Merodon oidipou s Hurkmans, 1993

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
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scientific name	Merodon oidipou s Hurkmans, 1993
status

Treatment

Figs 3C View Figure 3 , 4E View Figure 4 , 6H-K View Figure 6 , 11C View Figure 11 , 13D View Figure 13 , 15B View Figure 15 , 16E View Figure 16 , 20E View Figure 20 , 24F, G View Figure 24 , 25C View Figure 25 , 27 View Figure 27 , 30B View Figure 30

Merodon oidipous Hurkmans, 1993: 171. Type locality: Turkey, Hakkari province (holotype).

Merodon persicus Hurkmans, 1993: 171. Type locality: Iran, Fārs province. Syn. nov.

Type locality.

Turkey, Hakkari province; Iran, Fārs province.

Type material examined.

Merodon persicus Hurkmans: Original description was based on one male specimen designated as holotype ( Hurkmans 1993). - Holotype: IRAN • ♂; Fārs Province, Road Chiraz (Shiraz)-Kazeroun, Fort Sine-Sefid; 25 May 1937; Brandt F.H. leg.; NBCN [specimen dry pinned, left antenna, right proleg, left third, fourth and fifth tarsomeres, left metaleg, right fourth and fifth tarsomeres and genitalia are missing, left wing partly damaged. Metafemur glued on locality label together with some tarsomeres]. Original labels: "Iran Fars 1937 / Rd Chriraz-Kazeroun / Fort Sine-Sefid / coll F.H. Brandt 25.V." [day and month with graphite pencil written], "Merodon persicus / HURKMANS / HOLOTYPE" [red label, handwritten], " Lampetia ♂ / smirnovi Param. / det. v. Doesburg" [Lampetia smirnovi handwritten], "Museum Leiden / Collectie / Van Doesburg / rec. 1973", “LML-05-26”, “02590”. - Merodon Merodon Hurkmans: Original description was based on holotype and two paratypes from Hakkari province in Turkey ( Hurkmans 1993). This species was described based on only males and classified as a member of " tarsatus group" by Hurkmans (1993). - Holotype: TURKEY • ♂; Hakkari, Suvarihalil pas W. side; 2100 m a.s.l.; 14 Jun. 1984; Lucas J.A.W. leg.; NBCN [specimen dry pinned in good condition, third, fourth and fifth tarsomeres of metaleg are missing, genitalia in separate microvial]. Original labels: "TURKIJE: Hakkâri / Suvarihalil pas / W. side 2100m / 14-6-1984 / Leg. J.A.W. Lucas", "Holotype of Merodon / oidipous Hurkmans [handwritten, red label]", " Merodon Merodon / Hurkmans 1993 / det. Vujić 2008", “AM-05-45”, “02592”. - Paratypes: TURKEY • 2 ♂♂; Hakkari, Suvarihalil pas W. side; 2100 m a.s.l.; 14. Jun. 1984; Lucas J.A.W. leg.; NBCN.

Notes on synonymy.

Hurkmans designated Merodon persicus as a member of " Merodon tarsatus group". Specimens described as M. oidipous and M. persicus belong to one species and based on prior citation of M. oidipous in the same publication, M. persicus becomes a junior synonym.

Additional material examined.

IRAN • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Fārs Province, Dasht-e Arjan ; 29°33 ’07” N, 51°56 ’31” E; 2260 m a.s.l.; 5 May 2016; Kafka M. leg.; M. B. coll GoogleMaps . • 1 ♂; Fārs Province, 15 km S of Dasht-e Arjan ; 29°33 ’09” N, 51°56 ’22” E; 2261 m a.s.l.; 2-6 May 2016; Obořil M. leg.; J.H. coll GoogleMaps . • 3 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; J.H. coll. 18265, 18273, 18275 GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; Fārs Province, 10 km E Kazeroun ; 29°34 ’00” N, 51°52 ’00” E; 1300 m a.s.l.; 23 May 2014; Halada J. leg.; M. B. coll GoogleMaps . • 1 ♀; Fārs Province, 1 km W of Sangar ; 29°59 ’50” N, 52°08 ’07” E; 2093 m a.s.l.; 4-5 May 2016; Obořil M. leg.; J.H. coll. 18268 GoogleMaps • 4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province, Yāsuj, Sarab-e Taveh ; 30°29 ’24” N, 51°39 ’29” E; 2390 m a.s.l.; 4 May 2016; Kafka M. leg.; M. B. coll GoogleMaps . • 1 ♂; Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province, 20 km S of Yāsuj ( Jásúdž); 30°29 ’26” N, 51°39 ’27” E; 2144 m a.s.l.; 30 May 2015; Baňař P. leg.; J.H. coll. 18266 GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; J.H. coll. 18272 GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; Isfahān Province ( Esfahān Province), Semirom County, Kommeh ; 31°01 ’01” N, 51°35 ’28” E; 2760 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2007; Gilasian E. leg.; HMIM 04462 GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Medium sized (8-11 mm), long pilose, dark species with olive-brown to bluish reflection (Fig. 20E View Figure 20 ); antennae reddish-brown to dark brown, basoflagellomere elongated, about 2 times as long as wide (Figs 11C View Figure 11 , 13D View Figure 13 ); tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow (Figs 15B View Figure 15 , 16E View Figure 16 ); body pile pale yellow to gray; sterna with long white pilosity. Male: metafemur curved, broad, about 3.2 times longer than wide, covered with long pilosity (Fig. 15B View Figure 15 ); basotarsomere of metatarsus extremely expanded, more than 3 times broader than the second tarsomere (Figs 6H, I View Figure 6 , 15B View Figure 15 ), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile on basal 1/3 (Fig. 6H, I View Figure 6 ), with ventrolateral row of strong setae; sternum 4 with very long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 4E View Figure 4 ); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe enlarged and trapezoidal, posterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 24F, G View Figure 24 : al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme large, about as broad as long (Fig. 25C View Figure 25 : ea); lingula elongated and narrow (Fig. 25C View Figure 25 : l). Female: tarsi brown, at least dorsally; in ventral view broad, medially extended, but from lateral view with sunken and twisted ventral surface (Fig. 6J, K View Figure 6 ).

Similar to Merodon smirnovi and M. tarsatus from which differs in smaller ventral brush-like area of dense pile on basotarsomere of metaleg, limited to basal 1/3 (Fig. 6H, I View Figure 6 ), while is about 2/3 in M. smirnovi (Fig. 6A, B View Figure 6 ) and 3/4 in M. tarsatus (Fig. 6L View Figure 6 ); and by shape of the male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe as long as posterior surstyle lobe in M. oidipous (Fig. 24F View Figure 24 : al), while is shorter in M. smirnovi (Fig. 24A, C View Figure 24 : al) and M. tarsatus (Fig. 1A View Figure 1 : al).

Re-description.

Male. Head: Antenna reddish-brown to dark brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 11C View Figure 11 ) elongated about 2 times as long as wide, about 2.2 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 11C View Figure 11 ); arista dark and thickened at basal third; face and frons black to dark blue with gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye contiguity about 6-8 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. 30B View Figure 30 ); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 3: 1: 2.5. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect, 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; femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow; pile on legs pale yellow; metafemur broad, curved about 3.2 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about as long as width of metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 15B View Figure 15 ); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with very long pale yellow pile; basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, more than 3 times broader than second tarsomere (Figs 6H, I View Figure 6 , 15B View Figure 15 ), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile limited to basal 1/3 (Fig. 6H, I View Figure 6 ), with ventrolateral row of strong setae (Fig. 6I View Figure 6 ). - Abdomen: About 1.3 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2-4 each with pairs of narrow, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga all yellow to gray-whitish, except medial part of terga 2-4 usually with short black pile (Fig. 20E View Figure 20 ); sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish-yellow pile. - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe enlarged and trapezoidal, covered with dense, short pile (Fig. 24 View Figure 24 F: al); posterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 24F View Figure 24 : pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 24F View Figure 24 : c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; lingula elongated and narrow (Fig. 25C View Figure 25 : l). - Female (first description). Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere slightly tapering to apex, about 1.5 times longer than wide (Fig. 13D View Figure 13 ); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins variable in shape and size; 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 distinct; basotarsomere of metatarsus brown (at least dorsally), from ventral view broad, medially extended, without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile (Fig. 6J View Figure 6 ), but from lateral view with sunken and twisted ventral surface (Fig. 6K View Figure 6 ); basotarsomere of metaleg with a few distinct strong spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae (Fig. 6J, K View Figure 6 ).

Distribution and ecological data.

Merodon oidipous occurs in southern Iran and southeastern Turkey (Fig. 27 View Figure 27 ). It was recorded within arid and semi-arid forests ecosystem with Quercus brantii as the dominant vegetation type, and cold and arid semi steppe scrubland and grasslands ecosystem ( Astragalus spp.) ( Azizi Jalilian et al. 2020), at localities which belong to the Zagros mountains forest steppe ecoregion ( Olson et al. 2001). Iranian collection sites of M. oidipous located in the Zāgros mountain range include: Yāsuj, with very cold winters and moderate summers, 15.2°C average annual temperature and 864 mm annual precipitation, with Quercus persica as the dominant plant species; Dasht-e Arjan, located in the 'Arjan Biosphere Reserve’, with an altitude range of 853-3041 m a.s.l., with wild almond trees ( Prunus scoparia ) ( ‘Arjan’ in Persian) as the dominant plant species; Semirom, with very cold winters and moderate summers, 335 mm annual precipitation and 12.5°C average annual temperature, with Astragalus verus , Poa bulbosa and Bromus tomentellus as the dominant plant species. On the basis of our data the flight period is May.