Zodion andersoni Kröber, 1936

Stuke, Jens-Hermann, 2014, Some remarks on rare and new Palaearctic species of the genus Zodion Latreille (Diptera: Conopidae), Zootaxa 3860 (3), pp. 235-252 : 235-237

Zodion andersoni Kröber, 1936

(figs 1–9)

Material examined: MONGOLIA: 1♀, 6.-8.vii.2003, 90 km N Ulanbaar, Segnezer River, 1450 m, leg. J. Halada, coll. Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic, Prague ( CULSP); 1♀, 23.vii.2005, Chuluut Gol (river), 1940 m [47°48’N 100°19’E], leg. J. Halada, private collection Stuke, Leer ( PJHS); 1♂, 24.vii.20 0 4, Arkhangay, 90 km NE Tsetserleg, 1400 m [48°03’N 102°25,5’E], leg. J. Halada, coll. CULSP; RUSSIA: 1♂, 8.vii.2006, Siberia, Altaya, Ferma, Tyume, 1550 m [50°10’N 87°53’E], leg. J.T. Smit, PJHS.

Zodion andersoni is a replacement name erected by Kröber (1936) for Zodion intermedium Kröber, 1933 . One female syntype is deposited in the collection of the Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet Sweden, Stockholm (NHRS). The second syntype may have been kept in the Kröber collection and was destroyed in the second world war. There are fine photos of the syntype available which confirm my interpretation of the species.

Zodion andersoni belongs in a species-group which is distinguished primarily by having a uniformly dusted abdomen, and lacking any blackish spots at the bases of the hairs on either the thorax, abdomen or, where they are present, on the scutellum. In addition radial cell r4+5 is usually open, although this last character is variable. The key given below under Zodion hauseri summarises the knowledge concerning the Palaearctic species of this group. Zodion andersoni can be recognised by the following combination of characters: Antenna brown to orange-brown but not completely black nor completely orange-brown (fig. 2); pedicel slightly longer than basal flagellomere (fig.

2); ocellar triangle short, distinct (posterior view), shining or slightly dusted, orange-brown; frons orange-brown, with two more-or-less distinct lateral brown spots at the base and with several long black hairs; proboscis long (tip of labellum to palps: head height = 1.5–1.8); palp brown, with bristles that are as long as the palp; scutum completely covered with long hairs; dusting pattern on scutum as fig. 3; dorsal surface of scutellum covered with numerous black hairs in addition to black bristles at the margin (fig. 3); 5–7 pairs of scutellar bristles; wing length 4.7–5.2 mm; veins basally yellow and apically brown; radial cell r4+5 usually open; legs mainly blackish; abdomen uniformly dusted (fig. 1), without any dusting patterns; abdomen densely haired, no black spots at the bases of the hairs (fig. 1); epandrium (♂) and protandrium (♀) orange-brown to dark brown and therefore more or less contrasting with the black abdomen; surstyli as figs 5–6, with an obvious membranous appendage on the posterior surstylus.

The concept set out above fits with the short diagnosis of Z. andersoni given by Smith (1973) and Zimina (2000). Chen (1939) described four Zodion species from China and adjacent regions. Three of these species have hairs on the dorsal surface of the scutellum, in common with Z. andersoni : Zodion nigricorne Chen, 1939 , Zodion rufipes Chen, 1939 , and Zodion pilosum Chen, 1939 . To distinguish between these three species Chen (1939) used the colouration of the tarsi and the tip of the abdomen. Zodion andersoni —the original description of which was cited by Chen (1939), but which was not included in his key—accords with his Z. pilosum . However the type material of Z. pilosum was not available to me for this study and should be checked before any formal synonymy is introduced.