Merodon latens Vujić, Radenković & Likov, 2024

Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Likov, Laura, Tubić, Nataša Kočiš, Popov, Grigory, Gilasian, Ebrahim, Djan, Mihajla, Milosavljević, Marina Janković & Ačanski, Jelena, 2024, Revisions of the clavipes and pruni species groups of the genus Merodon Meigen, 1803 (Diptera, Syrphidae), ZooKeys 1203, pp. 1-69 : 1-69

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.3897/zookeys.1203.118842

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C1A2654B-7DC3-4451-91B7-49B29304FBED

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11373354

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6FEF8C5C-26F2-4141-9FC7-DE8BFCE237AC

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:6FEF8C5C-26F2-4141-9FC7-DE8BFCE237AC

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Merodon latens Vujić, Radenković & Likov
status

sp. nov.

Merodon latens Vujić, Radenković & Likov sp. nov.

Figs 1 D, E View Figure 1 , 2 B View Figure 2 , 3 B View Figure 3 , 4 B View Figure 4 , 5 B View Figure 5 , 6 A, B View Figure 6 , 7 C View Figure 7 , 8 C View Figure 8 , 12 A, B View Figure 12 , 13 View Figure 13 , 14 B View Figure 14 , 15 View Figure 15 , 17 View Figure 17

Type material examined.

Holotype: Spain • 1 ♂; Sierra Nevada , second valley; 37.102778, - 3.455277; 17 Jun. 2014; leg. A. Vujić, S. Radenković, S. Pérez- Bañón; in FSUNS GoogleMaps . Paratypes. Spain • 7 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Andalusia, Almijara, Corbijo los Capotes ; 36.879, - 3.7317; 11 Jun. 2003; leg. D. Doczkal; in DD collection GoogleMaps . Spain, Andalusia, Granada , 37.25, - 3.25, 29–31 May 1925, leg. Zerny, 1 male in NHMW GoogleMaps 1 ♀; Andalusia, Granada ; 1 Jun. 1925; leg. Zerny; in NHMW 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Andalusia, Puerto de Santa Maria ; 36.6401, - 6.2596; Apr. 1933; leg. S. Hering; in ZHMB GoogleMaps 1 ♀; Andalusia, Sierra de Baza ; 37.422222, - 2.851944; 9 Jun. 2003; leg. D. Doczkal; in DD collection GoogleMaps 2 ♂♂; Andalusia, Sierra de Segura, Casas de Carrasco ; 38.156666, - 2.678333; 7 Jun. 2003; leg. D. Doczkal; in DD collection GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Barcelona ; 41.414247, 2.127128; May 1918; leg. H. Teunissen; in RMNH GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Burgos, Espinosa de Cervera ; 12 Jun. 1992, 41.897516, - 3.467732; leg. M. Hull; in WML GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Castilla la Mancha, Sierra de Alcaraz, Riopar ; 38.504722, - 2.46; 14 Jun. 2003; leg. D. Doczkal, in DD collection 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Ciudad Real, Sierra de Santa Maria, Viso del Marques ; 38.966666, - 3.9166666; 20 Apr. 1999; leg. M. E. Irwin; in HM collection GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Cortes de la Frontera, way to Grazalema , 36.593904, - 5.312444, 6 May 2015; leg. A. Vujić; in FSUNS GoogleMaps 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Cortijo los Capotes, Almijara ; 36.878889; - 3.731667; 11 Jun 2003; leg. A. Ssymank; in SIZK GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Granada, Rio Lanjaron, near Lanjaron ; 36.9437, - 3.469431; 28. Apr. 1966; leg. Lyneb. Martin, Langemark; in ZMUC GoogleMaps 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Granada, Sierra Nevada, near Padul ; 37.0833333, - 3.1666667; 4 May 1966; leg. Martin; Langemark; in ZMUC GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Grazalema 2, Puerto Alamillo ; 36.722683, - 5.333724; 8 May 2015; leg. A. Vujić; in FSUNS GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Leon, Mirantes de Luna ; 42.841438, - 5.861399; 3 Jun. 1987; leg. M. A. Marcos-García; in FSUNS GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Lugros, Sierra Nevada ; 37.183056, - 3.257778; 18 Jun. 2014, leg. A. Vujić, S. Radenković, S. Pérez-Bañón; in FSUNS GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Malaga , Alhaurin el Grande; 36.633333, - 4.683333; 1 May 1979; leg. H. Teunissen; in RMNH GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Malaga, Ronda ; 16 Apr. 1955; leg. I. H. H. Yarow; in NHMUK 1 ♂; Prov. Salamanca, Villar de Ciervo ; 40.741661, - 6.741098; 24 May 1987; leg. Tschorsnig; in ZFMK GoogleMaps 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Sierra Nevada , first valley; 37.127777, - 3.445555; 17 Jun. 2014; leg. A. Vujić, S. Radenković, S. Pérez-Bañón; in FSUNS GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Sierra Nevada, Rio Lanjaron 2; 38.125555, - 3.870833; 28 Apr. 2019; leg. A. Vujić, S. Radenković; in FSUNS GoogleMaps 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Sierra Nevada N. P., road to San Jeronimo ; 37.240277, - 3.48; 17 Jun. 2014, leg. X. Mengual; in ZFMK 1 ♂; SW Spain, 4 km SE of Antequera ; 37.002352, - 4.517977; 7 May 1981; leg. A. E. Stubbs; in NHMUK GoogleMaps 1 ♂; Puertollano ; 38.697473, - 4.090701; in MNHN GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Similar to Merodon clavipes from which differs by the less broad metafemur of the male (from lateral view ~ 4 × longer than wide; Fig. 4 B View Figure 4 ) (<3 × longer than wide in M. clavipes ; Fig. 4 A View Figure 4 ), less curved metafemur basally (strongly curved in M. clavipes ; Fig. 4 A View Figure 4 ), and ventral pilosity on metafemur <2 × longer than dorsolateral (Fig. 4 B View Figure 4 ) (while> 2 × longer in M. clavipes ; Fig. 4 A View Figure 4 ). Male genitalia are very similar to M. clavipes (Fig. 8 A View Figure 8 ), with the single difference in the shape of surstylus, especially of the posterior surstylar lobe: more arcuate ventrally in M. latens sp. nov. (Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 : pl), and more or less straight in M. clavipes (Fig. 8 A View Figure 8 : pl). Female of M. latens sp. nov. has less dense ventral pilosity on metafemur, with ventral pile as long as a dorsolateral pile (Fig. 14 B View Figure 14 ), while female of M. clavipes has denser and longer ventral pilosity on metafemur (Fig. 13 A View Figure 13 ). Molecular and morphometric data clearly separated these two species (Figs 15 View Figure 15 , 16 View Figure 16 , 17 View Figure 17 and Suppl. material 3). Merodon latens sp. nov. is an Iberian endemic.

Description.

Male. Head. Basoflagellomere dark brown (Fig. 2 B View Figure 2 ), elongated, ~ 2 × longer than wide, and ~ 2.3 × longer than pedicel, convex dorsally; fossette dorsolateral; arista brown and thickened at basal third; arista ~ 1.3 × longer than basoflagellomere (Fig. 2 B View Figure 2 ); face and frons black, with whitish grey pollinosity; face covered with dense whitish pilosity; pile on frons dense, grey-yellow; oral margin small, black, sparsely pollinose; lunula shining black to brown, bare; eye contiguity ~ 13–15 facets long; vertical triangle isosceles, black, shiny, except grey pollinose anterior corner, covered with both black and yellow pile; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with grey-yellow, dense pollinosity; eyes densely covered with whitish grey pile (Fig. 12 A View Figure 12 ).

Thorax. Scutum and scutellum black with bronze lustre, covered with short, greyish yellow pile in anterior half; pilosity between wing bases entirely or mostly black; scutum with indistinct pollinose vittae; transverse suture with two medial pollinose maculae; posterior margin of scutum and all scutellum with long whitish pilosity (Fig. 3 B View Figure 3 ); posterodorsal part of anterior anepisternum, posterior anepisternum (except anteroventral angle), anterior anepimeron, dorsomedial anepimeron, and posterodorsal and anteroventral parts of katepisternum with long, dense, whitish pile; wings mostly covered with microtrichia; wing veins brown to black; calypteres whitish yellow; halteres yellow to brown; legs black; metafemur moderately broad, from lateral view ~ 4 × longer than wide, covered with long, whitish, yellow, and black pile (Fig. 4 B View Figure 4 ).

Abdomen. Elongated (Fig. 5 B View Figure 5 ), as long as mesonotum; terga black; terga 3 and 4 with distinct silver-grey pollinose fasciate maculae interrupted medially; pile on terga 1 and 2 whitish, while on terga 3–5 grey-yellow to reddish; sterna black, covered with whitish yellow pile; posterior margin of sternum 4 with characteristic circular posteromedial incision (Fig. 7 C View Figure 7 ).

Male genitalia (Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 ). Anterior surstylar lobe large, elongated and sickle-like (Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 : al); posterior surstylar lobe rectangular, arcuate ventrally (Fig. 8 C View Figure 8 : pl).

Female (Fig. 6 A, B View Figure 6 ). Similar to the male except for typical sexual dimorphism and the following characteristics: frons with broad pollinose vittae along eyes, occupying ~ 1 / 3 of the width of the frons from frontal view (Fig. 12 B View Figure 12 ); scutum between wing bases without black pilosity, only wing basis with few black pile in some specimens (Fig. 6 B View Figure 6 ); metafemur narrower (~ 3.5 × longer than wide), with ventral pilosity shorter than in male (Fig. 14 B View Figure 14 ); lateral sides of tergum 2 with reddish yellow maculae (Fig. 6 A View Figure 6 ); terga 3–5 with short adpressed black pilosity medially.

Distribution and biology.

The species range is limited to the Iberian Peninsula ( Spain) (Fig. 13 View Figure 13 ). It preferentially occurs in open sparsely-vegetated semi-arid environments, typically unimproved stony pasturage and open grassy areas within thermophilous Quercus forest. Adult males and females both showed territorial behaviour, flying close to the soil and through the vegetation. Flowers visited by adults are mostly umbellifers and Euphorbia . Flight period: April / June. Developmental stages: undescribed.

Etymology.

The name latens derives from the Latin adjective meaning hidden, secret, not revealed. This term refers to the discovery of Iberian populations, previously cited as Merodon clavipes , as distinct species. Species epithet to be treated as an adjective.

FSUNS

Faculty of Science, The University of Novi Sad

NHMW

Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien

RMNH

National Museum of Natural History, Naturalis

SIZK

Schmaulhausen Institute of Zoology

ZMUC

Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen

NHMUK

Natural History Museum, London

ZFMK

Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig

MNHN

Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Diptera

Family

Syrphidae

Genus

Merodon