Merodon hamifer Sack, 1913

Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Tubić, Nataša Kočiš, Likov, Laura, Popov, Grigory, Rojo, Santos & Miličić, Marija, 2023, Integrative taxonomy of the Merodon aberrans (Diptera, Syrphidae) species group: distribution patterns and description of three new species, Contributions to Zoology 92 (1), pp. 51-96 : 65-66

Merodon hamifer Sack, 1913

Sack, 1913: 436 ( Merodon hamifer nov. spec.) Paramonow, 1936: 5 ( Lampetia hamifera Sack )

Paralectotypes (SIZK, examined): male with labels: yellowish, black ink, with black border [ Mer. hamifer / ♂ nov. spec. / det. Sack]; small printed [ Griechenland / Krüper]; pink, printed [Type von]; red [Paralectotypus / Merodon / hamifer Sack, 1913 / G. V. Popov des. 2007]; female with labels: the same [ Mer. hamifer / ♀ nov.spec. / det. Sack]; the same [ Griechenland

/Krüper]; the same [Sammlung /F.Hermann]; red [Paralectotypus / Merodon / hamifer Sack, 1913 / G. V. Popov des. 2007].

Note. The species was described from two specimens from Greece (“Sammlung Hermann”) and two from Anatolia(“Sammlung Lichtwardt”), which were considered syntypes according to ICZN article 73.2 (1999) .

A redescription of the species was given by Paramonov ( Paramonow, 1936: 5) on the basis

of two Sack’s-type specimens transferred from Munich. Hurkmans (1993: 181) fixed the lectotype and paralectotype for two syntypes (male and female) of this species from Turkey (Lichtwardt collection, P. Sack determination), so here we mark the SIZK specimens from Paramonov’s collection as paralectotypes according to article 74.1.3 ICZN (1999).

Diagnosis: Large (12–15 mm), dark species with bluish to brown lustre ( fig. 16 C-E); metafemur with modified apicoventral triangular lamina dislocated from the apical part ( fig. 15A–B ); basotarsomere of metaleg with distinct basoventral bulge ( fig. 15A : marked with arrow); protarsus extended as in genus Platycheirus Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 ( fig.

15C–D), less expressed in female; tarsomere of proleg usually yellow, with small basomedial triangular black maculae ventrally ( fig.

15D); antennae orange–reddish; basoflagellomere very elongated, 2.5 times as long as wide ( fig. 16A, B ); abdomen narrow and elongated ( fig. 16C, D ); body covered with yellow– grey pile, except fascia of black pile between wing bases ( fig. 16E ) and black pile on terga 2–5 medially in female; metafemur mostly black, pro- and mesofemora yellow apically, while tibiae and tarsi of the same legs mostly yellow; metafemur about 3.8 times longer than wide ( fig. 15A, B ); terga 2–4 each with

a pair of narrow, white pollinose, triangular fasciate maculae ( fig. 16C, D ); male genitalia: posterior surstyle lobe quadratic ( fig. 17B : pl), with well-developed interior accessory lobe Downloaded from Brill.com 08/29/2023 02:13:25AM via free access ( fig. 17A : il); anterior surstyle lobe large and oval ( fig. 17B : al); lingula long and very narrow ( fig. 17C : l).

Distribution and biological data: This species is distributed in Greece and Turkey ( fig. 8 ). In Greece it has been found on the East Aegean islands of Chios, Lesvos, and Samos ( Speight, 2020; Vujić et al., 2020c).This species prefers deciduous Mediterranean Quercus ( Vujić et al., 2011, 2020c) and Castanea forests ( Ricarte et al., 2012). Flowers visited: Apiaceae (white), Foeniculum vulgare , Ferula . Flight period: May-July. Developmental stages: not described.

Figures

FIGURE 8 Distribution map of Merodon brevis, Merodon hamifer, Merodon petiolatus sp. nov., Merodon retectus sp. nov. and Merodon warnckei.

FIGURE 15 Metaleg of Merodon hamifer. A) male, lateral view, B) female, lateral view, C) protarsus of male, dorsal view, D) protarsus of male, ventral view.Basoventral bulge marked with arrow.

FIGURE 16 Body parts of Merodon hamifer. A) head of male, frontal view, B) head of female, lateral view, C) abdomen of male, dorsal view, D) abdomen of female, dorsal view, E) thorax of male, lateral view.

FIGURE 17 Male genitalia of Merodon hamifer. A) epandrium, lateral view, B) epandrium, ventral view, C) hypandrium, lateral view.Abbreviations:al, anterior surstyle lobe; il, interior accessory lobe of posterior surstyle lobe; l, lingula; pl, posterior surstyle lobe.