Merodon turkestanicus Paramonov, 1927

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/FF100322-2F97-53DA-AAE3-173DFF875A7C
treatment provided by	Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny by Pensoft
scientific name	Merodon turkestanicus Paramonov, 1927
status

Treatment

Merodon turkestanicus Paramonov, 1927 View in CoL

Figs 1E, F View Figure 1 , 2C View Figure 2 , 5F View Figure 5 , 6G View Figure 6 , 9E, F View Figure 9 , 10F View Figure 10 , 15H, I View Figure 15 , 18B View Figure 18 , 20F View Figure 20 , 27 View Figure 27 , 29D View Figure 29 , 31E, F View Figure 31 , 35D View Figure 35

Merodon turkestanicus Paramonov, 1927: 77 (= 321).

Type locality.

Uzbekistan, Tashkent.

Type material examined.

Holotype: UZBEKISTAN • ♂. Original labels: "N 339", "d. Tashkent / Turkestan / 12.V.15." [yellowish black-bordered, pale violet ink], " Merodon / turkestanicus / n. sp. ♂ Typus / Paramonov. det" [pink double black-bordered, violet ink], "Holotypus / Merodon Merodon Par., 1927 G.V.Popov des. 2007" [red].

Additional material examined.

KAZAKHSTAN • 1 ♂; Krasnogorski, Dzhushy-Dala, near Anrakhay ; 43°41 ’53” N, 74°49 ’33” E; 28 Apr. 1956; Marikovsky P. leg.; SZMN 05804 GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; SZMN 05805 GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; 140 km NW of Almaty, Kanshengel ; 44°19 ’13” N, 75°33 ’04” E; 600 m a.s.l.; 13 Apr. 2002; Danilevsky Merodon leg.; Sommaggio D. det. as Merodon; D.S. coll. 24945 GoogleMaps . - TAJIKISTAN • 1 ♂; 6 km N of village Kalon ; 39°05 ’51” N, 68°49 ’56” E; 7 Jun. 2021; Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; Barchadev gorge; 7 Jul. 2021; Barkalov A. leg.; SZMN . - TURKMENISTAN • 1 ♂; Scharlouk, Hura Houdon ; 37°51 ’23” N, 58°11 ’41” E; 26 Apr. 1996; Dolin W. leg.; M. H. coll. 02546 GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; 15 km W of Firyuza, Dushak Mountain ; 37°54 ’05” N, 57°54 ’44” E; 2100 m a.s.l.; 8 May 1987; Barkalov A. leg.; SZMN GoogleMaps • 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; SZMN 05841, 05842 GoogleMaps • 59 ♂♂, 25 ♀♀; Dushak Mountain ; 4-11 May 1987, 16-20 May 1988; Barkalov A., Dubatolov V.V. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂; Firyuza-Vanovski ; 37°54 ’34” N, 58°05 ’20” E; 23-26 Apr. 1989; Becvar S. leg.; D.D. coll GoogleMaps . • 70 ♂♂, 22♀♀; Environs of Ashkhabad, Firyuza settlement; 37°54 ’58” N, 58°05 ’22” E; 652 m a.s.l.; SZMN GoogleMaps • 134 ♂♂, 80♀♀; Ahal Province, Ak bugday District , SEE of Annau settlement; 37°50 ’08” N, 58°36 ’09” E; 22-30 Apr. 1988; Barkalov A., Chekanov Yu. leg.; SZMN GoogleMaps • 31 ♂♂, 17 ♀♀; Ahal Region, Goekdepe District , SW of Geok Tepe; 38°04 ’52” N, 57°52 ’48” E; 8-11 May 1988; Barkalov A., Chekanov Yu. leg.; SZMN GoogleMaps • 14♂♂, 9♀♀; Kopet-dag Mountains, 20 km E Nokhur settlement, Karayalchi gorge; 38°28 ’25” N, 57°09 ’09” E; 28 Apr. 1991; Dubatolov V.V., Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Medium sized (9-11 mm), long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection (Fig. 20F View Figure 20 ); antennae dark brown, basoflagellomere elongated, about 2.3 times as long as wide (Fig. 10F View Figure 10 ); legs mostly black (Fig. 15H, I View Figure 15 ); body pile pale yellow to gray. Male: metafemur about 4 times longer than wide, covered with long and pale pilosity (Fig. 15H, I View Figure 15 ); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2 times broader than the second tarsomere (Fig. 9E View Figure 9 ), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for 3/4 of its length (Fig. 9F View Figure 9 ); ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; sternum 4 with large laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 5F View Figure 5 ); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 1E View Figure 1 : al) and posterior surstyle lobe oval to triangular (Fig. 1E View Figure 1 : pl); ejaculatory apodeme as long as broad (Fig. 2C View Figure 2 : ea); lingula variable, from distinct to small (Fig. 2C View Figure 2 : l).

Differs from males of Merodon smirnovi , M. tarsatus and M. pakistanicus Vujić, Likov & Radenković sp. nov. by dichoptic eyes or shortly connected by distance of 1-5 facets long in M. turkestanicus (Fig. 31E, F View Figure 31 ), while these species have holoptic eyes, where the eye contiguity is more than 6 facets long. Similar to M. namaghijamii Vujić, Likov & Radenković sp. nov. from which differs in narrower basotarsomere of metaleg (Fig. 9E, F View Figure 9 ) compared with M. namaghijamii Vujić, Likov & Radenković sp. nov. (Fig. 9A-C View Figure 9 ); male genitalia: ejaculatory apodeme narrower than basal width of hypandrium in lateral view in M. turkestanicus (Fig. 2C View Figure 2 : ea), while in M. namaghijamii Vujić, Likov & Radenković sp. nov. wider than basal width of hypandrium in lateral view (Fig. 2D View Figure 2 : ea).

Re-description.

Male. Head: Antenna dark brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 10F View Figure 10 ) elongated about 2.3 times as long as wide, about 2.5 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 10F View Figure 10 ); arista dark and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with 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 dichoptic or with short eye contiguity about 1-5 facets long; vertex isosceles, shiny black; vertex with long, pale yellow-whitish pile, in some cases mixed with a few black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with gray-yellow pile, ventrally covered with dense gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 31E, F View Figure 31 ); vertical triangle: frons = 1: 2. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect whitish-yellow pile; scutum usually 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 pile; wings mostly covered with microtrichia; wing veins brown; calypter pale yellow; halter yellow; legs mostly black, except brown base of metatibia and tarsi ventrally in some specimens; pile on legs pale yellow to whitish; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; metafemur moderately broad, about as 4 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about as wide as metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 15H, I View Figure 15 ); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with very long yellow pile (Fig. 18B View Figure 18 ); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2 times broader than second tarsomere (Fig. 9E View Figure 9 ), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for 3/4 of its length (Fig. 9F View Figure 9 ). - Abdomen: About 1.2 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2-4 without or with pair of narrow, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga all yellow to gray-whitish (Fig. 20F View Figure 20 ); sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish-yellow pile (Fig. 35D View Figure 35 ). - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe oval, about 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense short pile (Fig. 1E, F View Figure 1 : al); posterior surstyle lobe oval to triangular (Fig. 1E View Figure 1 : pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 1E View Figure 1 : c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; lingula elongated (Fig. 2C View Figure 2 : l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere with rounded apex, about 1.5 times longer than wide; frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; frons covered with mostly gray-yellow pile; ocellar triangle covered with black pile; 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 more distinct; basotarsomere of metatarsus less expanded, without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile ventrally.

Distribution and ecological data.

Merodon turkestanicus occurs in Tajikistan, Southeastern Kazakhstan, northeastern Uzbekistan and southern Turkmenistan (Kopet-Dag mountain range) (Fig. 27 View Figure 27 ). It was recorded on diverse types of localities which belong to five ecoregions: Gissaro-Alai open woodlands, Alai-Western Tian Shan steppe, Central Asian northern desert, Pamir alpine desert and tundra, and Kopet Dag woodlands and forest steppe ( Olson et al. 2001). Tall-forb vegetation of the localities of M. turkestanicus in the Pamir-Alai and western Tian Shan Mountains in Tajikistan includes: forb rich mesophilous tall-forb communities of the western Pamir-Alai Mountains, scree-like tall-forb communities of the eastern Irano-Turanian region, and dry tall-forb communities of the subhumid zone of the eastern Irano-Turanian region ( Nowak et al. 2020a). Many geophytes (e.g., Allium , Iris , Eremurus ) are present. Artemisia spp. communities characterize desert vegetation of Southern Kazakhstan, and Pamir alpine zone consists of Kobresia spp. and Carex spp. sedge-meadows. A variety of landscapes of Gissaro-Alai open woodlands range from foothill semideserts to alpine meadows; the steppe grasses grow alongside wild fruit and nut forests, and at the higher altitudes a mosaic of open Juniperus forests forms the montane belt; the valleys of mountain rivers house riparian forests ( WWF 2022). The Kopet-Dag mountains are characterized by several community types: xeric shrublike woodlands (800-2500 m a.s.l.) dominated by Acer tucomanicum Pojark. and Paliurus spina-christi Mill.; Juniperus woodlands (1300-2000 m a.s.l.); steppe vegetation (1000-2200 m a.s.l.) on mountain plateaus with Stipa spp. and Festuca valesiaca Schleich. ex Gaudin; mesophytic riparian and deciduous forest communities (1000-1500 m a.s.l.) formed by Juglans regia L., Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. syriaca (Boiss.) Yalt., Ulmus minor subsp. minor and Cornus meyeri (Pojark.) Pilip. with mesophilic herbaceous layer; Artemisia spp. communities (300-800 m a.s.l.); subtropical grasslands (800-1000 m a.s.l.) with Thinopyrum intermedium subsp. intermedium , and meadows (700-1600 m a.s.l.) with Elymus repens (L.) Gould in the depressions of mountain plateaus or in the river valleys. On the basis of our data the flight period is from April to early July.

Remarks.

Original description was based on a holotype from Uzbekistan ( Paramonov 1927). Type material studied. This species was revised by Hurkmans (1993) as a member of the " Merodon tarsatus group" without examination of holotype.