	Merodon dumosus Vujic , Likov & Radenkovic
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Merodon dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov.

Figs 4B View Figure 4 , 8A-D View Figure 8 , 10B View Figure 10 , 12B View Figure 12 , 14B View Figure 14 , 15K View Figure 15 , 16B View Figure 16 , 20A View Figure 20 , 21B View Figure 21 , 23A-C View Figure 23 , 28 View Figure 28 , 29B View Figure 29 , 31A View Figure 31

M. aff. tarsatus 2 ( Vujić et al. 2021a).

Type locality.

ISRAEL: Mount Hermon [Hebrew: Har Hermon]; 2000 m a.s.l.

Type material.

Holotype: ♂; TAUI 04907 [specimen dry pinned, in very good condition with genitalia in separate microvial]. Original labels: "ISRAEL: Har / Hermon, 2000m / 12.vi.1996 / A. Friedberg", “04907”. - Paratypes: IRAN • 1 ♀; Kermān Province, Bāft County, Deh Sard; 28°45 ’22” N, 56°31 ’22” E; 2280 m a.s.l.; 22 Apr. 2006; Gilasian E. leg.; HMIM 02571 • 1 ♂; Kermān Province, Bāft County, Ghale Asgar; 29°30 ’13” N, 56°38 ’19” E; 2740 m a.s.l.; 4 May 2007; Gilasian E., Nematian M. leg.; HMIM 02570 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; HMIM 02534 • 1 ♂; Kermān Province, Rayen District, Kuh-e Hazaran; 29°30 ’42” N, 57°16 ’18” E; 3800 m a.s.l.; 25 May 1978; Warncke K. leg.; NBCN 04151 • 1 ♀; Fārs Province, Sepidān; 30°16 ’20” N, 51°59 ’04” E; 2510 m a.s.l.; 9 May 2007; Gilasian E., Nematian M. leg.; HMIM 02533 • 1 ♀; Isfahān Province [ Esfahān Province], Fereydunshahr, Kamaran; 2600 m a.s.l.; 1 Jul. 2004; Gilasian E., Serri S., Ziegler J., Frisch J. leg.; HMIM 02535. - ISRAEL • 1 ♀; Mount Hermon [Hebrew: Har Hermon]; 2000 m a.s.l.; 8 Jun. 1975; Kaplan M. leg.; NBCN 02573 • 2 ♂♂; Mount Hermon [Hebrew: Har Hermon]; 2000 m a.s.l.; 12 Jun. 1996; Merz B., Friedberg A. leg.; NBCN 02572, 04096 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; NBCN 04095 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; Friedberg A. leg.; TAUI 04957 • 1 ♀; Mount Hermon [Hebrew: Har Hermon]; 2100 m a.s.l.; 17 Jun. 1999; Friedberg A. leg.; TAUI 04908.

Diagnosis.

Medium to large (10-13 mm), long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection (Figs 20A View Figure 20 , 21B View Figure 21 ); antennae reddish to dark brown, basoflagellomere elongated, 1.9-2 times as long as wide with straight to convex dorsal margin (Figs 10B View Figure 10 , 12B View Figure 12 ); basotarsomere of all legs with ventrolateral row of long, strong setae (Fig. 8A-D View Figure 8 ); femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi from black to partly brown-reddish (Figs 14B View Figure 14 , 16B View Figure 16 ); body pile whitish, yellow to gray. Male: metafemur moderately curved, broad, about 3 times longer than wide, covered with long pilosity (Fig. 14B View Figure 14 ); basotarsomere of metatarsus less expanded, about 2 times broader than the second tarsomere (Fig. 14B View Figure 14 ), with ventrolateral row of long, strong setae (Fig. 8A, B View Figure 8 ), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended in basal half (Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ); ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; sternum 4 with long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ); male genitalia: posterior surstyle lobe broad and oval, anterior surstyle lobe oval, enlarged, and longer than posterior surstyle lobe (Fig. 23A, B View Figure 23 : al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme large, about as long as broad (Fig. 23C View Figure 23 : ea); lingula narrow and medium size (Fig. 23C View Figure 23 : l). Female: tarsi at least on metaleg brown dorsally; basotarsomere of metatarsus from ventral view with parallel margins and without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile (Fig. 8C, D View Figure 8 ), while spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae very strong and distinct; frons with narrow lateral vittae along eye margins, medially with shiny vitta (Fig. 29B View Figure 29 ); terga 3-4 usually with broad fasciae, extends about 1/4 of the length of the terga (Fig. 21B View Figure 21 ).

Male clearly differs from similar species, Merodon latiantennatus Vujić, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. and M. marginicornis by ventrolateral row of strong setae on basotarsomere of all legs (Fig. 8A, B View Figure 8 ), absent in M. latiantennatus Vujić, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. and weaker in M. marginicornis (Fig. 8F, G View Figure 8 ); by shorter basotarsomere of metaleg in M. dumosus Vujić, Likov & Radenković sp. nov. (about 2.5 times longer than second tarsomere) (Fig. 15K View Figure 15 ) in regard to M. latiantennatus Vujić, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. (about 3.5 times longer) (Fig. 15J View Figure 15 ); by the shape of basoflagellomere (Fig. 10B-D View Figure 10 ); and by the shape of the male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe broad and oval (Fig. 23A, B View Figure 23 : al), while smaller and narrower in M. latiantennatus Vujić, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. (Fig. 23D, E View Figure 23 : al) and M. marginicornis (Fig. 23G, H View Figure 23 : al).

Description.

Male. Head: Antenna reddish to dark brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 10B View Figure 10 ) elongated, about 1.9-2 times as long as wide, about 2 times as long as pedicel, convex dorsally in basal corner, strongly tapered to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 10B View Figure 10 ); arista black and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with sparse gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin black, with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye contiguity about 8 facets long; vertex isosceles, shiny black, anterior part pollinose; vertex with long, gray-yellowish pile, in some cases mixed with a few black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with white-gray pile, ventrally covered with dense, gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 31A View Figure 31 ); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 3: 1: 2.5. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect pale yellow to white pile; scutum without pollinose vittae; anterior half of scutum from dull to shiny; 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 to gray pile; wings mostly covered with microtrichia; wing veins brown; calypter pale yellow; halter brown; femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi black to partly brown-reddish; pile on legs pale yellow-white; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; metafemur moderately curved, broad, about 3 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about 2/3 of width of metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 14B View Figure 14 ); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with tuft of long orange pile; basotarsomere of all legs with ventrolateral row of long, strong setae (Fig. 8A, B View Figure 8 ); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2 times broader than second tarsomere (Fig. 8A, B View Figure 8 ), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended in basal half (Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ). - Abdomen: About 1.3 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2-4 each with pair of distinct, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga gray-whitish, medial part of terga 3-4 (and 2) usually with short black pile (Fig. 20A View Figure 20 ); sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish pile. - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe oval and enlarged, about 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense, short pile (Fig. 23A, B View Figure 23 : al); posterior surstyle lobe oval and broad (Fig. 23A, B View Figure 23 : pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 23A View Figure 23 : c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections (Fig. 23C View Figure 23 ); lingula narrow and medium sized (Fig. 23C View Figure 23 : l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere about 1.7 times longer than wide (Fig. 12B View Figure 12 ); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; frons covered with mostly gray-yellow pile; ocellar triangle covered with gray to whitish pile, in some specimens mixed with black ones (Fig. 29B View Figure 29 ); terga covered with gray-whitish to yellow pilosity; medial part of terga 2-4 usually with short, adpressed black pile; pollinose fasciae on terga 2-4 distinct (Fig. 21B View Figure 21 ); basotarsomere of metatarsus brown dorsally, at least on metaleg, less expanded, in ventral view with parallel margins and without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile (Fig. 8C, D View Figure 8 ); spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae very strong and distinct.

Etymology.

The name " Merodon dumosus " is a Latin adjective in masculine, derived from the noun “dumus” meaning "overgrown with thorns". This term refers to a row of strong setae on the basotarsomere.

Distribution and ecological data.

Merodon dumosus Vujić, Likov & Radenković sp. nov. occurs in Iran and Israel (Fig. 28 View Figure 28 ). Its Iranian localities are within arid and semi-arid forests ecosystem with Quercus brantii Lindl. as the dominant vegetation type, cold-desert steppe scrubland ecosystem ( Artemisia sieberi - Zygophyllum sp.), and cold and arid semi steppe scrubland and grasslands ecosystem ( Astragalus spp.) ( Azizi Jalilian et al. 2020). These ecosystems belong to ecoregions of the Zagros mountains forest steppe and Central Persian desert basins ( Olson et al. 2001). Iranian localities in the Zāgros mountain range include: Fereydounshahr, a mountainous area with very cold winters and moderate summers, with 11.5°C average annual temperature and 550 mm annual precipitation, with Lamiaceae , Fabacaea, Apiaceae , Rosaceae , Poaceae , Asteraceae and Brassicaceae as dominant plant families; Deh Sard, a mountainous area with very cold winters and moderate summers, with 250 mm annual precipitation and 20°C average annual temperature, with Amygdalus spp., Pistacia atlantica Desf., Ebenus stellata Boiss., Stipa barbata Desf., Poa sinaica Steud. as dominant plant species; Sepidān, a semi-arid and cold mountainous area with very cold winters and moderate summers, with 14.8°C average annual temperature and 695 mm annual precipitation, with Acer monspessulanum L., Amygdalus elaeagnifolia Spach., Berberis integerrima Bunge, Crataegus azarolus var. aronia L., Fraxinus rotundifolia Miller, Cotoneaster persica Pojark, Pyrus spp. as dominant plant species. Rayen is a dry and cold mountainous area with cold winters and hot summers (-1 to 40°C), with less than 300 mm annual precipitation, with Astragalus spp., Nepeta spp., Acantholimon spp., Artemisia aucheri Boiss., Ferula aucheri (Boiss.) Piwczynski, Spalik, M. Panahi & Puchalka as dominant plant species. The western part of the range of M. dumosus Vujić, Likov & Radenković sp. nov. belongs to the Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests ecoregion; in Israel this species was registered only in a locality on Mount Hermon with montane forest dominated by Quercus infectoria subsp. veneris (A. Kern.) Meikle, Q. libani G. Olivier, Juniperus drupacea Labill., and Acer monspessulanum subsp. microphyllum (Boiss.) Bornm., accompanied by Mediterranean maquis and semi-steppe bathas ( Danin 1988). On the basis of our data the flight period is from April to early July.