taxonID	type	description	language	source
9733C848F775FFCAFF0AEB35FBE8AF58.taxon	diagnosis	The specific shape of the lateral sclerite of the aedeagus (gradually tapered, with the tip curved downwards) is the main synapomorphic character that connects all species of the group (Fig. 1 C: s). Species in this group have pile on the posterior side of mesocoxa, a curved distal prolongation of anterior surstylar lobe (Fig. 1 B: al), basoflagellomere less than two times as long as wide (Fig. 2 A), scutum without pollen (Fig. 2 B) or with less distinct pollinose longitudinal vittae, wing microtrichose between veins R 1 and RS (Fig. 2 C: marked with arrow) contrary to bare area in species from the morphologically related M. albifrons lineage, postpronotum usually brown or yellow-reddish, and pilosity on lateral side of tergum 4 in female long, medially short and mostly adpressed (Fig. 2 D).	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F775FFCAFF0AE8A0FAFBAE38.taxon	diagnosis	The main diagnostic character of the Merodon melanocerus species group is the presence of a patch of dense and strong yellow pile on the metatrochanter (Fig. 3 A: marked with arrow). The melanocerus species subgroup has the oral margin notched, produced forward, and bare (Fig. 3 B: marked with arrow), while the planifacies species subgroup has the oral margin reduced and microtrichose.	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F775FFCEFE74E9A2FE77AB6A.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 15 A 66 BE 1 - CD 1 A- 4802 - A 354 - 12 A 4 F 87 C 8 FA 3 Figs 4 A – C, 5, 7 A, C, 8	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F775FFCEFE74E9A2FE77AB6A.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Mesoscutum with fascia of black pile between wing bases (Fig. 4 A), usually non-pollinose. Terga black; transversal pollinose fasciate maculae on terga 2 – 4 broad, about ⅕ of their length (Fig. 4 B). Tibiae and tarsi partly yellow brown. Thecal ridge of hypandrium of male genitalia folded (Fig. 5 C: vr).	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F775FFCEFE74E9A2FE77AB6A.taxon	etymology	Etymology Latin noun ‘ spina ’ meaning ‘ thorn’, ‘ spine’, or ‘ prickle’; latin noun ‘ lobus ’ meaning ‘ lobe’, which indicates the distinct morphological character of this species: long and strong medial spinal prolongation on surstylus medially.	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F775FFCEFE74E9A2FE77AB6A.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; Free State, Mapaya Mt Groenhoek Farm, ca 15 km E of Zastron; 30 ° 15 ʹ 59.976 ʺ S 27 ° 12 ʹ 59.997 ʺ E; 1750 m a. s. l.; 13 – 16 Mar. 2009; J. and A. Londt leg.; montane grass and woodland, Rhus, Diospyros, Celtis, etc.; FSUNS 68231, AU 1709, NMSA-DIP 65232; NMSA. Paratype REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; Free State, Mapaya Mt Groenhoek Farm, ca 15 km E of Zastron; 30 ° 15 ʹ 59.976 ʺ S 27 ° 12 ʹ 59.997 ʺ E; 1750 m a. s. l.; 13 – 16 Mar. 2009; J. and A. Londt leg.; montane grass and woodland, Rhus, Diospyros, Celtis, etc.; FSUNS 68232, AU 1921, DNA-RMCA K. Jordaens 2014 111 E 06, NMSA-DIP 65242; NMSA.	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F775FFCEFE74E9A2FE77AB6A.taxon	description	Description Body pile generally branched (as in Fig. 7 B). Male (Fig. 4 C) HEAD (Fig. 7 A). Antenna dark brown; basoflagellomere about two times as long as wide (Fig. 7 A), concave dorsally; arista dark brown, thickened basally, covered with dense brown microtrichia. Face shiny black, with narrow white pollinose stripe along eye margin (missing in lower third), long white pilose, except on median bare stripe that occupies ⅓ to ¼ width of face. Oral margin shiny black, well protruded (Fig. 7 A). Frons black, with gray microtrichia. Vertical triangle black, shiny, except for anterior end where microtrichose; predominantly long, black, thick pilose, pale yellow pilose at posterior end; ocellar triangle isosceles. Eye pile dense, as long as length of scape, predominantly grayish, darker dorsally. Occiput whitish pilose; dorsally with metallic, bluish-bronze lustre; gray microtrichia start from upper eye corner as a narrow line dorsally, becoming dense and wide laterally and ventrally, occupying lower ⅔ of occiput. THORAX. Mesoscutum and scutellum black with bronze lustre, without microtrichia; relatively long (as long as, or a little longer than length of basoflagellomere), dense, erect, more or less branched, yellow to reddish pilose, except between wing bases where black pilose (Fig. 4 A). Pleurae shiny; the following parts long yellow pilose: anterior part of proepimeron, posterior part of anterior anepisternum, most of the posterior anepisternum except for anterior end, anteroventral and posterodorsal part of katepisternum, anepimeron, metasternum; katatergite dense, erect, short, yellowish pilose. Wing hyaline, with dense microtrichia and dark brown veins. Calypter yellow. Haltere with brown pedicel and yellow to brown capitulum. Legs dark brown to black, except yellowish apex of femora, and base and apex of tibiae; tarsi brown ventrally. Metatrochanter without process, covered with brush of yellow, dense, strong pile (Fig. 7 C). Metafemur moderately broad and straight ventrally, long yellowish pilose (Fig. 7 C). Metatibia with apical, inconspicuous anteroventral spur and with indication of posteroventral spur. Legs predominantly yellow pilose, except dorsally on tarsi where short, black pilose, and a few black pile on apical part of femora. ABDOMEN. Black with bronze reflections, slightly tapering, as long as mesonotum. Terga 2 – 4 black, with more or less distinct white pollinose fasciate maculae interrupted in the middle of terga 2 – 3, connected on tergum 4; lateral sides of terga long, erect and whitish pilose, but adpressed on medial parts; pollinose fasciate maculae white pilose, posterior ⅔ of tergite 4 and posterior margin of terga 2 – 3 of most specimens white pilose, otherwise black pilose. Sternites shiny, dark brown, long whitish pilose. GENITALIA. Posterior lobe of surstyle triangular, pointed apically and curved outwards (Fig. 5 A: pl); anterior lobe of surstyle bent inwards (Fig. 5 B: al); median part of surstyle with one very long inner thorn (Fig. 5 B); cercus elongated (Fig. 5 A: c). Hypandrium with broad theca, ventral margin folded (Fig. 5 C). Lateral sclerite of aedeagus narrow, gradually tapering, with the tip curved downwards (Fig. 5 C: s). Female Unknown.	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F775FFCEFE74E9A2FE77AB6A.taxon	distribution	Distribution and biology Republic of South Africa (Fig. 8). Collected in montane grass and woodland, with Rhus sp., Diospyros sp., Celtis sp., etc.	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F775FFCEFE74E9A2FE77AB6A.taxon	diagnosis	Differential diagnosis The most closely related species is M. capensis, from which it can be distinguished by the presence of a large inner thorn on the surstyle medially (Fig. 5 B: it) (small in M. capensis (Fig. 6 B: it )), and the broader pollinose fasciate maculae on terga 2 – 4 (Fig. 4 B) (less than ⅛ of their length in M. capensis (Fig. 4 D )). It differs from M. commutabilis by the dark brown to black legs with yellowish apex of the femora, base and apex of tibiae and the ventrally brown tarsi (entirely black in M. commutabilis), the broad posterior lobe of the surstyle of the male genitalia (Fig. 5 A: pl) (narrow in M. commutabilis) (Fig. 6 D: pl), and the folded theca without additional structures of the hypandrium in M. spinolobus sp. nov. (Fig. 5 C: vr) (theca unfolded (Fig. 19 C), and with distinct subapical lamellas and lateral wings in M. commutabilis).	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F77DFFC2FE15EC14FD48ABED.taxon	materials_examined	Examined material MOROCCO • ♂; Azilal, Ait Mhamed; 31 ° 53 ʹ 22.848 ʺ N 6 ° 29 ʹ 38.868 ʺ W; 1700 m a. s. l.; 26 Mar. 2013; J. Dils leg.; FSUNS 10395; coll. VWG.	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F77DFFC2FF0AEF2BFC50A8EE.taxon	diagnosis	Species without patch of dense yellow pile on metatrochanter, present in melanocerus species group. Identification Vujić et al. (2018) recently revised these species groups and provided an identification key for the desuturinus lineage, including the M. murorum species group.	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F77DFFDBFE7DED17FAF3AF19.taxon	description	urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 7 F 418 A 9 F- 36 D 6 - 4 EF 1 - 9 FCD- 9 D 8680 B 98 FE 1 Figs 8, 9 A – B, D, 10 – 11, 12 A	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F77DFFDBFE7DED17FAF3AF19.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis Dark species with broad abdomen. The oral margin slightly notched. Basoflagellomere short, 1 – 1.2 times as long as wide (Fig. 9 D). Legs mostly dark, except for pale apex of femora and paler bases and apexes of tibiae. Metafemur with weakly developed apical triangular process, with distinct apical thorn (Fig. 10 A – B). Terga mostly black, terga 2 and 3 each sometimes with small reddish lateral fasciae or maculae, with a transverse pair of distinct, narrow microtrichose fasciate maculae on terga 2 – 4 which are approx. ⅙ to ⅛ of tergal length (Fig. 10 C – D). Males: eye contiguity 5 – 12 facets long (Fig. 9 A). Male genitalia with smooth thecal ridge, posterior surstylar lobe with parallel margins (Fig. 11 A: pl).	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F77DFFDBFE7DED17FAF3AF19.taxon	etymology	Etymology Latin adjective ‘ sublustris ’ (faintly lit, dim) referring to predominantly dull and pollinose scutum and frons.	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F77DFFDBFE7DED17FAF3AF19.taxon	materials_examined	Type material Holotype IRAN • ♂; Fars Province, 15 km S of Dasht Arjan; 29 ° 33 ʹ 8.57 ʺ N 51 ° 56 ʹ 22.22 ʺ E; 2261 m a. s. l.; 2 – 6 May 2016; Martin Obořil leg.; FSUNS 18285; MMBC. Paratypes IRAN • 2 ♂♂; FSUNS 18287, 18283 • 2 ♀♀; Fars Province, 15 km S of Dasht Arjan; 29 ° 33 ʹ 8.57 ʺ N 51 ° 56 ʹ 22.22 ʺ E; 2261 m a. s. l.; 2 – 6 May 2016; Martin Obořil leg.; FSUNS 18288, 18292; FSUNS • 2 ♂♂; FSUNS 18284, 18286 • 2 ♀♀; same collecting data as for preceding; FSUNS 18291, 18289; MMBC • 1 ♀; Fars Province, Dasht Arjan; 29 ° 33 ʹ 7.2 ʺ N 51 ° 56 ʹ 31.2 ʺ E; 2260 m a. s. l.; 5 May 2016; M. Kafka leg.; FSUNS 68223; FSUNS • 3 ♂♂; FSUNS 68230, 68226, 68227 • 2 ♀♀; same collecting data as for preceding; FSUNS 68224, 68225; coll. MB • 1 ♂; Fars Province, Dasht Arjan; 29 ° 37 ʹ 48 ʺ N 51 ° 54 ʹ 43.199 ʺ E; 2040 m a. s. l.; 5 May 2016; M. Kafka leg.; FSUNS 68228; FSUNS • 1 ♂; same collecting data as for preceding; FSUNS 68229; coll. MB • 1 ♂; locality unknown; 1 Apr. 1936; F. Brandt leg.; FSUNS 02608; MZH; published as Merodon neolydicus in Vujić et al. (2018).	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F77DFFDBFE7DED17FAF3AF19.taxon	description	Description Male HEAD (Fig. 9 A, D). Antenna reddish to dark brown; basoflagellomere short, as long as broad, concave dorsally; arista light to dark brown, thickened basally, about 2 times as long as basoflagellomere; first and second segment of arista long and reddish. Face microtrichose and long whitish to yellow pilose, except on median bare vitta that occupies ¼ width of face. Frons black, microtrichose, whitish yellow pilose. Vertical triangle black and shiny, microtrichose, predominantly long whitish pilose, with a few black pile interspersed; ocellar triangle isosceles. Eyes densely whitish yellow pilose, as long as scape. Occiput whitish pilose, white microtrichose. THORAX. Mesoscutum and scutellum black with bronze lustre, relatively long (as long as or a little longer than basoflagellomere), dense, erect whitish yellow pilose; three longitudinal microthichose vittae welldeveloped (Fig. 12 A). Pleuron often covered with whitish microtrichia and the following parts long yellow pilose: posterior part of anterior anepisternum, posterior anepisternum (except anteroventral part), anepimeron, metasternum, and anterior, posterodorsal and posteroventral parts of katepisternum. Wing hyaline, with dense microtrichia and light brown to dark brown veins. Calypter yellow. Haltere with brown pedicel and yellow to brown capitulum. Legs mostly dark brown-black, except for paler apex of femora and paler bases and apexes of tibiae; colour of tarsi variable, at least partly yellow-brown. Metatrochanter lacks processes, short yellow pilose. Metafemur moderately thickened and straight, with small apical triangular process (Fig. 10 A). Metatibia with inconspicuous apical, antero-ventral spur and indications of a postero-ventral spur. Pile on legs short, predominantly whitish, except for some short black pile on tarsi dorsally. ABDOMEN (Fig. 10 C). Black with bronze reflections, slightly tapering, as long as mesonotum. Tergite 1 microtrichose; terga 2 – 4 black, with more or less distinct transverse fasciae of white microtrichia interrupted in the middle (sometimes connected on tergum 4); terga 2 – 3 with pair of anterolateral orange maculae; pilosity on lateral sides of terga erect and whitish, adpressed on central parts; colour of pile white on mictrotichose transversal fasciae, and on terga 2 and 5; on terga 2 – 3 pilosity predominantly black medially. Sternum dark brown, long, pale yellow pilose. GENITALIA. Posterior surstylar lobe broader basally, narrow apically, with parallel margins (Fig. 11 A: pl); apical parts of anterior surstylar lobe long and bent inwards; median part of surstylus with two inner thorns (Fig. 11 B); cercus elongated and broadened apically (Fig. 11 A: c). Hypandrium with broad theca and smooth thecal ridge (Fig. 11 C). Lateral sclerite of aedeagus narrow, gradually tapered, with the tip curved downwards (Fig. 11 C: s). Female Similar to the male except for typical sexual dimorphism (Figs 9 B, 10 B, D).	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F77DFFDBFE7DED17FAF3AF19.taxon	distribution	Distribution Registered only in Iran (Fig. 8).	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F77DFFDBFE7DED17FAF3AF19.taxon	diagnosis	Differential diagnosis	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
9733C848F77DFFDBFE7DED17FAF3AF19.taxon	discussion	Molecular analysis The MP analysis yielded a strict consensus tree of four equally parsimonious trees (Fig. 25). The ML tree is depicted in Fig. 26. Based on both analyses, the planifacies and melanocerus species subgroups were resolved as monophyletic, while the murorum species group was not monophyletic. Within the melanocerus species subgroup, M. spinolobus sp. nov. is resolved as being closely related to (and for the MP analysis sister to) M. capensis. Merodon sublustris sp. nov., morphologically incorporated within the murorum species group, is most closely related to M. cabanerensis and M. neolydicus. The relationship of the murorum group and two species subgroups of the melanocerus group were poorly resolved. The interspecific uncorrected pairwise p-distances in the murorum species group ranged from 1.43 % (M. neolydicus and M. sublustris sp. nov.) to 8.87 % (M. desuturinus and M. murorum). Similar wide range of interspecific p-distances from 1.37 % (M. commutabilis and M. drakonis) to 9.34 % (M. mealnocerus and M. drakonis) was observed in the melanocerus subgroup. Less variations in interspecific p-distances were observed between species of the planifacies species subgroup (2.73 % on average) (Table 1).	en	Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt, Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja (2025): Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini). European Journal of Taxonomy 987: 26-60, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.987.2857, URL: https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2857/12989
