Mercuriana ussuriensis Lehr, 1981

Young, Charles L., 2006, Robber flies of South Korea — II. South Korean species of the Subfamily Asilinae Latreille, 1802 (Diptera, Asilidae), Zootaxa 1132, pp. 1-30 : 13-14

Mercuriana ussuriensis Lehr, 1981

( Figs 7 , 20 , 38, 39 & 64 )

Rhadiurgus ussuriensis Lehr 1981 Lehr (1981: 94) . Mercuriana ussuriensis Lehr 1999: 617 .

Small black flies, 12 to 17mm. Easily distinguished by the contrasting bright silver­gray post­marginal bands and dull black tergites. Male sternite 8 extension short and thickened. Epandrial lobe elongated and slender with an internal ventral medio­apical tubercle baring stout sharp spines ( Fig. 7 ). Gonostylus elongated and slender, medial surface concave or hollow ( Fig. 20 ). Aedeagus truncated, apex cylindrical ( Figs 38, 39 ). Ovipositor of compressed segments 8 and 9, short segment 9, circus long, free ( Fig. 64 ).

Head: Mystax short black setose above and laterally, encircling longer white bristles below, all in a triangular pattern. Yellow parafacial stripe with black borders extending from antenna base to mid gena. Face black and gray setose. Thorax: Chaetotaxy with 1 notopleural; 1 supraalar; 2 postalar; 10 dorsocentral bristles. Scutellum with sparse, black proclinate hair; scutellar margin with 4 bristles. Pleura gray pollinose. Legs: Entirely black with yellow, white and black hair. Wings: Tinged gray. Halter dull yellow. Abdomen: Strong sliver gray pollinose postmarginal bands on tergites 3–6. White lateral marginal hair weaker on tergites 3–7. Sternites dull black with tan margins and long yellow hair. Male sternite 8 slightly excised and rounded, raised and ridged medially. Hypandrium greatly reduced. Gonostylus slender and sigmoid; a sub apical crease or fold; distal apex thickened ( Fig. 20 ). Aedeagus stout, truncated with three slender endoaedeagi ( Fig. 38, 39 ).

South Korean distribution. Ch ǒ llabuk ­Do Province. Naejangsan N.P. South entrance. 35°26’34”N, 126°53’06”E. Pyŏngsanbando N. P. Puan­Gun. 37°44’57”N, 128°34’19”E. Taedunsan Prov. P. 36°05’00”N, 127°20’00”E. Beckunsan 460m. Chinan­ Gun. 35°40’49”N, 127°26’01”E. Ch’ungch’ ǒ ngnam­Do Province. Kŭmsan­Gun. Kŭmsan. Posoksa. (no coordinates available). Ky ǒ nggi­Do Province. Seoul. Pukansan N. P. (no coordinates available). Ky ǒ ngsangnam­Do Province. Samjeong­Li. Macheon. Chirisan Mt. 6– 800m. 35°21’36”N, 127°38’25”E. Pijindo Is. (no coordinates available).

Material examined. 1ɗ, 1Ψ (in cop.): 30/VI/1999, Chŏllabuk­Do Province, Naejangsan N.P., South entrance; 1Ψ: 19/VI/1999, Chŏllabuk­Do Province, Pyŏngsanbando N. P., Puan­Gun; 1ɗ: 5/VIII/1999, Chŏllabuk­Do Province, Taedunsan Prov. P.; 1ɗ: same data except 6/VIII/1999; 1Ψ: 3/VIII/2003, Chŏllabuk­Do Province, Beckunsan 460m., Chinan­Gun; 1ɗ: 31/VIII–5/IX/1998, P. Tripotin coll., Ch’ungch’ŏngnam­Do Province, Kŭmsan­Gun, Kŭmsan, Posoksa; 1ɗ: same data except 5/IX/1998; 1ɗ: same data except 10–14/IX/1998, 2Ψ: same data except 19/IX/2001; 3Ψ: same data except 25/IX/2001; 1Ψ: same data except 28/IX/2001; 1ɗ, 1Ψ: 15/VI/1995, Kyŏnggi Do Province, Seoul, Pukansan N. P.; 1ɗ: same data except 20/VIII/1994; 6ɗ: 2/ VIII–15/IX/2002, Kyŏngsangnam­Do Province, Samjeong­Li, Macheon, Chirisan Mt. 6– 800m., Malaise trap; 2ɗ, 1Ψ: same data except 24/VIII/2002; 1ɗ, 1Ψ: same data except 20/IX/2002; 1ɗ: 16/IX/1997, P. Tripotin coll., Kyŏngsangnam­Do Province, Pijindo Is.

Field notes. Mercuriana ussuriensis inhabits rocky outcrops, ledges and bolder strewn areas.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. Male external genitalia, lateral views. 1. Aneomochtherus sinensis. 2. Asilella londti. 3. Astochia virgatipes. 4. Eutolmus brevistylus. 5. Machimus aurulentus. 6. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae 7. Mercuriana ussuriensis. 8. Neoitamus angusticornis. 9. Neoitamus castaneipennis. 10. Neoitamus cothurnatus univittatus. 11. Neoitamus zouhari. 12. Philonicus albiceps. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 13 – 25. Male gonopods, lateral views. 13. Aneomochtherus sinensis. 14. Asilella londti. 15. Astochia virgatipes. 16. Eutolmus brevistylus. 17. Eutolmus koreanus. 18. Machimus aurulentus. 19. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae. 20. Mercuriana ussuriensis. 21. Neoitamus angusticornis. 22. Neoitamus castaneipennis. 23. Neoitamus cothurnatus univittatus. 24. Neoitamus zouhari. 25. Philonicus albiceps. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 26 – 48. Male aedeagi, lateral and dorsal views. 26 – 27. Aneomochtherus sinensis lateral & apex. 28 – 29. Asilella londti lateral & apex. 30 – 31. Astochia virgatipes lateral & apex. 32 – 33. Eutolmus brevistylus lateral & apex. 34 – 35. Machimus aurulentus lateral & apex. 36 – 37. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae lateral & apex. 38 – 39. Mercuriana ussuriensis lateral & apex. 40 – 41. Neoitamus angusticornis lateral & dorsal. 42 – 43. Neoitamus castaneipennis lateral & dorsal. 44. Neoitamus cothurnatus univittatus lateral. 45 – 46. Neoitamus zouhari lateral & dorsal. 47 – 48. Philonicus albiceps lateral & apex.

FIGURES 58 – 66. Female external genitalia, lateral views. 58. Aneomochtherus sinensis. 59. Asilella londti. 60. Astochia virgatipes. 61. Eutolmus brevistylus. 62. Machimus aurulentus. 63. Machimus cf. pastshenkoae. 64. Mercuriana ussuriensis. 65. Neoitamus angusticornis. 66. Philonicus albiceps.