Medetera neopavlovskii, Grichanov & Gilasian, 2023

Grichanov, I. Ya. & Gilasian, E., 2023, A new species of Medetera Fischer von Waldheim, 1819 (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) with a key to the species known from Iran, Russian Entomological Journal 32 (3), pp. 322-329 : 325

Medetera neopavlovskii sp.n.

Figs 1–10

MATERIAL. Holotype ♂, Iran, West Azerbaijan Prov., Rashakan Research Station for Lake Urmia National Park , 1315 m, 37°20'38"N, 045°17'37"E, 18–25.VI.2015, Malaise trap, M. Parchami-Araghi leg. ( ZIN; male terminalia dissected and stored in glycerin in microvial pinned with the specimen) . Paratypes: 2♂, same data as for holotype ( HMIM) ; 1♂, Iran, Markazi Prov., Arak, Haftad Qolleh Protected Area , Chekab valley , 2219 m, 34°07'05"N, 050°16'25"E, 20.V–15.VI.2016, Malaise trap, E. Gilasian, M. Parchami-Araghi leg. ( ZIN; male terminalia dissected and stored in glycerin in a microvial pinned with the specimen) .

DESCRIPTION. Male ( Fig. 1 ). Length (mm): body 3.1, wing 3.0/1.1, antenna 1.1. Head ( Fig. 2 ). Frons bluish black, with grey pruinosity; ocellar, vertical and postvertical bristles black; postocular setae white; face slightly narrowing towards clypeus, under antenna 1.4 times as wide as at clypeus, with grey pruinosity, metallic violet in middle of lower part; narrowest distance between eyes 2 times as long as distance between ocellar setae; clypeus metallic violet, with grey pruinosity along eyes; palpus black, with white hairs; proboscis black; antenna brown-black ( Fig. 3 ); postpedicel conoid, 1.5 times as long as high; arista-like stylus apical, bare; length (mm) of scape to pedicel to postpedicel to stylus (segments 1 and 2), 0.05/0.05/0.11/0.03/0.89. Thorax bluish black, with grey pruinosity, with mainly black bristles and white hairs; 3 pairs of strong dorsocentral bristles slightly decreasing in length anteriorly, with anterior pair at level of sutural bristles; acrostichal setae biserial, microscopic, white; proepisternum with 1 long and 1 short white setae on its lower portion; 1 long and 1 short notopleural bristles; 1 long and 1 short supra-alar bristles; scutellum with 2 pairs of strong bristles, with lateral bristles more than half as long as medials. Legs including coxae black; knees yellow; coxae, femora and tibiae with white hairs and setae; tarsomeres with black apical setulae; fore and mid coxae with anterior and apical setae; hind coxa with strong lateral seta; fore and mid femora with short hairs; hind femur ( Fig. 4 ) with strong dorsal setae in basal half, nearly as long as femur height, with rather short ventral setae in basal half; tibia and tarsomeres devoid of strong bristles; mid tibia with pair of antero- and posterodorsal short setae at basal 1/4; hind tibia ( Fig. 5 ) with short dorsal preapical setae, with white spine and minute comb of black setulae dorsoapically; tarsomeres with simple setulae; fore podomere length (from femur to tarsomere 5, mm): 0.64/0.59/0.28/0.15/0.11/0.06/0.09, mid leg: 0.71/0.72/0.34/0.19/ 0.13/0.07/0.08, hind leg: 0.69/0.89/0.23/ 0.33/0.17/0.09/0.09. Wing hyaline, veins yellow-brown; basal section of M 1+2 as long as distal section; ratio of part of costa between R 2+3 and R 4+5 to this between R 4+5 and M 1+2, 0.37/0.11; ratio of cross-vein dm-m to distal part of M 4 to maximal distance between R 4+5 and M 1+2, 0.24/ 0.19–0.26/ 0.34; lower calypter yellow, with white setae; halter yellow. Abdomen bluish black, with grey pollinosity, with short white setae; tergum 7 well developed, with short setae; hypopygium ( Fig. 6 ) black, narrow, elongate-triangular, with brownish yellow appendages; hypandrium (ventral view) very long and narrow, thickened at extreme base ( Fig. 8 ); phallus filiform, bifurcated at extreme apex; epandrial lobes fused, with 2 long and simple setae, about as long as cercus ( Fig. 7 ); surstylus ( Fig. 9 ) long and narrow, distinctly shorter than epandrium, with simple setae and 1 thick curved bristle at apex; dorsal and ventral arms of surstylus fused almost to apex ( Fig. 10 ); cercus ( Fig. 8 ) long and narrow, covered with hairs and setae, bifurcated at apex, with dorsal process bearing long apical bristle, with ventral process bearing minute setulae.

Female. Unknown.

ETYMOLOGY. The species epithet reflects its morphological similarity with Medetera pavlovskii .

DISTRIBUTION. Iran (Markazi, West Azerbaijan).

DIAGNOSIS. Medetera neopavlovskii sp.n. is very close to М. pavlovskii Negrobov in habitus, differing from the latter in a somewhat longer body; distal section of M 4 at least 3/4 as long as crossvein dm-m; postpedicel 1.5 times longer than high; surstylus distinctly shorter than epandrium, with simple setae and 1 thick curved bristle at apex; epandrial setae nearly as long as cercus. М. pavlovskii has distal section of M 4 half as long as crossvein dm-m; postpedicel two times longer than high; surstylus distinctly longer than epandrium, with only simple setae at apex; epandrial setae about half as long as cercus [ Negrobov, Stackelberg, 1974]. Medetera pavlovskii was described from Shahrud (Semnan province of Iran) and was once reported from Sinai Mountains, Egypt [ Grichanov, 2007a]. The latter record must be confirmed.

In addition, M. pavlovskii with three dorsocentrals on mesonotum and М. tuberculata Negrobov, 1966 with four dorsocentrals on mesonotum were incorrectly included into the identification key by Negrobov & Naglis [2016]. The couplet 51 of this key must be written and supplemented as follows:

51. Proepisternal seta and hair black; acrostichal setae uniserial; lower calypter with black cilia; distal section of M 4 1.6 times longer than dm-m; 1.6 mm ( Slovakia) ............... ............................ М. longisurstylata Maslova et al., 2018

– Proepisternal seta and hairs white; acrostichal setae biserial; lower calypter with white cilia; distal section of M 4 not longer than dm-m ........................................................ 51a

51a. Face with dense grey pruinosity; scutellum with minute lateral setae; 2 mm ( Uzbekistan) ....................................... ................................. М. turkestanica (Stackelberg, 1926)

– Face partly shining; scutellum with lateral setae more than half as long as medians ............................................... 51b

51b. Postpedicel 2 times longer than high; distal section of M 4 half as long as crossvein dm-m; surstylus distinctly longer than epandrium (4/3), with simple setae at apex; 2.6 mm. ..................................................................... М. pavlovskii – Postpedicel 1.5 times longer than high; distal section of M 4 at least 3/4 as long as crossvein dm-m; surstylus distinctly shorter than epandrium (3/4), with simple setae and 1 thick curved bristle at apex; 3.1 mm ..... М. neopavlovskii sp.n.

Figures

Figs 1–10. Medetera neopavlovskii sp.n., male: 1 — habitus; 2 — head; 3 — antenna; 4 — hind femur; 5 — apex of hind tibia and basitarsus; 6 — hypopygium, lateral view; 7 — epandrial setae; 8 — hypandrium and cercus, lateral view; 9 — surstylus, lateral view; 10 — surstylus, dorsal view. Рис. 1–10. Medetera neopavlovskii sp.n., самец: 1 — внешний вид; 2 — голова; 3 — усик; 4 — Заднее бедро; 5 — вершина Задней голени и 1-й членик Задней лапки; 6 — гипопигий, вид сбоку; 7 — Щетинки ЭпандриЯ; 8 — гипандрий и церка, вид сбоку; 9 — сурстиль, вид сбоку; 10 — сурстиль, вид сверху.