Merodon sophron Hurkmans, 1993
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publication ID |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.909.46838 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:22B7FF16-D0A2-40F9-B20E-F7C6E0AF1842 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A85A9F8C-3E4F-5B4A-B97C-8D5800F9F5EB |
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treatment provided by |
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scientific name |
Merodon sophron Hurkmans, 1993 |
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Merodon sophron Hurkmans, 1993 Figs 8D View Figure 8 , 9G-I, K View Figure 9 , 11G-I View Figure 11
Diagnosis.
Medium sized (7.8-9.2 mm), dark species with olive-brown reflection; antennae dark; legs mostly black; body pile predominantly pale, except few black pile on vertex and scutum; basoflagellomere elongated (1.8 times as long as wide) obviously concave dorsally, arista 1.8 times as long as basoflagellomere (Fig. 11G-I View Figure 11 ); tergum 2 with pale lateral maculae; metafemur incrassate with medium long pile on ventral surface, length approximately one third of its width (Fig. 8D View Figure 8 ); male genitalia: posterior surstyle lobe with lateral hump; apical part of anterior surstyle lobe rhomboid; lingula medium size (Fig. 9G-I View Figure 9 ). Related to Merodon serrulatus from which differs in absence of medial fossette (Fig. 11H View Figure 11 ), present in geographically related Iberian populations of M. serrulatus (Fig. 3B View Figure 3 ), molecular data and distribution (Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ). Related to M. bequaerti , but differs by shorter pile on ventral margin of metafemur in both sexes (Fig. 8D View Figure 8 ), narrower and oval to triangular apical part of anterior surstyle lobe (Fig. 9G View Figure 9 ), with rounded margin in M. bequaerti (Fig. 9A View Figure 9 ), and light yellow and less dense marginal pile on apical part of anterior surstyle lobe (Fig. 9G, K View Figure 9 : al), dark brown and dense in M. bequaerti (Fig. 9A View Figure 9 : al, J).
Redescription
(based on the material from type locality, Middle Atlas, Azrou). Male. Head. Antennae black to dark brown; basoflagellomere elongated, ca. 1.8 times as long as wide, and ca. 2.5 times as long as pedicel, concave dorsally with acute apex; fossette dorsolateral; arista dark and thickened at basal one third, covered with dense microtrichia, ca. 1.8 times as long as basoflagellomere (Fig. 11G, H View Figure 11 ); face and frons black with gray microtrichia, face covered with dense whitish, and frons with yellowish gray pile; oral margin shiny, with small lateral microtrichose area; lunule shiny black, bare; vertex shiny black, except in front of anterior ocellus, covered with microtrichia; vertex isosceles, with long, pale whitish yellow pile, mixed with black pile on the ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle isosceles; eyes covered with dense pile; occiput with gray-yellow pile, ventrally covered with a dense, gray microtrichia; eye contiguity 8-11 facets long; vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 3: 1: 3.
Thorax. Scutum and scutellum black with bronze luster, covered with dense, erect, usually yellow pile; sides of scutum at wing basis with patch of black pile or fascia of short black pile and few black pile between wing basis; scutum with two microtrichose vittae, anteriorly connected and posteriorly reaching the scutellum; anterior half of scutum dull; 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 and grayish microtrichia; wings entirely covered with microtrichia; wing veins brown; calypteres and halteres pale yellow; legs mostly black, except brown tarsi ventrally in some specimens; pile on legs pale yellow; metafemur moderately incrassate, ca. three times longer than wide; pile on postero- and anteroventral surface medium long, and ca. as one third of width of metafemur, approximately the same length as pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 8D View Figure 8 ).
Abdomen. Tapering, 1.2 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark, except for a pair of pale yellow-orange, triangular, lateral maculae on tergum 2; terga 3 and 4 each with a pair of white microtrichose and oblique fasciae (on tergum 2 triangular); pile on terga all yellow; sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish yellow pile.
Male genitalia. Apical part of anterior surstyle lobe rhomboid shape, ca. 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense, short pile (Fig. 9G, J View Figure 9 : al); posterior surstyle lobe oval with basolateral protrusion (lateral hump) (Fig. 9G, H View Figure 9 : bp); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; lingula medium size (Fig. 9I View Figure 9 : l).
Female. Similar to the male except for normal sexual dimorphism and for the following characteristics: antennae with rounded tip, basoflagellomere ca. two times longer than wide (Fig. 11I View Figure 11 ); frons with broad microtrichose vittae along eye margins; frons covered with variable pilosity, from mostly gray-yellow until predominantly black; ocellar triangle covered with black pile; lateral side of terga, anterior two thirds of tergum 2 and all of tergum 5 with yellow pile; terga 2-4 with short adpressed black pile.
Distribution.
Merodon sophron is distributed in north-western Africa (Morocco) (Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ).
Ecology.
Preferred environment: forest/open ground; open areas in evergreen oak maquis, dry Pinus forest; unimproved grassland and tracksides (Fig. 35C View Figure 35 ). Flowers visited: no data. Flight period: May-June.
Type material.
Holotype [original designation by Hurkmans (1993: 168)]. Morocco • ♂; Azrou; 33°25'00"N, 5°20'00"W; 29 May 1925; E. Hartert leg.; NHMUK (studied).
Other material.
Morocco • 1 ♂; Azrou; 30°40'00"N, 7°30'00"W; 31 May 1953; G. L. Spoek leg.; NBCN • 2 ♂♂; Moyen Atlas, Azrou; 30°40'00"N, 7°30'00"W; 19 Jun. 1928; R. Benoist leg.; MNHN PM0344, PM0350 • 1 ♀; Moyen Atlas, Azrou; 30°40'00"N, 7°30'00"W; 16 Jun. 1928; R. Benoist leg.; MNHN PM0371 • 1 ♀; Middle Atlas, Azrou; 33°24'51"N, 5°11'36"W; 1789 m a.s.l.; 25-26 Jun. 2014; A. Vujić, S. Radenković, J. Ačanski, S. Veselić leg.; FSUNS 07044 • 1 ♂; Moyen Atlas, Azrou; 33°25'48"N, 5°12'36"W; 16 Jun. 1928, R. Benoist leg.; MNHN 22624 • 1 ♂; Middle Atlas, Maknes, Azrou; 33°25'48"N 5°12'36"W; 1800 m a.s.l.; 25 May 1995; C. Kassebeer leg.; FSUNS 02496.
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