taxonID	type	description	language	source
00F87BD3E99E543BAAE5E3E1FBB4901E.taxon	description	Figs 4 A, 7 A-C, 10 A, 12 A, 14 A, 16 A, 19 A, 21 A, 22 A-C, 27, 29 A, 30 A	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
00F87BD3E99E543BAAE5E3E1FBB4901E.taxon	materials_examined	Additional material examined. IRAN • 1 ♀; Fars Province, Road Chiraz (Shiraz) - Kazeroun, Fort Sine-Sefid; 29 ° 30 ' N, 52 ° E; 29 Apr. 1937; Brandt F. H. leg.; Paratype of Merodon ankylogaster; NBCN 02591.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
00F87BD3E99E543BAAE5E3E1FBB4901E.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium sized (8 - 10 mm), medium long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection (Figs 19 A, 21 A); antennae reddish-brown, basoflagellomere elongated, 1.8 - 1.9 times as long as wide with convex dorsal margin (Figs 10 A, 12 A); femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi partly yellow (Figs 14 A, 16 A); body pile whitish, yellow to gray. Male: metafemur broad, about 3.7 - 3.8 times longer than wide, covered with long pilosity (Fig. 14 A); basotarsomere of metatarsus less expanded, about 1.3 times broader than the second tarsomere (Fig. 7 A), with ventrolateral row of long, strong setae (Fig. 7 A), and ventrally without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended in basal half (Fig. 7 A); ventral margin of metatrochanter angular (Fig. 14 A); sternum 4 with long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 4 A); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe rectangular with convex ventral margin (Fig. 22 A: al), and posterior surstyle lobe broad, trapezoidal, with angular protrusion on the margin (Fig. 22 A: pl); ejaculatory apodeme as long as broad (Fig. 22 C: ea); lingula elongated and narrow (Fig. 22 C: l). Female: tarsi brown (Fig. 16 A), second tarsomere of metaleg longer, about half of basotarsomere (Fig. 7 B, C); frons with broad lateral pollinose vittae along eye margins (Fig. 29 A); terga 3 - 4 usually with narrow fasciae, extends less than 1 / 6 of the length of terga (Fig. 21 A). Male clearly differs from Merodon rufitarsis by a longer basotarsomere of metaleg in M. angustitarsis Vujic & Gilasian sp. nov. (Fig. 14 A), while shorter in M. rufitarsis (Fig. 15 C); by presence of ventrolateral row of setae on basotarsomere of metaleg in M. angustitarsis Vujic & Gilasian sp. nov. (Fig. 7 A), while absent in M. rufitarsis; and by the shape of the surstyle lobes of male genitalia (Fig. 22 A, B, D, E).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
00F87BD3E99E543BAAE5E3E1FBB4901E.taxon	description	Description. MALE. Head: Antenna reddish-brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 10 A) elongated, about 1.8 - 1.9 times as long as wide, and about 2 times as long as pedicel, convex dorsally, strongly tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 10 A: f); arista black, thickened at basal third; face and frons black with gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin black, with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye contiguity about 8 - 12 facets long; vertex isosceles, shiny black, anterior part pollinose; vertex with long, gray-yellowish pile, in some cases mixed with a few black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with white-gray pile, ventrally covered with dense, gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 30 A); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 2 - 2.5: 1: 1.2 - 2. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect yellow to white pile; scutum with four 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 to gray pile; wings mostly covered with microtrichia; wing veins brown; calypteres pale yellow; halter brown; femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi partly yellow; pile on legs pale yellow; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; metafemur moderately broad, about 3.7 - 3.8 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about 2 / 3 of width of metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 14 A); apicomedial lamina on metatibia small, covered with a few long gray pile; basotarsomere of metatarsus about 1.3 times broader than second tarsomere (Fig. 7 A), with ventrolateral row of long, strong setae (Fig. 7 A), and ventrally with weakly defined brush-like area of dense pile (Fig. 7 A). - Abdomen (Fig. 19 A): About 1.3 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2 - 4 each with pair of narrow white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga gray-whitish except black pilosity on medial part of terga 2 and 3; sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish pile. - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe rectangular with convex ventral margin, about 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense, short pile (Fig. 22 A, B: al); posterior surstyle lobe broad, trapezoidal, with angular protrusion on lateral margin (Fig. 22 A, B: pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 22 A: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections (Fig. 22 C); lingula very elongated and narrow (Fig. 22 C: l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere about 2.2 times longer than wide (Fig. 12 A); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins (Fig. 29 A); frons covered with mostly gray-yellow pile, intermixed with black pile; ocellar triangle covered with gray to whitish pile, mixed with black ones (Fig. 29 A); medial part of terga 2 - 4 usually with short adpressed black pile; pollinose fasciae on terga 2 - 4 extends less than 1 / 6 of length of terga (Fig. 21 A); basotarsomere of metatarsus brown, with a few distinct spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae, and in ventral view more or less with parallel margins; length of second tarsomere of metaleg subequal to or less than half length of basotarsomere (Fig. 16 A).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
00F87BD3E99E543BAAE5E3E1FBB4901E.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The name " Merodon angustitarsis ", as arbitrary combination, derives from the Latin adjective " angustus " meaning narrow, and the noun " tarsus " referring to the fifth part (terminal segments) of the leg. This describes the distinctive narrow shape of the basotarsomere of the metaleg.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
00F87BD3E99E543BAAE5E3E1FBB4901E.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon angustitarsis Vujic & Gilasian sp. nov. occurs in Iran and in southern Turkmenistan (Fig. 27). It was found within a cold-desert steppe scrubland ecosystem with Artemisia sieberi - Zygophyllum sp. as dominant vegetation type, cold and arid semi steppe scrubland and grasslands ecosystem (Astragalus spp.), and cold and humid prairies ecosystem (Trifolium spp.) (Azizi Jalilian et al. 2020). These localities belong to four ecoregions: Elburz range forest steppe, Kopet Dag woodlands and forest steppe, Zagros mountains forest steppe, and Central Persian desert basins (Olson et al. 2001). Nesen, the locality where the holotype of M. angustitarsis Vujic & Gilasian sp. nov. was collected, is a mountainous area located in Alborz mountain range with very cold winters and moderate warm summers (- 30 to 20 ° C), and 400 - 500 mm annual precipitation; Plantago major L. and Allium ursinum L. are the dominant plant species. Most paratypes of M. angustitarsis Vujic & Gilasian sp. nov. were collected in Tochal, a mountainous area located in the Alborz mountain range, with 16.7 ° C average annual temperature and 300 - 400 mm annual precipitation; Astragalus spp. are the dominant plant species of this area. Other paratypes were collected in mountainous areas of: Dizin, located in the central part of the Alborz mountain range with very cold winters and moderate summers (- 20 to 20 ° C), with Juniperus spp., Rhus coriaria L., Crataegus pontica K. Koch., and Thymus vulgaris L. as the dominant plant species; Chovinli, with very cold winters and moderate summers, with 310 mm annual precipitation and 12.5 ° C average annual temperature, with Juniperus excelsa M. Bieb., Ficus carica L., Prunus cerasifera Ehrh., Celtis australis L., and Atriplex spp. as the dominant plant species; Sanij, a semi-arid mountainous area close to the Zagros mountain range with cold winters and hot summers (12 to 34 ° C), with 300 - 350 mm annual precipitation, with Zygophyllum atriplicoides subsp. eurypterum (Boiss. & Buhse) Popov, Artemisia sieberi Besser, and Lactuca orientalis (Boiss.) Boiss. as the dominant plant species. On the basis of our data the flight period is from late April to July, mostly independent of altitude.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
2D46F30D125653B78D63826CC08103E3.taxon	description	Figs 4 B, 8 A-D, 10 B, 12 B, 14 B, 15 K, 16 B, 20 A, 21 B, 23 A-C, 28, 29 B, 31 A	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
2D46F30D125653B78D63826CC08103E3.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium to large (10 - 13 mm), long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection (Figs 20 A, 21 B); antennae reddish to dark brown, basoflagellomere elongated, 1.9 - 2 times as long as wide with straight to convex dorsal margin (Figs 10 B, 12 B); basotarsomere of all legs with ventrolateral row of long, strong setae (Fig. 8 A-D); femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi from black to partly brown-reddish (Figs 14 B, 16 B); body pile whitish, yellow to gray. Male: metafemur moderately curved, broad, about 3 times longer than wide, covered with long pilosity (Fig. 14 B); basotarsomere of metatarsus less expanded, about 2 times broader than the second tarsomere (Fig. 14 B), with ventrolateral row of long, strong setae (Fig. 8 A, B), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended in basal half (Fig. 8 B); ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; sternum 4 with long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 4 B); male genitalia: posterior surstyle lobe broad and oval, anterior surstyle lobe oval, enlarged, and longer than posterior surstyle lobe (Fig. 23 A, B: al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme large, about as long as broad (Fig. 23 C: ea); lingula narrow and medium size (Fig. 23 C: l). Female: tarsi at least on metaleg brown dorsally; basotarsomere of metatarsus from ventral view with parallel margins and without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile (Fig. 8 C, D), while spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae very strong and distinct; frons with narrow lateral vittae along eye margins, medially with shiny vitta (Fig. 29 B); terga 3 - 4 usually with broad fasciae, extends about 1 / 4 of the length of the terga (Fig. 21 B). Male clearly differs from similar species, Merodon latiantennatus Vujic, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. and M. marginicornis by ventrolateral row of strong setae on basotarsomere of all legs (Fig. 8 A, B), absent in M. latiantennatus Vujic, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. and weaker in M. marginicornis (Fig. 8 F, G); by shorter basotarsomere of metaleg in M. dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. (about 2.5 times longer than second tarsomere) (Fig. 15 K) in regard to M. latiantennatus Vujic, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. (about 3.5 times longer) (Fig. 15 J); by the shape of basoflagellomere (Fig. 10 B-D); and by the shape of the male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe broad and oval (Fig. 23 A, B: al), while smaller and narrower in M. latiantennatus Vujic, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. (Fig. 23 D, E: al) and M. marginicornis (Fig. 23 G, H: al).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
2D46F30D125653B78D63826CC08103E3.taxon	description	Description. Male. Head: Antenna reddish to dark brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 10 B) elongated, about 1.9 - 2 times as long as wide, about 2 times as long as pedicel, convex dorsally in basal corner, strongly tapered to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 10 B); arista black and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with sparse gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin black, with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye contiguity about 8 facets long; vertex isosceles, shiny black, anterior part pollinose; vertex with long, gray-yellowish pile, in some cases mixed with a few black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with white-gray pile, ventrally covered with dense, gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 31 A); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 3: 1: 2.5. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect pale yellow to white pile; scutum 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 to gray pile; wings mostly covered with microtrichia; wing veins brown; calypter pale yellow; halter brown; femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi black to partly brown-reddish; pile on legs pale yellow-white; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; metafemur moderately curved, broad, about 3 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about 2 / 3 of width of metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 14 B); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with tuft of long orange pile; basotarsomere of all legs with ventrolateral row of long, strong setae (Fig. 8 A, B); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2 times broader than second tarsomere (Fig. 8 A, B), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended in basal half (Fig. 8 B). - Abdomen: About 1.3 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2 - 4 each with pair of distinct, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga gray-whitish, medial part of terga 3 - 4 (and 2) usually with short black pile (Fig. 20 A); sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish pile. - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe oval and enlarged, about 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense, short pile (Fig. 23 A, B: al); posterior surstyle lobe oval and broad (Fig. 23 A, B: pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 23 A: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections (Fig. 23 C); lingula narrow and medium sized (Fig. 23 C: l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere about 1.7 times longer than wide (Fig. 12 B); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; frons covered with mostly gray-yellow pile; ocellar triangle covered with gray to whitish pile, in some specimens mixed with black ones (Fig. 29 B); 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 (Fig. 21 B); basotarsomere of metatarsus brown dorsally, at least on metaleg, less expanded, in ventral view with parallel margins and without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile (Fig. 8 C, D); spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae very strong and distinct.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
2D46F30D125653B78D63826CC08103E3.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The name " Merodon dumosus " is a Latin adjective in masculine, derived from the noun " dumus " meaning " overgrown with thorns ". This term refers to a row of strong setae on the basotarsomere.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
2D46F30D125653B78D63826CC08103E3.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. occurs in Iran and Israel (Fig. 28). Its Iranian localities are within arid and semi-arid forests ecosystem with Quercus brantii Lindl. as the dominant vegetation type, cold-desert steppe scrubland ecosystem (Artemisia sieberi - Zygophyllum sp.), and cold and arid semi steppe scrubland and grasslands ecosystem (Astragalus spp.) (Azizi Jalilian et al. 2020). These ecosystems belong to ecoregions of the Zagros mountains forest steppe and Central Persian desert basins (Olson et al. 2001). Iranian localities in the Zagros mountain range include: Fereydounshahr, a mountainous area with very cold winters and moderate summers, with 11.5 ° C average annual temperature and 550 mm annual precipitation, with Lamiaceae, Fabacaea, Apiaceae, Rosaceae, Poaceae, Asteraceae and Brassicaceae as dominant plant families; Deh Sard, a mountainous area with very cold winters and moderate summers, with 250 mm annual precipitation and 20 ° C average annual temperature, with Amygdalus spp., Pistacia atlantica Desf., Ebenus stellata Boiss., Stipa barbata Desf., Poa sinaica Steud. as dominant plant species; Sepidan, a semi-arid and cold mountainous area with very cold winters and moderate summers, with 14.8 ° C average annual temperature and 695 mm annual precipitation, with Acer monspessulanum L., Amygdalus elaeagnifolia Spach., Berberis integerrima Bunge, Crataegus azarolus var. aronia L., Fraxinus rotundifolia Miller, Cotoneaster persica Pojark, Pyrus spp. as dominant plant species. Rayen is a dry and cold mountainous area with cold winters and hot summers (- 1 to 40 ° C), with less than 300 mm annual precipitation, with Astragalus spp., Nepeta spp., Acantholimon spp., Artemisia aucheri Boiss., Ferula aucheri (Boiss.) Piwczynski, Spalik, M. Panahi & Puchalka as dominant plant species. The western part of the range of M. dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. belongs to the Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests ecoregion; in Israel this species was registered only in a locality on Mount Hermon with montane forest dominated by Quercus infectoria subsp. veneris (A. Kern.) Meikle, Q. libani G. Olivier, Juniperus drupacea Labill., and Acer monspessulanum subsp. microphyllum (Boiss.) Bornm., accompanied by Mediterranean maquis and semi-steppe bathas (Danin 1988). On the basis of our data the flight period is from April to early July.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
BA4E21F97D135FB0A6F37055B81D5726.taxon	materials_examined	Additional material examined. IRAN • 1 ♂; Kerman Province, Baft County, Ghale Asgar; 29 ° 30 ' 13 " N, 56 ° 38 ' 19 " E; 2740 m a. s. l.; 3 May 2007; Gilasian E., Nematian M. leg.; HMIM • 5 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Fars 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; Oboril M. leg.; J. H. coll. • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Fars Province, Dasht-e Arjan; 29 ° 37 ' 48 " N, 51 ° 54 ' 43 " E; 2040 m a. s. l.; 5 May 2016; Kafka M. leg.; M. B. coll. • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province, Yasuj, 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. • 1 ♀; Isfahan Province (Esfahan Province), Semirom County, Kommeh; 31 ° 01 ' 01 " N, 51 ° 35 ' 28 " E; 2760 m a. s. l.; 12 May 2007; Gilasian E. leg.; HMIM • 5 ♂♂; Lorestan Province, Dorud County, Lanjabad; 33 ° 25 ' 08 " N, 48 ° 59 ' 10 " E; 950 m a. s. l.; 10 May 2016; Kafka M. leg.; M. B. coll. • 1 ♂; Lorestan Province, Dorud County, Lanjabad; 33 ° 25 ' 59 " N, 49 ° 01 ' 44 " E; 670 m a. s. l. (+ / - 300 m); 11 May 2016; Kafka M. leg.; M. B. coll. • 2 ♀♀; Lorestan Province, Dorud County, Lanjabad; 33 ° 25 ' 59 " N, 49 ° 01 ' 44 " E; 1670 m a. s. l.; 10 - 11 May 2016; Kafka M. leg.; M. B. coll. • 2 ♂♂; Tehran Province, Damavand Village, Damavand Mt area, 75 km NE Teheran (Tehran); 35 ° 58 ' 32 " N, 52 ° 06 ' 20 " E; 27 Jul. 1976; Lavalle A. G. leg.; USNM ENT 00036574, USNM ENT 00036575, 05120 (NMNH) • 1 ♂; East Azerbaijan Province, Arasbaran, Keleybar forest; 38 ° 50 ' 29 " N, 47 ° 00 ' 02 " E; Khaghaninia S. leg.; MMH 10277. - ISRAEL • 1 ♂; Mount Hermon; 2000 m a. s. l.; 8 Jun. 1975; Friedberg A. leg.; TAUI • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 12 Jun. 1996 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 30 May 1979; Kaplan M. leg. • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 20 May 1986; Eldar G. leg. • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 12 Jun. 1996; Merz B., Friedberg A. leg.; NBCN 02561. - TURKEY • 1 ♀; Hakkari, Sat Daglari, Varegoes; 37 ° 25 ' N, 43 ° 55 ' E; 2000 m a. s. l.; 17 Jun. 1984; Warncke K. leg.; NBCN 04211 • 1 ♂; Adiyaman Province, Mount Nemrut (Nemrut Dagi); 1600 m a. s. l.; 1 Jun. 1983; Schacht W. leg.; D. D. coll. • 1 ♂; Adiyaman Province, Mount Nemrut (Nemrut Dagi); 9 Jun. 1996; Snizek M. leg.; D. D. coll.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
BA4E21F97D135FB0A6F37055B81D5726.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Small sized (6 - 8 mm), short to medium long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection (Fig. 20 B); antennae dark brown, basoflagellomere short, about 1.6 times as long as wide, with concave dorsal margin and rounded apex (Figs 11 A, 13 A); femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow (Figs 14 C, 17 A); body pile whitish, yellow to gray. Male: metafemur broad, about 3 times longer than wide, covered with shorter pile, except a few long pile ventrally (Fig. 14 C); basotarsomere of metatarsus with parallel margins from dorsal view, about 1.3 times broader than the second tarsomere, ventrally without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile (Fig. 7 D, E); ventral margin of metatrochanter rounded; sternum 4 with medium sized laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 4 C); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe oval, elongated, and posterior surstyle lobe broad, triangular to trapezoid (Fig. 22 G, H: al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme broader than long (Fig. 22 I: ea); lingula very elongated and narrow (Fig. 22 I: l). Female: basoflagellomere short and rounded (Fig. 13 A); tarsi black to brown; basotarsomere of metaleg with very short pilosity, without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile ventrally. Differs from other species from the Merodon tarsatus group by shorter pilosity on metafemur (especially dorsally), with pile shorter than base of metatibia in lateral view (Figs 14 C, 17 A); by shorter basoflagellomere with rounded apex (Figs 11 A, 13 A); by male basotarsomere of metatarsus narrow in lateral view (Fig. 7 E) and with parallel margins from ventral view (Fig. 7 D); and by characteristic shape of the surstyle lobes in male genitalia (Fig. 22 G, H).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
BA4E21F97D135FB0A6F37055B81D5726.taxon	description	Re-description. Male. Head: Antenna dark brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 11 A) short, about 1.6 times as long as wide, about 2 times as long as pedicel, concave dorsally, rounded at apex; fossette dorsolateral and small (Fig. 11 A); arista brown and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin small, with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye contiguity short, about 4 - 6 facets long; vertex isosceles, shiny black (except in front of ocellar triangle); vertex with gray-yellowish pile, mixed with a few black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with white-gray pile, ventrally covered with dense gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 31 B); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 4: 1: 2.5. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect yellow to white pile; scutum 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 to gray 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-whitish; ventral margin of metatrochanter rounded; metafemur moderately broad, about 3 times longer than wide, with shorter pilosity, except a few longer pile on ventral surface, about half of width of metafemur (Fig. 14 C); apicomedial lamina on metatibia very small, covered with a few white pile; basotarsomere of metatarsus not expanded, about 1.3 times broader than second tarsomere (Fig. 7 E), 2 times longer than broad, with parallel margins in dorsal view, ventrally without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile, without spine-like setae along ventrolateral margin (Fig. 7 D, E). - Abdomen (Fig. 20 B): Short pilose, about 1.1 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2 - 4 without or with poorly visible pair of narrow, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga gray-whitish, medial part of terga 3 - 4 usually with black pile; sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish pile; sternum 4 with medium sized laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 4 C). - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe oval and elongated, about 2 times longer than wide, covered with dense, short pile (Fig. 22 G, H: al); posterior surstyle lobe broad, triangular to trapezoidal (Fig. 22 G, H: pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 22 G: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; lingula very elongated and narrow (Fig. 22 I: l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere short, about 1.5 times longer than wide (Fig. 13 A); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; frons covered with intermixed gray-yellow and black pile; ocellar triangle covered with gray to whitish pile, in some specimens mixed 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 more distinct; basotarsomere of metatarsus longer, 2.5 times longer than broad (Fig. 17 A).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
BA4E21F97D135FB0A6F37055B81D5726.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon hypochrysos occurs in the region of the Middle East, including Iran, Israel and southeastern Turkey (Fig. 26). It was recorded in Iran within arid and semi-arid forests ecosystem with Quercus brantii as dominant vegetation type, cold-desert steppe scrubland ecosystem (Artemisia sieberi - Zygophyllum sp.), cold and arid semi steppe scrubland and grasslands ecosystem (Astragalus spp.), and cold and humid prairies ecosystem (Trifolium spp.) (Azizi Jalilian et al. 2020). These localities belong to ecoregions of the Zagros mountains forest steppe and Elburz range forest steppe (Olson et al. 2001). Iranian collection sites of M. hypochrysos in the Zagros mountain range include: Yasuj, with very cold winters and moderate summers, 15.2 ° C average annual temperature and 864 mm annual precipitation, with Quercus persica Jaub. & Spach as the dominant plant species; Dasht-e Arjan, located in the ' Arjan Biosphere Reserve', with an altitude of 853 - 3041 m a. s. l., with wild almond trees (Prunus scoparia (Spach) C. K. Schneid) (' Arjan' in Persian) as dominant plant species; Dorud, with cold winters and moderate summers, 670 mm annual precipitation, with Asteraceae, Papilionaceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae and Lamiaceae as dominant plant families; Semirom, with very cold winters and moderate summers, 335 mm annual precipitation and 12.5 ° C average annual temperature, with Astragalus verus Olivier, Poa bulbosa L. and Bromus tomentellus Boiss. as dominant plant species. Damavand is located close to the highest mountain in Iran with the same name Damavand with 5671 m a. s. l, in the Alborz mountain range, with cold winters and moderate summers, with 540 mm annual precipitation and with about 10 ° C average annual temperature; 370 plant species belonging to 206 genera and 56 families have been recorded from this area; Asteraceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Brassicacaea and Caryophyllaceae are dominant plant families in this area. The Keleybar forest, with 400 - 600 mm annual precipitation and about 10 ° C average annual temperature is located in the north-east of Iran; Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl., Carpinus betulus L. and Cornus mas L. are the dominant plant species in this area. The western part of the range of M. hypochrysos (Turkey and Israel) belongs to the Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests. The vegetation of this ecoregion includes maquis, coniferous forests of Pinus halepensis Mill. and P. brutia Ten., dry Quercus spp. woodlands and steppe formations (WWF 2022). The montane forest of Mt. Hermon (locality in Israel) is dominated by Quercus infectoria subsp. veneris, Q. libani, Juniperus drupacea, and Acer monspessulanum subsp. microphyllum, accompanied by Mediterranean maquis and semi-steppe bathas (Danin 1988). On the basis of our data the flight period is from early May to late July.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
62495A7FDC4B5157BE209FB5E149DD33.taxon	description	Figs 5 A, 8 E, 10 C, 13 B, 15 A, J, 16 C, 20 C, 21 C, 23 D-F, 26	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
62495A7FDC4B5157BE209FB5E149DD33.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Small (7 - 8 mm), dark species, with bluish reflection (Fig. 20 C); antennae orange (Figs 10 C, 13 B), basoflagellomere short, broad, triangular, about as long as wide, with large dorsal fossette in male, which extends laterally and medially (Fig. 10 C); femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow (Figs 15 A, 16 C); body pile whitish to gray. Male: eyes dichoptic, separated by distance of three facets (Fig. 31 C); metafemur about 3.2 times longer than wide, covered with medium long pilosity (Fig. 15 A); basotarsomere of metatarsus elongated, more than 4 times longer than the second tarsomere, less expanded, about 1.5 times broader than the second tarsomere (Fig. 15 A), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended in 3 / 4 of its length (Figs 8 E, 15 A); ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; sternum 4 with long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 5 A); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe rounded, and posterior surstyle lobe short and broad (Fig. 23 D, E: al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme much broader than long (Fig. 23 F: ea); lingula very elongated and rugose on ventral margin (Fig. 23 F: l). Female: basoflagellomere and tarsi orange-brown; basotarsomere of metaleg long and narrow, more than 3 times longer than the second tarsomere with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile ventrally (Fig. 16 C). Similar to Merodon marginicornis from which male differs in shorter and less spiky basoflagellomere (Fig. 10 C), while strongly tapered to the apex and longer in M. marginicornis (Fig. 10 D); and by basotarsomere of metaleg with brush-like area of dense pile extending 3 / 4 of its length (Fig. 8 E), while in M. marginicornis in basal half (Fig. 8 F). Clearly differs from male of M. dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. by more elongated basotarsomere of the metaleg, more than 3.5 times longer than the second tarsomere in M. latiantennatus Vujic, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. (Fig. 15 J), while about 2.5 times in M. dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. (Fig. 15 K); by the absence of a ventrolateral row of strong setae on basotarsomere of all legs, while is present in M. dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. (Fig. 8 A, B); by shape of basoflagellomere (Fig. 10 B, C); and by the shape of the male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe smaller and narrower (Fig. 23 D, E: al), while in M. dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. broad and oval (Fig. 23 A, B: al). Female can be differentiated from M. marginicornis by narrow, elongated basotarsomere of metaleg (Fig. 16 C), while broader and shorter in M. marginicornis (Fig. 16 D).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
62495A7FDC4B5157BE209FB5E149DD33.taxon	description	Description. Male. Head: Antenna orange; basoflagellomere (Fig. 10 C) short, broad, triangular, about as long as wide, about 1.3 times as long as pedicel, with large dorsal fossette which extends laterally and medially (Fig. 10 C); arista black and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin black, with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eyes dichoptic, separated by distance of three facets (Fig. 31 C); vertex isosceles, shiny black; vertex with gray-yellowish pile; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with white-gray pile, ventrally covered with dense gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 31 C); vertical triangle: frons = 1.5: 1. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black, covered with erect gray to white pile; scutum 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 to gray pile; wings mostly covered with microtrichia; wing veins dark brown; calypter yellow; halter brown-yellow; femora black, tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow; pile on legs pale yellow; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; metafemur about 3.2 times longer than wide, with medium long pile on ventral surface, about half of width of metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 15 A); apicomedial lamina on metatibia small, covered with long yellowish pile; ventrolateral row of setae on basotarsomere of all legs present, but less distinct; basotarsomere of metatarsus not expanded, about 1.5 times broader than second tarsomere (Fig. 15 A), about 3.5 times longer than second tarsomere (Fig. 15 J), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extending 3 / 4 of its length (Fig. 15 A). - Abdomen (Fig. 20 C): About 1.2 times longer than mesonotum; terga black with bluish lustre; terga 2 - 4 each with pairs of indistinct, white pollinose fascia; pile on terga gray-whitish; sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish pile; sternum 4 with long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 5 A). - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe rounded, about as long as wide, covered with dense, short pile (Fig. 23 D, E: al); posterior surstyle lobe short and broad (Fig. 23 D, E: pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 23 D: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; ejaculatory apodeme extremely broad (Fig. 23 F: ea); lingula very long and rugose on ventral margin (Fig. 23 F: l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere orange-brown, tapering to apex, about 2 times longer than wide, with small fossette (Fig. 13 B); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; frons covered with mostly gray-yellow pile; ocellar triangle covered with gray to whitish pile mixed 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 more distinct; basotarsomere of metatarsus elongated, about 3.5 times longer than wide (Fig. 16 C), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile, but less defined than in males.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
62495A7FDC4B5157BE209FB5E149DD33.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The name " Merodon latiantennatus ", as arbitrary combination, is derived from the Latin adjectives " latus " meaning " wide, broad " and " antennatus " meaning " having antenna ", referring to the shape of the male basoflagellomere.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
62495A7FDC4B5157BE209FB5E149DD33.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon latiantennatus Vujic, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. has so far only been recorded in eastern Afghanistan (Fig. 26), at the foot of the southern Hindu Kush mountain range (at 2500 - 2700 m a. s. l.). It was collected at only one locality which belongs to the Central Afghan Mountains xeric woodlands (Olson et al. 2001), an open woodland ecoregion, characterized by Prunus L. trees at 2000 - 2800 m a. s. l. marking the transition zone between Pistacia atlantica communities at lower altitudes and higher sub-alpine vegetation. The main vegetation types in the area are Thorny Cushions, subalpine and alpine semi deserts, dry steppes, and meadows (a mixture of several plant formations), and Amygdalus - Woodlands (Breckle 2007). The Amygdalus scrublands (often intermixed with the Pistacia woodlands) are rich in geophytes such as Eremurus M. Bieb., Tulipa L., Iris Tourn. ex L., Allium spp., Gagea Salisb., Corydalis D. C., and Rheum L. The type locality of M. latiantennatus Vujic, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. is presented on Fig. 32 D. On the basis of our data the flight period is from June and July.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
895DF3ED89FF59118A3C699DF4670EFC.taxon	description	Figs 5 B, 8 F-H, 10 D, 13 C, 14 D, 16 D, 20 D, 21 C, 23 G-I, 28, 31 D	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
895DF3ED89FF59118A3C699DF4670EFC.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Small to medium sized (7 - 11 mm), medium long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection (Figs 20 D, 21 C); antennae reddish-brown, basoflagellomere elongated, 1.8 - 2.1 times as long as wide, with concave dorsal margin (Figs 10 D, 13 C); femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow (Figs 14 D, 16 D); body pile whitish-yellow to gray. Male: metafemur broad, about 3.3 times longer than wide, covered with long pilosity (Fig. 14 D); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2 times broader than the second tarsomere (Fig. 14 D), with ventrolateral row of strong setae (Fig. 8 F, G), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended in basal half (Fig. 8 F); ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; sternum 4 with medium long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 5 B); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe triangular and elongated (Fig. 23 G: al), while posterior surstyle lobe triangular (Fig. 23 G, H: pl); ejaculatory apodeme longer than broad (Fig. 23 I: ea); lingula short and narrow (Fig. 23 I: l). Female: basoflagellomere with angular apex and large fossette (Fig. 13 C); tarsi yellow-reddish (Fig. 16 D), in some specimens dorsally brown to dark, especially on metaleg; basotarsomere of metaleg more or less with parallel margins from ventral view, and with a few distinct, strong spine-like setae within the ventrolateral row of setae (Fig. 8 H); metafemur with dense long pilosity ventrally (Fig. 16 D). Male similar to Merodon latiantennatus Vujic, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. from which differs in more elongated basoflagellomere with pointed apex (Fig. 10 D), which is shorter and more triangular in M. latiantennatus Vujic, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. (Fig. 10 C); by basotarsomere of metaleg with ventral brush-like area of dense pile limited to basal half in M. marginicornis (Fig. 8 F), while in M. latiantennatus Vujic, Popov & Prokhorov sp. nov. pile extending 3 / 4 of its length (Fig. 8 E). Clearly differs from M. dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. by less distinct ventrolateral row of setae on the basotarsomere of all legs, while the setae are long and strong in M. dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. (Fig. 8 A); by the shape of the basoflagellomere (Fig. 10 B, D); and by shape of male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe triangular and elongated and posterior surstyle lobe short and triangular (Fig. 23 G: al, pl), while in M. dumosus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. anterior surstyle lobe enlarged and oval and posterior surstyle lobe large and oval (Fig. 23 A: l, pl). Females can be differentiated from M. hypochrysos in sympatric populations by longer basoflagellomere in M. marginicornis (Fig. 13 C), while shorter, with oval apex in M. hypochrysos (Fig. 13 A), and broad white pollinose fascia on terga 2 - 4 in M. marginicornis (Fig. 21 C).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
895DF3ED89FF59118A3C699DF4670EFC.taxon	description	Re-description. Male. Head: Antenna reddish-brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 10 D) reddish, elongated, about 1.9 - 2.1 times as long as wide, about 3 times as long as pedicel, concave dorsally, strongly tapering to apex, pointed apically; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 10 D); arista black and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin black, with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye contiguity about 8 - 10 facets long; vertex isosceles, shiny black, anterior part pollinose; vertex with long, yellowish-gray pile, in some cases mixed with a few black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with white-gray pile, ventrally covered with dense gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 31 D); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 2.5: 1: 2. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect yellow to white pile; scutum without less distinct 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 to gray 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; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; metafemur moderately broad, about 3.3 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about half width of metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 14 D); apicomedial lamina on metatibia covered with long yellow pile; basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2 times broader than second tarsomere (Fig. 14 D), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended in basal half (Fig. 8 F), with ventrolateral row of long, strong setae (Fig. 8 G). - Abdomen (Fig. 20 D): About 1.4 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2 - 4 each with pair of distinct, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga gray-whitish; sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish pile; sternum 4 with medium long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 5 B). - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe triangular and elongated, about 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense short pile (Fig. 23 G: al); posterior surstyle lobe triangular (Fig. 23 G: pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 23 G: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; lingula short and narrow (Fig. 23 I: l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere about 1.8 times longer than wide (Fig. 13 C); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; frons covered with mostly gray-yellow pile; ocellar triangle covered with gray to whitish pile, in some specimens mixed 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 (Fig. 21 C); basotarsomere of metatarsus yellow-reddish (Fig. 16 D), less expanded, ventrally without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile (Fig. 8 H); basotarsomere of metaleg more or less with parallel margins from ventral view, with a few distinct strong spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae (Fig. 8 H).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
895DF3ED89FF59118A3C699DF4670EFC.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon marginicornis was recorded in Iran, southern Turkmenistan, and western Pakistan (Fig. 28). Its Iranian localities are within arid and semi-arid forests ecosystem with Quercus brantii as the dominant vegetation type, cold-desert steppe scrubland ecosystem (Artemisia sieberi - Zygophyllum sp.), cold and arid semi steppe scrubland and grasslands ecosystem (Astragalus spp.), and cold and humid prairies ecosystem (Trifolium spp.) (Azizi Jalilian et al. 2020). The ecosystems belong to ecoregions: Zagros mountains forest steppe, Elburz range forest steppe, Kopet Dag woodlands and forest steppe, and Central Persian desert basins (Olson et al. 2001). The Iranian collection sites of M. marginicornis in the Zagros mountain range include: Sepidan, a semi-arid and cold mountainous area, with very cold winters and moderate summers, 14.8 ° C average annual temperature and 695 mm annual precipitation, with Acer monspessulanum, Amygdalus elaeagnifolia, Berberis integerrima, Crataegus azarolus var. aronia, Fraxinus rotundifolia, Cotoneaster persica, Pyrus spp. as dominant plant species; Yasuj, 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 of 853 - 3041 m a. s. l., with wild almond trees (Prunus scoparia) (' Arjan' in Persian) as 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 dominant plant species; Lordegan, with hot summers and cold winters, about 650 mm annual precipitation and 16 ° C average annual temperature, with Astragalus spp. and Quercus brantii as dominant plant species. The eastern part of the range of M. marginicornis (localities in Pakistan) belongs to Baluchistan xeric woodlands. The montane vegetation of this ecoregion includes Juniperus forests (including J. seravschanica Kom. and J. excelsa), open woodlands with Pistacia atlantica, P. khinjuk Stocks, Prunus eburnea (Spach) Aitch., Berberis L., Lonicera L., Artemisia spp; Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata (Wall. & G. Don) Cif. accompanied by Dodonaea viscosa Jacq. as the transition between the subtropical woodlands and the alpine vegetation of sclerophyllous forest (WWF 2022). The climate of the collection site in Pakistan is slightly to very hot in summer and really cold in winter; temperature rises as much as 35 - 40 ° C in summer and drops to - 15 ° C in winter; dry warm days and cool nights are common in the summertime season; most of the rain falls in winter and ranges between 50 - 300 mm annually. Mostly apple orchards are grown in this locality, with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) intercropped. On the basis of our data the flight period of M. marginicornis is from April to early June.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
8392E18DC76D518A9EA5166D2C56C00E.taxon	description	Figs 1 G, H, 2 D, 4 D, 9 A-C, 11 B, 14 E, 18 A, 19 B, 28, 31 G	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
8392E18DC76D518A9EA5166D2C56C00E.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium sized (10 mm), long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection (Fig. 19 B); antennae dark brown, basoflagellomere elongated, 2.4 times as long as wide (Fig. 11 B); legs entirely black (Fig. 18 A); body pile pale yellow to gray. Male: eyes dichoptic, separated by distance of 2 - 3 facets (Fig. 31 G); metafemur broad, about 3.3 times longer than wide, covered with long pilosity (Fig. 14 E); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2.5 times broader than the second tarsomere, ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extending 3 / 4 of its length (Fig. 9 B, C); ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; sternum 4 with very long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 4 D); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe rectangular and posterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 1 G: al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme large, broader than long (Fig. 2 D: ea); lingula elongated and narrow (Fig. 2 D: l). Similar to Merodon turkestanicus from which differs in shape and size of basotarsomere of metaleg, broader in M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. (Fig. 9 A-C) and narrower in M. turkestanicus (Fig. 9 E, F); and by the shape of male genitalia: ventral margin of posterior surstyle lobe angular (Fig. 1 G) and ejaculatory apodeme wider than basal width of hypandrium in lateral view (Fig. 2 D), while in M. turkestanicus ventral margin of posterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 1 E) and ejaculatory apodeme narrower than basal width of hypandrium in lateral view (Fig. 2 C). Differs from M. pakistanicus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov., M. smirnovi and M. tarsatus by dichoptic eyes (Fig. 31 G), holoptic in these three species with eye contiguity more than 6 facets long (Fig. 30 C, E, F). Description. Male. Head: Antenna dark brown to black; basoflagellomere (Fig. 11 B) elongated about 2.4 times as long as wide, more than 2 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 11 B); arista dark and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish-yellow pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin black; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye dichoptic, separated for length of 2 - 3 facets (Fig. 31 G); vertex isosceles (Fig. 31 G), shiny black; vertex with long, pale gray-yellowish pile, mixed with a few black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral (Fig. 31 G); occiput with gray-yellow pile, ventrally covered with dense gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 31 G); vertical triangle: frons = 1.2: 1. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect yellowish pile; scutum 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; legs black; pile on legs pale yellow to whitish; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; metafemur moderately broad, about 3.3 times longer than wide, with pile on ventral surface as long as width of metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 14 E); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with very long yellow pile (Fig. 18 A); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2.5 times broader than second tarsomere (Fig. 9 B), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extending 3 / 4 of its length (Fig. 9 B, C). - Abdomen: About 1.2 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2 - 4 without white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga all yellow to gray-whitish (Fig. 19 B); sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish-yellow pile. - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe rectangular, about 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense short pile (Fig. 1 G: al); posterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 1 G: pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 1 G: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections (Fig. 2 D); lingula elongated and narrow (Fig. 2 D: l). - Female. Unknown.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
8392E18DC76D518A9EA5166D2C56C00E.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The new species " namaghijamii " was named after the famous Persian writer, poet: Ahmad Ibn Abolhasan Jami-e Namaghi-e Torshizi. He was born in Namagh, Iran (1048) and died in Torbat-e Jam, Iran (1141). The holotype was collected from the county named Torbat-e-Jam, located near the border of Iran and Afghanistan. This name was proposed by Hussein Sadeghi Namaghi from Iran. A noun in the genitive case.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
8392E18DC76D518A9EA5166D2C56C00E.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. has only been recorded in northeastern Iran so far (Fig. 28). Its only known locality is within the cold-desert steppe scrubland ecosystem, with Artemisia sieberi - Zygophyllum sp. as dominant vegetation type (Azizi Jalilian et al. 2020). It belongs to the Central Persian desert basins ecoregion (Olson et al. 2001). The single specimen of M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. was collected using a malaise trap, placed at the edge of an alfalfa field (Medicago sativa L.) in Bezd village in the vicinity of Torbat-e-Jam. Torbat-e Jam is located in northeastern Iran close to Afghanistan, with very hot summers and cold winters, with 26 ° C average annual temperature and 260 mm annual precipitation. Artemisia sieberi, Peganum harmala L. and Ziziphora tenuior L. are the dominant plant species in this area. On the basis of our data the flight period is May.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
FEA50641BA9A531F95C0ED4A0BBD600A.taxon	description	Figs 28, 37, 38, 39	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
FEA50641BA9A531F95C0ED4A0BBD600A.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Species with unique combination of morphological characters in Merodon avidus-nigritarsis lineage: abdomen with red markings (Figs 37 A, 38 A) and wing blackish in male (Fig. 37 C). Medium sized (8 - 10 mm), medium long pilose species, with dark brown reflection; antennae reddish-yellow, basoflagellomere with concave dorsal margin (Figs 37 D, 38 C); tarsus of proleg expanded and modified (Fig. 37 E), proleg and mesoleg with reddish-yellow apex of femora, and tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow; metafemur mostly black, metatibia dark medially and tarsus of metaleg dark dorsally, the rest is reddish-yellow (Figs 37 G-I, 38 D); body pile whitish, yellow to gray. Male: metafemur about 4 times longer than wide, covered with long pilosity (Fig. 37 G); basotarsomere of metatarsus ventrally with setae (Fig. 37 I); sternum 4 with triangular posterior margin (Fig. 37 F); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe quadratic (Fig. 39 A: al), posterior surstyle lobe bilobate (Fig. 39 B: marked with red arrows), oval, with broadly rounded apex (Fig. 39 A: pl); lingula medium size (Fig. 39 C: l).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
FEA50641BA9A531F95C0ED4A0BBD600A.taxon	description	Description. Male. Head: Antenna reddish-yellow; basoflagellomere (Fig. 37 D) about 2 times as long as wide, about 2.5 times as long as pedicel, concave dorsally, with rounded apical margin; fossette dorsolateral (Fig. 37 D); arista reddish-brown and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with gray microtrichia, face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with yellowish pile; oral margin black, with sparse microtrichia; lunule yellowish, bare; eye contiguity about 10 - 12 facets long; vertex isosceles, shiny black, anterior corner pollinose; vertex with long, whitish-gray pile, or mixed with a few black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle isosceles; occiput with white-gray pile, ventrally covered with dense gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 37 A, B); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 3: 1: 2.5. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with dark brown lustre, covered with dense, erect pale yellow pile; scutum without distinct 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 to gray pile; wings black to dark, mostly covered with microtrichia; wing veins black; calypter pale yellow; halter yellow; tarsus of proleg modified, slightly expanded (Fig. 37 E); proleg and mesoleg with reddish apex of femora, and tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow; metafemur mostly black, metatibia dark medially and tarsus of metaleg dark dorsally, remaining tarsi reddish-yellow (Fig. 37 E-I); pile on legs pale yellow; metafemur moderately broad, about 4 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about 2 / 3 of width of metafemur, and as long as dense pile on apicodorsal surface (Fig. 37 G); metatibia apicomedially covered with a few long yellowish pile (Fig. 37 H); basotarsomere of metatarsus more than 2 times longer than second tarsomere (Fig. 37 I). - Abdomen: Broad, about 1.3 times longer than mesonotum; terga 2 - 4 with large, lateral reddish-yellow markings (Fig. 37 A); terga 2 - 4 each with pair of poorly visible white, pollinose fasciae; pile on terga gray-whitish except black pilosity on medial part of terga 3 - 4; sterna yellowish, covered with whitish pile; sternum 4 with median V-shaped incision on posterior margin (Fig. 37 F). - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe quadratic, about 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense short pile (Fig. 39 A: al); posterior surstyle lobe divided in two lobes (Fig. 39 B: marked with red arrows) connected with fine membrane (Fig. 39 B: d), oval, with broadly rounded apex (Fig. 39 A: pl); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; lingula narrow and of medium length (Fig. 39 C: l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere about 1.7 times longer than wide (Fig. 38 C); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins (Fig. 38 B); frons covered with gray-yellow pile mixed with black ones on ocellar triangle; scutum with four distinct pollinose vittae (Fig. 38 A); reddish-yellow markings on abdomen smaller and limited to terga 2 and 3 (Fig. 38 A); medial part of terga 2 - 4 with short adpressed black pile; pollinose fasciae on terga 2 - 4 distinct; sterna 4 - 5 black (Fig. 38 E).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
FEA50641BA9A531F95C0ED4A0BBD600A.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The name " Merodon nigroalatus ", as arbitrary combination, is derived from Latin adjectives " niger " meaning black and " alatus " meaning winged. This describes the distinctive dark wing of the species.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
FEA50641BA9A531F95C0ED4A0BBD600A.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon nigroalatus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. has only been recorded in northern Pakistan so far (Fig. 28). Its only known locality belongs to the Baluchistan xeric woodlands (Olson et al. 2001) and is situated in the north-east of this ecoregion, characterized by Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata accompanied by Dodonaea viscosa. These xerophytic forests support Tamarix spp., Savadora oleoides, Ziziphus mauritiana, Acacia modesta, and bulbous plants such as Iris, Tulipa, and Allium spp. are found on the slopes (WWF 2022). The collection site is located between subtropical and temperate zones in dry deciduous forests. The area's arid subtropical habitat is characterized by mountainous terrain with elevations below 1000 m with high precipitation rates. Type material was collected from citrus (Citrus sinensis) orchard with wheat (Triticum aestivum) as intercropped. On the basis of our data the flight period is late March.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
1657B83981F8574D9996249B01244B26.taxon	description	Figs 3 C, 4 E, 6 H-K, 11 C, 13 D, 15 B, 16 E, 20 E, 24 F, G, 25 C, 27, 30 B	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
1657B83981F8574D9996249B01244B26.taxon	materials_examined	Additional material examined. IRAN • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Fars 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. • 1 ♂; Fars 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; Oboril M. leg.; J. H. coll. • 3 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; J. H. coll. 18265, 18273, 18275 • 1 ♂; Fars 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. • 1 ♀; Fars Province, 1 km W of Sangar; 29 ° 59 ' 50 " N, 52 ° 08 ' 07 " E; 2093 m a. s. l.; 4 - 5 May 2016; Oboril M. leg.; J. H. coll. 18268 • 4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province, Yasuj, 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. • 1 ♂; Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province, 20 km S of Yasuj (Jasudz); 30 ° 29 ' 26 " N, 51 ° 39 ' 27 " E; 2144 m a. s. l.; 30 May 2015; Banar P. leg.; J. H. coll. 18266 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; J. H. coll. 18272 • 1 ♂; Isfahan Province (Esfahan 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.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
1657B83981F8574D9996249B01244B26.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium sized (8 - 11 mm), long pilose, dark species with olive-brown to bluish reflection (Fig. 20 E); antennae reddish-brown to dark brown, basoflagellomere elongated, about 2 times as long as wide (Figs 11 C, 13 D); tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow (Figs 15 B, 16 E); 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. 15 B); basotarsomere of metatarsus extremely expanded, more than 3 times broader than the second tarsomere (Figs 6 H, I, 15 B), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile on basal 1 / 3 (Fig. 6 H, I), with ventrolateral row of strong setae; sternum 4 with very long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 4 E); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe enlarged and trapezoidal, posterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 24 F, G: al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme large, about as broad as long (Fig. 25 C: ea); lingula elongated and narrow (Fig. 25 C: l). Female: tarsi brown, at least dorsally; in ventral view broad, medially extended, but from lateral view with sunken and twisted ventral surface (Fig. 6 J, K). 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. 6 H, I), while is about 2 / 3 in M. smirnovi (Fig. 6 A, B) and 3 / 4 in M. tarsatus (Fig. 6 L); and by shape of the male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe as long as posterior surstyle lobe in M. oidipous (Fig. 24 F: al), while is shorter in M. smirnovi (Fig. 24 A, C: al) and M. tarsatus (Fig. 1 A: al).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
1657B83981F8574D9996249B01244B26.taxon	description	Re-description. Male. Head: Antenna reddish-brown to dark brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 11 C) 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. 11 C); 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. 30 B); 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. 15 B); 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 6 H, I, 15 B), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile limited to basal 1 / 3 (Fig. 6 H, I), with ventrolateral row of strong setae (Fig. 6 I). - 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. 20 E); sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish-yellow pile. - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe enlarged and trapezoidal, covered with dense, short pile (Fig. 24 F: al); posterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 24 F: pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 24 F: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; lingula elongated and narrow (Fig. 25 C: 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. 13 D); 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. 6 J), but from lateral view with sunken and twisted ventral surface (Fig. 6 K); basotarsomere of metaleg with a few distinct strong spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae (Fig. 6 J, K).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
1657B83981F8574D9996249B01244B26.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon oidipous occurs in southern Iran and southeastern Turkey (Fig. 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 Zagros mountain range include: Yasuj, 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.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
E6D4489E6A405F40BB50BD85C85BC094.taxon	description	Figs 5 C, 9 D, 11 D, 14 F, 24 D, E, 25 B, 26, 30 C	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
E6D4489E6A405F40BB50BD85C85BC094.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium sized (10 mm), long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection; antennae black, basoflagellomere 1.8 times as long as wide (Fig. 11 D); legs mostly black (Fig. 14 F); body pile pale yellow to gray. Male: metafemur about 3.4 times longer than wide, covered with long pilosity (Fig. 14 F); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2 times broader than the second tarsomere (Figs 9 D, 14 F), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for more than 1 / 2 of its length (Fig. 9 D); ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; sternum 4 with long laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 5 C); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe rectangular, posterior surstyle lobe trapezoidal (Fig. 24 D: al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme longer than broad (Fig. 25 B: ea); lingula small and narrow (Fig. 25 B: l). Differs from Merodon namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. and M. turkestanicus by holoptic eyes, eye contiguity about 10 facets long (Fig. 30 C), while in M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. and M. turkestanicus eyes dichoptic (Fig. 31 E, G) or shortly connected by distance of 1 - 5 facets long (Fig. 31 F). Similar to M. tarsatus, but differs with less incrassate basotarsomere of metaleg (Fig. 9 D versus 6 L), male genitalia: ejaculatory apodeme longer than broad in M. pakistanicus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. (Fig. 25 B: ea), while broader than long in M. tarsatus (Fig. 2 A, B: ea), and by molecular data (Figs 33, 34).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
E6D4489E6A405F40BB50BD85C85BC094.taxon	description	Description. Male. Head: Antenna black; basoflagellomere (Fig. 11 D) about 1.8 times as long as wide, about 2 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 11 D); arista dark and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin black, with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye contiguity about 10 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. 30 C); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 2.5: 1: 2. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect yellow pile; scutum 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 yellow; halter brown-yellow; legs mostly black, except partly brown-yellow tarsi, tibiae and apex of femora; pile on legs pale yellow; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; metafemur moderately broad, about 3.4 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about as long as width of metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 14 F); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with very long yellow pile; basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2 times broader than second tarsomere (Figs 9 D, 14 F), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for more than 1 / 2 of its length (Fig. 9 D). - Abdomen: About 1.4 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2 - 4 without pollinose fasciae; pile on terga all yellow to gray-whitish; sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish-yellow pile. - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe oval to rectangular, covered with dense short pile (Fig. 24 D, E: al); posterior surstyle lobe trapezoidal (Fig. 24 D, E: pl); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; ejaculatory apodeme longer than broad (Fig. 25 B: ea); lingula small and narrow (Fig. 25 B: l). - Female. Unknown.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
E6D4489E6A405F40BB50BD85C85BC094.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The new species " Merodon pakistanicus " was named after the country of origin of the holotype (Pakistan).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
E6D4489E6A405F40BB50BD85C85BC094.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon pakistanicus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. has only been recorded in western Pakistan so far (Fig. 26). Its single known locality belongs to central-western part of Baluchistan xeric woodlands ecoregion (Olson et al. 2001), within the area of temperate coniferous and subtropical dry evergreen forests. The montane vegetation includes Juniperus forests, open woodlands with Pistacia L., Prunus, Berberis, Lonicera, Artemisia spp., and Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata accompanied by Dodonaea viscosa as the transition between the subtropical woodlands and the alpine vegetation of sclerophyllous forest (WWF 2022). Climate of the collection site is slightly to very hot in summer and really cold in winter. Temperature rises as much as 35 - 40 ° C in summer and drops to - 15 ° C in winter. Dry warm days and cool nights are common in the summertime season. Most of the rain falls in winter and ranges between 50 - 300 mm annually. Mostly apple orchards are grown with wheat (Triticum aestivum) and Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) intercropped. On the basis of our data the flight period is May.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
F2CB95C2C0E35888938F6A12F23A1F60.taxon	description	Figs 5 D, 11 E, 13 E, 15 C, 16 F, 19 C, 21 D, 22 D-F, 26, 30 D	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
F2CB95C2C0E35888938F6A12F23A1F60.taxon	materials_examined	Additional material examined. KAZAKHSTAN • 1 ♀; Aksu-Zhabagly; 42 ° 17 ' 33 " N, 70 ° 40 ' 15 " E; 1400 - 1500 m a. s. l.; 4 Jun. 1996; Dolin W. leg.; M. H. coll. 02575. - KYRGYZSTAN • 1 ♀; 40 km S of Jany Bazar; 41 ° 42 ' 00 " N, 71 ° 06 ' 00 " E; 8 - 11 Jun. 1995; Halada J. leg.; AM- 05 - 216; NBCN 02576 • 1 ♂; Tash-Arik, 11 km E of Talas; 42 ° 31 ' 00 " N, 72 ° 22 ' 00 " E; 4 Jul. 1992; Halada J. leg.; NBCN 04217. - TAJIKISTAN • 1 ♂; Sughd Province, Iskanderkul, Sarytag Village; 39 ° 05 ' 00 " N, 68 ° 32 ' 00 " E; 2374 m a. s. l.; 13 Jun. 2018; Barkalov A. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 17 Jun. 2018. - TURKMENISTAN • 1 ♀; Kuhitang Mountain, Airibaba, plateau Dzheilyau; 37 ° 47 ' 19 " N, 66 ° 33 ' 22 " E; 1800 - 1900 m a. s. l.; 10 May 1991; Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN 05802 • 1 ♂; near Chalatsh Amudarva; 20 May 1996; Dolin W. leg.; M. H. coll. 02574.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
F2CB95C2C0E35888938F6A12F23A1F60.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium sized (8 - 11 mm), medium long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection (Figs 19 C, 21 D); antennae reddish-yellow to brown (Figs 11 E, 13 E), basoflagellomere elongated, about 2 times as long as wide with more or less straight dorsal margin; femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi entirely reddish-yellow, except brown medial ring on tibiae (Figs 15 C, 16 F); body pile whitish, yellow to gray. Male: metafemur broad, about 3.2 times longer than wide, covered with long and dense pilosity (Fig. 15 C); basotarsomere of metatarsus less expanded, about 1.2 times broader than second tarsomere, ventrally without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; sternum 4 with medium-size laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 5 D); male genitalia: surstyle lobe with deep invagination between lobes (Fig. 22 D); anterior surstyle lobe narrow from lateral view, elongated (Fig. 22 D: al); posterior surstyle lobe oval, beak-like (Fig. 22 D: pl); ejaculatory apodeme longer than broad (Fig. 22 F: ea); lingula very long and narrow (Fig. 22 F: l). Female: metafemur broad, covered with long and dense pilosity (Fig. 16 F). Similar to Merodon angustitarsis Vujic & Gilasian sp. nov. from which differs by absence of ventrolateral row of setae on basotarsomere of metaleg, present in M. angustitarsis Vujic & Gilasian sp. nov. (Fig. 7 A-C), and by very different shape of surstyle lobe of male genitalia (Fig. 22 A, D). Similar in shape of male genitalia to M. hypochrysos, but differs with beak-like ventral margin of posterior surstyle lobe (Fig. 22 D: pl), oval in M. hypochrysos (Fig. 22 G: pl).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
F2CB95C2C0E35888938F6A12F23A1F60.taxon	description	Re-description. Male. Head: Antenna reddish-yellow to brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 11 E) yellowish, elongated, about 2 times as long as wide, about 2 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, gradually tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 11 E); arista black and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with sparse gray microtrichia; face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin black; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye contiguity short, about 4 - 6 facets long; vertex isosceles, shiny black; vertex with long, whitish-gray pile, in some cases mixed with a few black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with white-gray pile, ventrally covered with dense gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense whitish-gray pile (Fig. 30 D); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 3 - 4: 1: 3 - 4. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect reddish-yellow to gray and white pile; scutum 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 to gray pile; wings mostly covered with microtrichia; wing veins brown-yellow; calypter pale yellow; halter yellow; femora mostly black, tibiae and tarsi entirely reddish-yellow, except brown medial ring on tibiae; pile on legs pale yellow; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; metafemur broad, about as 3.5 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about half width of metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 15 C); apicomedial lamina on metatibia medium long, covered with yellowish pile; basotarsomere of metatarsus about 1.2 times broader than second tarsomere, ventrally without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile. - Abdomen: About 1.3 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2 - 4 without or with pair of indistinct, narrow, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga yellow to gray-whitish (Fig. 19 C); sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish pile. - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe narrow from lateral view, elongated (Fig. 22 D: al); posterior surstyle lobe oval, beak-like (Fig. 22 D: pl); ejaculatory apodeme longer than broad (Fig. 22 F: ea); cercus rectangular (Fig. 22 D: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; lingula very long and narrow (Fig. 22 F: l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere about 1.5 times longer than wide, with slightly rounded apex (Fig. 13 E); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; frons covered with mostly yellow pile; ocellar triangle covered with black and yellowish-gray pile; terga covered with gray-whitish to yellow pilosity; pollinose fasciae on terga 2 - 4 distinct (Fig. 21 D); all tarsi bright yellow; basotarsomere of metaleg narrow, without spine-like setae along ventrolateral margin (Fig. 16 F).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
F2CB95C2C0E35888938F6A12F23A1F60.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon rufitarsis occurs in northwestern Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, eastern Turkmenistan and southern Kazakhstan (Fig. 26). Localities where M. rufitarsis was found belong to three ecoregions: Tian Shan foothill arid steppe, Gissaro-Alai open woodlands and Alai-Western Tian Shan steppe (Olson et al. 2001). A variety of landscapes of Gissaro-Alai open woodlands range from foothill semideserts to alpine meadows, combined with characteristic mountain forests (WWF 2022). Many geophytes (e. g., Allium L., Iris, Tulipa, Gagea, Eremurus, Rheum) are present. The steppe grasses grow alongside wild fruit and nut forests, and at the higher altitudes a mosaic of open coniferous evergreen Juniperus forests forms the montane belt. The valleys of mountain rivers house riparian forests. Tall-forb vegetation of the localities of M. rufitarsis in the Pamir-Alai and western Tian Shan Mountains in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan includes: mesic mown and grazed subalpine meadows and pastures on fertile soils, forb rich mesophilious tall-forb communities of the western Pamir-Alai Mountains, scree-like tall-forb communities of the eastern Irano-Turanian region, dry tall-forb communities of the subhumid zone of the eastern Irano-Turanian region (Nowak et al. 2020 a). The habitat of adults of M. rufitarsis in Tajikistan is presented in Fig. 32 C. On the basis of our data the flight period is May to early July.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
70BA80111B635DDF9158DA08B7849D65.taxon	description	Figs 5 E, 6 A-F, 10 E, 12 C, 15 D, 17 C, 19 D, 24 A-C, 25 A, 26, 30 F, 35 A, B	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
70BA80111B635DDF9158DA08B7849D65.taxon	materials_examined	Additional material examined. KAZAKHSTAN • 1 ♀; Fabritchny, 40 km E of Alma Ata; 43 ° 13 ' 21 " N, 77 ° 20 ' 54 " E; 23 Jun. 1992; Halada M. leg.; NBCN 02553 • 1 ♂; Karatau Mountains, 15 km N of Atabaj; 43 ° 38 ' 39 " N, 68 ° 19 ' 45 " E; 550 - 700 m a. s. l.; 9 May 1994; Merz B. leg.; NBCN 02550 • 2 ♂♂; Almaty Region, Raiymbek District, Charyn River (also known Sharyn River); 43 ° 17 ' 47 " N, 78 ° 59 ' 24 " E; 20 May 2003; Selin A. leg.; S. K. coll. 02549, 02556 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; S. K. coll. 02557 • 1 ♀; Almaty Region, Enbekshikazakh District, Kokpek; 43 ° 29 ' 56 " N, 78 ° 37 ' 10 " E; 21 May 2003; Selin A. leg.; S. K. coll. 02555 • 1 ♂; Almaty Region, Tamgaly; 43 ° 48 ' 07 " N, 75 ° 32 ' 02 '' E; 886 m a. s. l.; 8 May 2015; Bot S. leg.; S. B. coll. 25467 • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; S. B. coll. 25468, 25469 • 1 ♂; Almaty Region, Altyn-Emel National Park, Kalkan field station; 43 ° 51 ' 00 " N, 78 ° 45 ' 00 " E; 29 Apr. 2012; Barkalov A. leg.; on flowers on Ferula sp.; SZMN 05811 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; SZMN 05814 • 1 ♂; Almaty Region, Altyn-Emel National Park, near Ayak-Kalkan mount; 43 ° 52 ' 00 " N, 78 ° 43 ' 00 " E; 23 - 30 Apr. 2012; Barkalov A., Danilov Yu. leg.; SZMN • 33 ♂♂, 26 ♀♀; Almaty Region, Altyn-Emel National Park; 23 Apr. - 4 May 2012; Barkalov A., Danilov Yu. N., Zinchenko V. leg.; on Ferula sp.; SZMN • 1 ♀; Almaty Province, Sarkand District, Koylyk; 45 ° 41 ' 30 " N, 80 ° 18 ' 13 " E; 25 May 2004; Selin A. leg.; S. K. coll. 02552. - KYRGYZSTAN • 1 ♀; Talasskij mountain ridge; 12 Jul. 1964; Shabalina leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Alay (Alai Range), valley of Gulcha river; 22 Jun. 1963; Peck L. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Alay (Alai Range), Kirgizata river; 5 Jun. 1965; Peck L. leg.; SZMN • 2 ♂; Chatkal Range, Chap-Chyma pass; 41 ° 31 ' 00 " N, 70 ° 50 ' 00 " E; 2400 m a. s. l.; 2 Jul. 1966; Milko D. leg.; SZMN • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Environs of Ala-Koel lake; 42 ° 17 ' 46 " N, 78 ° 30 ' 17 " E; 19 Jun. 1966, 12 Jul. 1968; Ibraimova, Peck L. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♀; 12 km S Sosnovka, Kara-Balta; 42 ° 39 ' 00 " N, 73 ° 54 ' 00 " E; 1630 m a. s. l.; 28 Jun. 1997; Dolin W. leg.; NHMW 02554 • 1 ♂; Chuey Region, valley of Kara-Balta river; 1800 m a. s. l.; 28 May 1995; Milko D. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂; Chuey Region, near Bishkek, Holodnaja Woda; 42 ° 42 ' 00 " N, 75 ° 51 ' 00 " E; 1260 m a. s. l.; 12 Jun. 1998; Hartmann P. leg.; D. D. coll. 02551 • 1 ♂; vic. of Talas, Talas River; 42 ° 31 ' 00 " N, 72 ° 14 ' 00 " E; 1280 m a. s. l.; 16 Jun. 2000; Pak O. leg.; flood-plane forest; SIZK. - TAJIKISTAN • 1 ♂; Zeravshan Mountain, Marguzorskie Lakes, Padrut settlement; 39 ° 10 ' 09 " N, 67 ° 50 ' 14 " E; 2100 m a. s. l.; 29 Jun. 1987; Zaitsev V. leg.; SZMN. - UZBEKISTAN • 1 ♀; Tashkent Region, Bostanlik District, Chimgan; 41 ° 30 ' 58 " N, 70 ° 01 ' 44 " E; 1820 m a. s. l.; 12 May 2008; Selin A. leg.; MZH G 0932 • 1 ♀; Tashkent Region, Bostanlik District, Chimgan, 85 km NE of Tashkent; 41 ° 43 ' 18 " N, 70 ° 07 ' 39 " E; 1700 - 2000 m a. s. l.; 9 Jun. 1982; Chvala M. leg.; NMPC 18247.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
70BA80111B635DDF9158DA08B7849D65.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium sized to large (9 - 13 mm), long pilose, dark species with olive-brown reflection (Fig. 19 D); antennae dark brown to reddish-brown, basoflagellomere elongated, about 2.5 times as long as wide (Figs 10 E, 12 C); tibiae and tarsi partly reddish-yellow (Figs 15 D, 17 C); body pile pale yellow to gray; sterna with short white pilosity, except sternum 2 with medial patch of long whitish pile (Fig. 35 A, B). Male: metafemur about 3.5 times longer than wide, covered with long whitish pilosity (Fig. 15 D); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 3 times broader than the second tarsomere (Fig. 6 A, B), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for about 2 / 3 of its length (Fig. 6 A, B); ventral margin of metatrochanter strongly angular; sternum 4 with very elongated laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 5 E); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe rectangular, while posterior surstyle lobe oval to triangular (since intraspecific variability), with angular ventral margin (Fig. 24 A, C: al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme large, broader than long (Fig. 25 A: ea); lingula very elongated and narrow (Fig. 25 A: l). Female: tarsi yellow to reddish (Fig. 17 C). Similar to Merodon tarsatus from which differs in sternum 2 with medial patch of long white pile (Fig. 35 A, B), while pile are uniformly distributed on sternum 2 in M. tarsatus (Fig. 35 C); by partly reddish-yellow tibiae and tarsi (usually black in M. tarsatus); by longer basoflagellomere, more than 2.5 times as long as wide in M. smirnovi (Fig. 10 E), while less than 2.4 times as long as wide in M. tarsatus (Fig. 11 F); in male basotarsomere of metaleg with ventral area of strong setae extends on about 2 / 3 (Fig. 6 A, B), while in M. tarsatus on 3 / 4 (Fig. 6 L); and by male genitalia: angular ventral margin of posterior surstyle lobe in M. smirnovi (Fig. 24 A, C: pl), while ventral margin of posterior surstyle lobe oval in M. tarsatus (Fig. 1 A, C, D: pl). Differs from male of M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. by holoptic eyes, eye contiguity more than 6 facets long in M. smirnovi (Fig. 30 F), while in M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. eyes dichoptic (Fig. 31 G); by partly reddish-yellow tarsi, black in M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov.; and by different shape of posterior surstyle lobe (Fig. 24 A, C: pl, 1 G: pl). Similar to M. pakistanicus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov., but male differ by strongly incrassate basotarsomere of metaleg (Fig. 6 A, B), while is less incrassate in M. pakistanicus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. (Fig. 9 D); and by different shape of male genitalia (Figs 24 A-C, 25 A). Differs from M. turkestanicus by the shape of posterior surstyle lobe (Figs 1 E: pl, 24 A, C: pl); by eye contiguity more than 10 facets long (Fig. 30 F) in male, while in M. turkestanicus eyes dichoptic or shortly connected by distance of 1 - 5 facets long (Fig. 31 E, F).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
70BA80111B635DDF9158DA08B7849D65.taxon	description	Re-description. Male. Head: Antenna dark brown to reddish-brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 10 E) elongated about 2.5 times as long as wide, more than 2 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 10 E); 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 brown, bare; eye contiguity about 6 - 14 facets long (Fig. 30 F); 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. 30 F); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 2.5: 1: 1.5 - 2. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect, yellow pile; scutum without or with indistinct 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 entirely 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; ventral margin of metatrochanter strongly angular; metafemur broad, about 3.5 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about as wide as metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 15 D); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with very long yellow pile; basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, more than 3 times broader than second tarsomere (Figs 6 A, B, 15 D), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for about 2 / 3 of its length (Fig. 6 A, B). - Abdomen: About 1.3 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2 - 4 each with pair of narrow, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga all yellow to gray-whitish (Fig. 19 D); sterna dark brown, covered with short whitish-yellow pile, except sternum 2 with medial patch of long white pile (Fig. 35 A). - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe rectangular, about 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense short pile (Fig. 24 A, C: al); posterior surstyle lobe oval to triangular, with angular ventral margin (Fig. 24 A, C: pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 24 A: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; ejaculatory apodeme large, broader than long (Fig. 25 A: ea); lingula very elongated and narrow (Fig. 25 A: l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere with slightly rounded apex, about 2.7 times longer than wide (Fig. 12 C); frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; 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 in some specimens; pollinose fasciae on terga 2 - 4 distinct; basotarsomere of metatarsus less expanded, ventrally without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile and without distinct spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae (Fig. 6 C-F); sternum 2 with sparse medial patch of long pile (Fig. 35 B).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
70BA80111B635DDF9158DA08B7849D65.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon smirnovi occurs in Kyrgyzstan, southeastern Kazakhstan, northeastern Uzbekistan (near borders with Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan) and western Tajikistan (Fig. 26). Its localities are within four ecoregions: Tian Shan foothill arid steppe, Tian Shan montane steppe and meadows, Central Asian northern desert, and Gissaro-Alai open woodlands (Olson et al. 2001). The latter ecoregion includes localities in Uzbekistan within the tau (mid-mountain) zone distinguished by the dominance of Juniperus forests and presence of deciduous forests, and within the upper adyr (lowlands and foothills) zone characterized by the ephemeroid vegetation, dry forb steppes, and shrub communities (Sennikov et al. 2016). A variety of landscapes of Gissaro-Alai open woodlands in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan range from foothill semideserts and sage deserts (Artemisia spp.) to alpine meadows; the steppe grasses grow alongside wild fruit and nut forests, and at the higher altitudes a mosaic of Juniperus forests forms the montane belt. Many geophytes (e. g., Allium, Iris, Tulipa, Eremurus) are present. The valleys of mountain rivers house riparian forests. Tian Shan foothill arid steppe and montane steppe and meadows vegetation in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan includes Artemisia spp. steppe, dry sparse Stipa spp. and Festuca spp. grassland, Kobresia spp. meadows in the alpine zone, intermixed with Picea spp. forest stands in the subalpine zone (WWF 2022). Semidesert ecosystems of southern Kazakhstan (and true deserts further south) are characterized by Artemisia spp.; Calligonum L. and Astragalus L. are widespread. In the West Tien-Shan, there are characteristic mountain riparian forests, xerophile woodlands, spruce forests, Juniper forests and wild fruit and nut forests. Tall-forb vegetation of the localities of M. smirnovi in the Pamir-Alai and western Tian Shan Mountains in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan includes: mesic mown and grazed subalpine meadows and pastures on fertile soils, forb rich mesophilous tall-forb communities of the western Pamir-Alai Mountains, scree-like tall-forb communities of the eastern Irano-Turanian region, and dry tall-forb communities of the subhumid zone of the eastern Irano-Turanian region (Nowak et al. 2020 a). Ferula sp. (Apiaceae) was noted as a flower visited by the adults of M. smirnovi in Kazakhstan (Fig. 36). On the basis of our data the flight period is from April to July.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
DD69D8A92C9A55D78435CBB77FB16115.taxon	description	Figs 1 A-D, 2 A, B, 3 B, 4 F, 6 L-N, 11 F, 13 F, 15 E, F, 17 B, 19 E, 21 E, 27, 29 C, 30 E, 35 C	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
DD69D8A92C9A55D78435CBB77FB16115.taxon	materials_examined	Additional material examined. AFGHANISTAN • 1 ♀; Badakschan, Schiva high steppe; 7 Jul. 1953; Klapperich J. leg.; Bankowska R. det. as Merodon Merodon Paramonov; NMPC 18240 • 3 ♂♂; Badakschan, Sarekanda; 2800 m a. s. l.; 21 Jul. 1953; Klapperich J. leg.; Bankowska R. det. as Merodon Merodon Paramonov; NMPC 18234, 18236, 18231 • 4 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; NMPC 18233, 18235, 18237, 18238. - KYRGYZSTAN • 1 ♂; Alay (Alai Range), valley of Gulcha river; 14 Jun. 1963; Peck L. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂; Alay (Alai Range), Gulcha; 2 Jun. 1965; Peck L. V. leg.; SZMN 05812 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; SZMN 05813 • 1 ♂; Chuey Region, valley of Kara-Balta river; 1800 m a. s. l.; 30 May 1995; Milko D. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♀; 40 km S of Jany Bazar; 41 ° 42 ' 00 " N, 71 ° 06 ' 00 " E; 8 - 11 Jun. 1995; Halada J. leg.; NBCN 02578 • 1 ♂; near Fergansky mountain range, Wabhang 2; 2800 m a. s. l.; 14 Jun. 1997; Dolin W. leg.; M. H. coll. 02577. - TAJIKISTAN • 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Gorno Badakhshan, Environs of Barchadev settlement (3 - 7 km in gorge Bijondara from Barchadev village); 37 ° 17 ' 00 " N, 71 ° 31 ' 00 " E; 2640 - 2748 m a. s. l.; 27 Jun. - 30 Jul. 2021; Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN • 13 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 27 Jun. - 7 Jul. 2021; Barkalov A. leg. • 1 ♂; Gorno Badakhshan, Bogevdara gorge; 2700 m a. s. l.; 29 Jun. 2021; Barkalov A. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂; Tavildara District, near Tavildara, Dehi-Kolon village; 38 ° 23 ' 24 " N, 70 ° 18 ' 36 " E; 24 - 27 May 2016; Danilov Yu., Barkalov A., Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN • 111 ♂♂, 45 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 29 May 2016 • 1 ♂; Tavildara District, near Tavildara, Dehi-Kolon village; 38 ° 39 ' 00 " N, 70 ° 31 ' 00 " E; 7 - 8 May 2016; Danilov Yu., Barkalov A., Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN 15139 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; SZMN 15137 • 1 ♂; Tavildara District, Dehi-Kolon village; 38 ° 39 ' 00 " N, 70 ° 31 ' 12 " E; 1800 - 2000 m a. s. l.; 20 May 2016; Barkalov A. leg.; SZMN 15138 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 24 May 2016; SZMN 15135 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; SZMN 15136 • 2 ♂♂; Environs of Tavildara settlement (4 - 6 km S Tavildara settlement); 38 ° 39 ' 00 " N, 70 ° 31 ' 00 " E; 1965 m a. s. l.; 17 - 22 Jun. 2021; Barkalov A. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♀; Tavildara District, N spurs of Hazratisho Ridge, Belanga River valley; 38 ° 39 ' 36 " N, 70 ° 30 ' 36 " E; 1880 - 1975 m a. s. l.; 19 May 2016; Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN 18350 • 34 ♂♂, 18 ♀♀; Tavildara District, Sary Jangal Village; 38 ° 39 ' 36 " N, 70 ° 29 ' 24 " E; 1826 - 1945 m; 25 May 2016; Barkalov A., Danilov Yu., Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Alay (Alai Range), 30 km NE of Lyakhsh; 38 ° 29 ' 05 " N, 71 ° 31 ' 34 " E; 2700 m a. s. l.; 17 Jun. 1975; Zaitsev V. leg.; SZMN • 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Kondara gorge; 38 ° 48 ' 00 " N, 68 ° 48 ' 00 " E; 2190 m a. s. l.; 25 - 27 May 2021; Barkalov A., Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 27 May 2021; Zinchenko V. leg. • 2 ♀♀; Kondara gorge, Varzob river; 29 May 1934; Gussakowski W. leg.; SZMN • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Kondara gorge, Varzob river; 5 - 8 Jun. 1943; Stackelberg A. A. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♀; 35 km N Dushanbe, Kondara; 38 ° 54 ' 01 " N, 68 ° 44 ' 22 " E; 29 - 30 Jun. 1979; Pulawski W. J. leg.; USNM ENT 00036586, 05139 (NMNH) • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 1 Jul. 1979; USNM ENT 00036587, 05138 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 2 Jul. 1979; USNM ENT 00036588, 05136 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; USNM ENT 00036589, 05137 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 4 Jul. 1979; USNM ENT 00036590, 05135 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 5 Jul. 1979; USNM ENT 00036591, 05134 • 1 ♂; Varzob gorge, 3 - 7 km NE of village Kalon; 39 ° 03 ' 36 " N, 68 ° 52 ' 12 '' E; 2356 m a. s. l.; 28 Jun. 2018; Barkalov A. leg.; SZMN • 11 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 3 - 4 Jul. 2018 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 2440 m a. s. l.; 1 - 4 Jul. 2017 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 5 Jul. 2017 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 2358 m a. s. l.; 3 Jul. 2018 • 114 ♂♂, 23 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 2358 - 2440 m a. s. l.; 7 Jun. - 12 Jul. 2017, 2018; Barkalov A., Zinchenko V. leg. • 17 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 7 - 9 Jun. 2021; Zinchenko V. leg. • 1 ♂; 15 km Tojikobod; 39 ° 06 ' 23 " N, 70 ° 49 ' 43 " E; 1700 m a. s. l.; 12 Jun. 1975; Zaitsev V. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂; Hissar (Gissar) Mountains; 6 Jun. 1943; Stackelberg A. A. leg.; Museum Leiden Collectie Van Doesburg rec. 1975; Stackelberg det. as Lampetia Lampetia Paramonov; NBCN 02545 • 1 ♀; Hissar (Gissar) Mountains; 2 May 1944; Stackelberg A. A. leg.; Museum Leiden Collectie Van Doesburg rec. 1973; Van Doesburg det. as Lampetia Lampetia Paramonov; NBCN 02548 • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Hissar (Gissar) Mountains, Kvak; 6 Jul. 1964; Zaitsev V. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Khodzha Obi Garm gorge; 30 May 2021; Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂; Hodzhamumin mountain, 7 km SSE Vose (Khulbuk); 37 ° 44 ' 22 " N, 69 ° 40 ' 41 " E; 700 - 800 m a. s. l.; 2 Jun. 2003; Perepechayenko V. leg.; steppe slopes, Ferula sp.; SIZK • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 1200 m a. s. l.; 28 May 2004; Papaver sp. • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Ganishob kishlak 10 km SW Tajikabad; 39 ° 02 ' 50 " N, 70 ° 47 ' 54 " E; 2100 m a. s. l.; 18 Jun. 2003; Pak O. leg.; steppe slope, Prangos Prangos; SIZK • 1 ♀; 3 km S Mazarkoza Pass, 25 km NE Tursunzade; 38 ° 45 ' 12 " N, 68 ° 27 ' 59 " E; 2000 m a. s. l.; 20 Jun. 2004; Perepechayenko V. leg.; Juniperus belt; SIZK • 1 ♂; Romit env.; 38 ° 42 ' 32 " N, 69 ° 17 ' 46 " E; 1175 m a. s. l.; 14 - 16 Jun. 2010; Tomkovich K. leg.; SIZK.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
DD69D8A92C9A55D78435CBB77FB16115.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium sized to large (9 - 13 mm), long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection (Figs 19 E, 21 E); antennae dark brown; basoflagellomere elongated, 2.2 - 2.4 times as long as wide (Figs 11 F, 13 F); legs mostly black; tarsi dark (Figs 15 E, F, 17 B); body pile pale yellow to gray. Male: metafemur broad, more or less curved, about 2.5 - 3.5 times longer than wide, covered with long pilosity (Fig. 15 E, F); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 3 times broader than the second tarsomere (Figs 6 L, M, 15 E, F), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for 3 / 4 of its length (Fig. 6 L); ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; sternum 4 with very long laminate extension on posterior margin (Fig. 4 F); male genitalia: anterior and posterior surstyle lobes oval (intraspecific variability in shape of posterior surstyle lobe, from oval to triangular) (Fig. 1 A-D: al, pl); ejaculatory apodeme large, broader than long (Fig. 2 A, B: ea); lingula very narrow and short (Fig. 2 A: l). Similar to Merodon smirnovi from which differs in sternum 2 with pile uniformly distributed (Fig. 35 C), while sternum 2 with medial patch of long white pile in M. smirnovi (Fig. 35 A, B); usually black tarsi and tibiae in M. tarsatus (Figs 15 E, F, 17 B), while is partly reddish-yellow in M. smirnovi (Figs 15 D, 17 C); basotarsomere of metaleg in male with ventral brush-like area of dense pile extends for 3 / 4 of its length (Fig. 6 L), while in M. smirnovi is limited to about 2 / 3 (Fig. 6 A, B); male genitalia with oval ventral margin of posterior surstyle lobe in M. tarsatus (Fig. 1 A, C, D: pl), while angular in M. smirnovi (Fig. 24 A, C: p). Differs from male of M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. by holoptic eyes, eye contiguity more than 10 facets long in M. tarsatus (Fig. 20 E), while in M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. eyes dichoptic (Fig. 31 G). Additionally, similar to M. pakistanicus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov., but differs in more incrassate basotarsomere of metaleg in M. tarsatus (Fig. 6 M), narrower in M. pakistanicus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. (Fig. 9 D). Differs from male of M. turkestanicus by eye contiguity more than 10 facets long (Fig. 30 E), while in M. turkestanicus eyes dichoptic or shortly connected by distance of 1 - 5 facets long (Fig. 31 E, F), and by broader basotarsomere of metaleg in M. tarsatus (Fig. 6 L), narrower in M. turkestanicus (Fig. 9 E, F).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
DD69D8A92C9A55D78435CBB77FB16115.taxon	description	Re-description. Male. Head: Antenna black to dark brown (Fig. 11 F); basoflagellomere elongated about 2.2 - 2.4 times as long as wide, more than 2 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 11 F); arista dark and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with gray microtrichia; face and frons covered with dense gray-yellowish pile; oral margin black, with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye contiguity 6 facets or more long; vertex isosceles, shiny black; vertex with long yellow-whitish pile, in some cases mixed with black pile on ocellar triangle; ocellar triangle equilateral; occiput with gray-yellow pile, ventrally covered with dense gray microtrichia; eyes covered with dense, long whitish-gray pile (Fig. 30 E); vertical triangle: eye contiguity: frons = 2.5 - 3: 1: 2. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to purple lustre, covered with dense, erect yellow pile; scutum usually without or with indistinct 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; legs mostly black, except apex of femur, tibia basally, and brown tarsi ventrally in some specimens; pile on legs pale yellow; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular (Fig. 15 G: marked with arrow); metafemur moderately broad, about 2.5 - 3.0 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about as wide as metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface, variable in shape, from strongly curved (Fig. 15 E) to almost straight (Fig. 15 F); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with very long yellow pile; basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, more than 3 times broader than second tarsomere (Fig. 6 L, M), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for 3 / 4 of its length (Figs 6 L, 15 E, F). - Abdomen: About 1.2 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2 - 4 each with pair of narrow to indistinct, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga all yellow to gray-whitish (Fig. 19 E); sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish-yellow pile. - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe oval, about 1.5 - 2 times longer than wide, covered with dense short pile (Fig. 1 A-D: al); posterior surstyle lobe oval to triangular (Fig. 1 A-D: pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 1 A: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; ejaculatory apodeme large, broader than long (Fig. 2 A, B: ea); lingula very narrow and short (Fig. 2 A: l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere about 1.75 times longer than wide, slightly tapering to apex (Fig. 13 F); 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 3 and 4 usually with short adpressed black pile; pollinose fasciae on terga 2 - 4 distinct (Fig. 21 E); basotarsomere of metatarsus dark, less expanded, without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile (Fig. 6 N) and without distinct spine-like setae within ventrolateral row of setae (Fig. 6 N).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
DD69D8A92C9A55D78435CBB77FB16115.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon tarsatus occurs in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and northeastern Afghanistan (Fig. 27). It was found at localities which belong to four ecoregions: Tian Shan foothill arid steppe, Gissaro-Alai open woodlands, Pamir alpine desert and tundra, and Hindu Kush alpine meadow (Olson et al. 2001). The localities in the latter ecoregion (Afghanistan) are characterized with two main vegetation types, Thorny Cushions, subalpine and alpine semi deserts and meadows (a mixture of several plant formations), and Dwarf Amygdalus - Semidesert (Breckle 2007). Artemisia spp. and Ferula spp. dominate, and many sub-shrubs and ephemeral plants are common, including geophytes like Iris, Tulipa, Allium spp., Gagea, Anemone L., Colchicum L. and Muscari Mill. A variety of landscapes of Gissaro-Alai open woodlands range from foothill semideserts to alpine meadows, combined with characteristic mountain forests (WWF 2022). The steppe grasses grow alongside wild fruit and nut forests, and at the higher altitudes of the mountain ranges a mosaic of open coniferous evergreen Juniperus forests forms the montane belt. Many geophytes (e. g., Allium, Tulipa, Eremurus, Rheum) are present. The valleys of mountain rivers house riparian forests. Tian Shan semi-desert and steppe vegetation feature Artemisia spp., Stipa spp., and Festuca spp. The Pamir alpine zone consists of Kobresia spp. and Carex spp. meadows. Tall-forb vegetation of the localities of M. tarsatus in the Pamir-Alai and western Tian Shan Mountains in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan includes: mesic mown and grazed subalpine meadows and pastures on fertile soils, forb rich mesophilous tall-forb communities of the western Pamir-Alai Mountains, scree-like tall-forb communities of the eastern Irano-Turanian region, and dry tall-forb communities of the subhumid zone of the eastern Irano-Turanian region (Nowak et al. 2020 a). Prangos pabularia Lindl. (Apiaceae) was noted as a flower visited by the adults of M. tarsatus in Tajikistan (Fig. 32 A, B) in different places, as well as Ferula sp. and Papaver sp. On the basis of our data the flight period is from May to July.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
FF1003222F9753DAAAE3173DFF875A7C.taxon	description	Figs 1 E, F, 2 C, 5 F, 6 G, 9 E, F, 10 F, 15 H, I, 18 B, 20 F, 27, 29 D, 31 E, F, 35 D	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
FF1003222F9753DAAAE3173DFF875A7C.taxon	materials_examined	Additional material examined. KAZAKHSTAN • 1 ♂; Krasnogorski, Dzhushy-Dala, near Anrakhay; 43 ° 41 ' 53 " N, 74 ° 49 ' 33 " E; 28 Apr. 1956; Marikovsky P. leg.; SZMN 05804 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; SZMN 05805 • 1 ♂; 140 km NW of Almaty, Kanshengel; 44 ° 19 ' 13 " N, 75 ° 33 ' 04 " E; 600 m a. s. l.; 13 Apr. 2002; Danilevsky Merodon leg.; Sommaggio D. det. as Merodon; D. S. coll. 24945. - TAJIKISTAN • 1 ♂; 6 km N of village Kalon; 39 ° 05 ' 51 " N, 68 ° 49 ' 56 " E; 7 Jun. 2021; Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂; Barchadev gorge; 7 Jul. 2021; Barkalov A. leg.; SZMN. - TURKMENISTAN • 1 ♂; Scharlouk, Hura Houdon; 37 ° 51 ' 23 " N, 58 ° 11 ' 41 " E; 26 Apr. 1996; Dolin W. leg.; M. H. coll. 02546 • 1 ♂; 15 km W of Firyuza, Dushak Mountain; 37 ° 54 ' 05 " N, 57 ° 54 ' 44 " E; 2100 m a. s. l.; 8 May 1987; Barkalov A. leg.; SZMN • 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; SZMN 05841, 05842 • 59 ♂♂, 25 ♀♀; Dushak Mountain; 4 - 11 May 1987, 16 - 20 May 1988; Barkalov A., Dubatolov V. V. leg.; SZMN • 1 ♂; Firyuza-Vanovski; 37 ° 54 ' 34 " N, 58 ° 05 ' 20 " E; 23 - 26 Apr. 1989; Becvar S. leg.; D. D. coll. • 70 ♂♂, 22 ♀♀; Environs of Ashkhabad, Firyuza settlement; 37 ° 54 ' 58 " N, 58 ° 05 ' 22 " E; 652 m a. s. l.; SZMN • 134 ♂♂, 80 ♀♀; Ahal Province, Ak bugday District, SEE of Annau settlement; 37 ° 50 ' 08 " N, 58 ° 36 ' 09 " E; 22 - 30 Apr. 1988; Barkalov A., Chekanov Yu. leg.; SZMN • 31 ♂♂, 17 ♀♀; Ahal Region, Goekdepe District, SW of Geok Tepe; 38 ° 04 ' 52 " N, 57 ° 52 ' 48 " E; 8 - 11 May 1988; Barkalov A., Chekanov Yu. leg.; SZMN • 14 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀; Kopet-dag Mountains, 20 km E Nokhur settlement, Karayalchi gorge; 38 ° 28 ' 25 " N, 57 ° 09 ' 09 " E; 28 Apr. 1991; Dubatolov V. V., Zinchenko V. leg.; SZMN.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
FF1003222F9753DAAAE3173DFF875A7C.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium sized (9 - 11 mm), long pilose, dark species, with olive-brown reflection (Fig. 20 F); antennae dark brown, basoflagellomere elongated, about 2.3 times as long as wide (Fig. 10 F); legs mostly black (Fig. 15 H, I); body pile pale yellow to gray. Male: metafemur about 4 times longer than wide, covered with long and pale pilosity (Fig. 15 H, I); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2 times broader than the second tarsomere (Fig. 9 E), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for 3 / 4 of its length (Fig. 9 F); ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; sternum 4 with large laminate extensions on posterior margin (Fig. 5 F); male genitalia: anterior surstyle lobe oval (Fig. 1 E: al) and posterior surstyle lobe oval to triangular (Fig. 1 E: pl); ejaculatory apodeme as long as broad (Fig. 2 C: ea); lingula variable, from distinct to small (Fig. 2 C: l). Differs from males of Merodon smirnovi, M. tarsatus and M. pakistanicus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. by dichoptic eyes or shortly connected by distance of 1 - 5 facets long in M. turkestanicus (Fig. 31 E, F), while these species have holoptic eyes, where the eye contiguity is more than 6 facets long. Similar to M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. from which differs in narrower basotarsomere of metaleg (Fig. 9 E, F) compared with M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. (Fig. 9 A-C); male genitalia: ejaculatory apodeme narrower than basal width of hypandrium in lateral view in M. turkestanicus (Fig. 2 C: ea), while in M. namaghijamii Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov. wider than basal width of hypandrium in lateral view (Fig. 2 D: ea).	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
FF1003222F9753DAAAE3173DFF875A7C.taxon	description	Re-description. Male. Head: Antenna dark brown; basoflagellomere (Fig. 10 F) elongated about 2.3 times as long as wide, about 2.5 times as long as pedicel, more or less straight dorsally, tapering to apex; fossette dorsolateral and large (Fig. 10 F); arista dark and thickened at basal third; face and frons black with gray microtrichia, face covered with dense whitish pile, frons with gray-yellowish pile; oral margin black, with sparse microtrichia; lunule shiny black to brown, bare; eye dichoptic or with short eye contiguity about 1 - 5 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. 31 E, F); vertical triangle: frons = 1: 2. - Thorax: Scutum and scutellum black with olive-green to brown lustre, covered with dense, erect whitish-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; legs mostly black, except brown base of metatibia and tarsi ventrally in some specimens; pile on legs pale yellow to whitish; ventral margin of metatrochanter angular; metafemur moderately broad, about as 4 times longer than wide, with long pile on ventral surface, about as wide as metafemur, longer than pile on dorsal surface (Fig. 15 H, I); apicomedial lamina on metatibia distinct, covered with very long yellow pile (Fig. 18 B); basotarsomere of metatarsus expanded, about 2 times broader than second tarsomere (Fig. 9 E), ventrally with well-defined brush-like area of dense pile extended for 3 / 4 of its length (Fig. 9 F). - Abdomen: About 1.2 times longer than mesonotum; terga dark brown to black; terga 2 - 4 without or with pair of narrow, white pollinose fasciae; pile on terga all yellow to gray-whitish (Fig. 20 F); sterna dark brown, covered with long whitish-yellow pile (Fig. 35 D). - Male genitalia: Anterior surstyle lobe oval, about 1.5 times longer than wide, covered with dense short pile (Fig. 1 E, F: al); posterior surstyle lobe oval to triangular (Fig. 1 E: pl); cercus rectangular (Fig. 1 E: c); hypandrium sickle-shaped, without lateral projections; lingula elongated (Fig. 2 C: l). - Female. Similar to male except for normal sexual dimorphism and following characteristics: basoflagellomere with rounded apex, about 1.5 times longer than wide; frons with pollinose vittae along eye margins; 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 more distinct; basotarsomere of metatarsus less expanded, without well-defined brush-like area of dense pile ventrally.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
FF1003222F9753DAAAE3173DFF875A7C.taxon	distribution	Distribution and ecological data. Merodon turkestanicus occurs in Tajikistan, Southeastern Kazakhstan, northeastern Uzbekistan and southern Turkmenistan (Kopet-Dag mountain range) (Fig. 27). It was recorded on diverse types of localities which belong to five ecoregions: Gissaro-Alai open woodlands, Alai-Western Tian Shan steppe, Central Asian northern desert, Pamir alpine desert and tundra, and Kopet Dag woodlands and forest steppe (Olson et al. 2001). Tall-forb vegetation of the localities of M. turkestanicus in the Pamir-Alai and western Tian Shan Mountains in Tajikistan includes: forb rich mesophilous tall-forb communities of the western Pamir-Alai Mountains, scree-like tall-forb communities of the eastern Irano-Turanian region, and dry tall-forb communities of the subhumid zone of the eastern Irano-Turanian region (Nowak et al. 2020 a). Many geophytes (e. g., Allium, Iris, Eremurus) are present. Artemisia spp. communities characterize desert vegetation of Southern Kazakhstan, and Pamir alpine zone consists of Kobresia spp. and Carex spp. sedge-meadows. A variety of landscapes of Gissaro-Alai open woodlands range from foothill semideserts to alpine meadows; the steppe grasses grow alongside wild fruit and nut forests, and at the higher altitudes a mosaic of open Juniperus forests forms the montane belt; the valleys of mountain rivers house riparian forests (WWF 2022). The Kopet-Dag mountains are characterized by several community types: xeric shrublike woodlands (800 - 2500 m a. s. l.) dominated by Acer tucomanicum Pojark. and Paliurus spina-christi Mill.; Juniperus woodlands (1300 - 2000 m a. s. l.); steppe vegetation (1000 - 2200 m a. s. l.) on mountain plateaus with Stipa spp. and Festuca valesiaca Schleich. ex Gaudin; mesophytic riparian and deciduous forest communities (1000 - 1500 m a. s. l.) formed by Juglans regia L., Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. syriaca (Boiss.) Yalt., Ulmus minor subsp. minor and Cornus meyeri (Pojark.) Pilip. with mesophilic herbaceous layer; Artemisia spp. communities (300 - 800 m a. s. l.); subtropical grasslands (800 - 1000 m a. s. l.) with Thinopyrum intermedium subsp. intermedium, and meadows (700 - 1600 m a. s. l.) with Elymus repens (L.) Gould in the depressions of mountain plateaus or in the river valleys. On the basis of our data the flight period is from April to early July.	en	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: 201-256, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/asp.81.e93570
