taxonID	type	description	language	source
5D238781FFFCFFD3FF69B86D651FFAF5.taxon	description	(Figs 1, 2 a)	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFCFFD3FF69B86D651FFAF5.taxon	materials_examined	Types. Holotype female and 5 female paratypes (one dissected), Jiroft: Narab village, 28 ° 55 ' 12.9 " N, 57 ° 31 ' 49.4 " E, 16 May 2022, S. Moghbeli. Holotype in HMIM; paratypes in HMIM and BG.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFCFFD3FF69B86D651FFAF5.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Proboscis fleshy, shorter than head height; frons completely yellow; Occiput medially black, laterally yellow; mesonotum with three longitudinal blackish brown stripes, prescutellar area yellow; scutellum completely yellow; legs yellow; genital fork U-shaped with two processes on lateral arms, spermathecal reservoirs clubbed with shallow cylindrical invagination.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFCFFD3FF69B86D651FFAF5.taxon	description	Description. Female (Figs. 1, 2 a). Head (Fig. 1 b): slightly higher than long; eyes dichoptic, separated at vertex by 2.9 times distance between lateral ocelli; occiput medially black, laterally yellow, postgena yellow; frons short, slightly depressed medially, completely yellow; face yellow, tip of oral margin tan to brown; antennae (Fig. 1 c) yellow, first flagellomere brownish yellow; scape short, subtrapezoidal; pedicel subconical, wider than long; first flagellomere lanceolate, length about 3 times width; second flagellomere slightly more than one-third length of first flagellomere, with minute transparent apical style; mentum yellow; clypeus yellow; proboscis yellow, fleshy, shorter than head height; labrum sclerotized, stiff, pointed apically, shorter than proboscis; palpus not evident. Thorax (Fig. 1 b). Mesonotum yellow, with three brownish yellow longitudinal stripes, middle stripe starting from anterior margin of mesonotum and ending well before than scutellum, leaving large yellow prescutellar area; with two triangular brownish yellow spots next to transverse suture, three brown bristles behind suture, dorsolaterally from humeral callus to post alar callus yellow; humeral calli yellow; postalar calli yellow; scutellum yellow; mesonotal disc and dorsum of scutellum with short fine black hairs; pleura bare, anepisternum yellow, anterior and ventral margins of anepisternum black, katepisternum black except upper margin narrowly yellow, anepimeron yellow, anterior and ventral margins black; meron black, upper margin yellow; halter stem yellow, knob white. Legs. Yellow except coxae basally narrowly black. Wing (Fig. 1 c). Elongate, length 2.8 times width; hyaline; veins brown; costa ends slightly beyond end of R 4 + 5; vein Sc incomplete; Rs faded basally at connection with R 1; R 4 + 5 slightly bowed at apical one-third; vein M 1 curved toward wing margin; M 2 straight; M 4 straight; CuA straight, reaching to wing margin; anal vein effaced, not reaching to wing margin; fringe of hair on posterior margin of wing well shortest at wing tip becoming longer and more sparse toward base. Abdomen. Tergite II blackish brown with posterior margin narrowly yellow, other tergites yellow with anterior margin brownish black, sternites yellow, last sternite brown. Genitalia (Fig. 2 a): Genital fork thin, U-shaped, with an inwardly oriented process on each lateral arm; spermathecal reservoir clubbed, sclerotized brown, basal part yellow, longer than wide, invagination cylindrical, shallow; apical spermathecal duct slightly shorter than length of spermathecal reservoir; thin, transparent; sperm pump short, about half of reservoir length, slightly sclerotized, without evident valves apically or basally; basal duct long, about 6.5 times sperm pump, leading to very short sclerotized common duct. Male. Unknown.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFCFFD3FF69B86D651FFAF5.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Greek word πρώτα (= first) and refers to the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides from Iran.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFCFFD3FF69B86D651FFAF5.taxon	distribution	Distribution. This new species is only known from Narab village (Jiroft City) in the south of Iran. This village is located in a mountainous area with the hot and semi-arid climate (Fig. 7).	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFCFFD3FF69B86D651FFAF5.taxon	discussion	Remarks. The color intensity of different sclerites of adults (specially the colored pattern on mesonotum) in the genus Empidideicus, similar to other mythicomyiids, is somewhat variable in that it depends on the gender of specimen or the time between collecting and adult emerging from the pupa so some teneral specimens are much paler; and those specimens should be treated with more caution especially when describing new species, and it would be better that genitalia are checked or referred. We photographed one of the paratypes of E. (Cyrtoides) primitus sp. nov. (Figs. 1 c, d) that is teneral specimen in order to compare with the holotype (Figs. 1 a, b). Evenhuis (2009) when was studying the species of the genus Empidideicus in the United Arabian Emirates (UAE), described two species of the genus in the subgenus Empidideicus that subsequently transferred to the subgenus Cyrtoides (Evenhuis, 2024). Our new species, Empidideicus (Cyrtoides) primitus sp. nov., in morphological characters especially mesonotal pattern and the color of occiput, is very similar to E. psephenyps Evenhuis, 2009 but they are easily separated by the color of hind femora that in E. psephenyps has a brown spot (femora is completely yellow in our species). Genital forks and the other parts of the female genitalia are completely different in these two species. For example, the reservoir in our species is basally hyaline and clubbed (Fig. 2 a) but in E. psephenyps Evenhuis, 2009 it is globular (Fig. 2 b).	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFF9FFD1FF69B82D63D2FC79.taxon	description	(Fig. 3)	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFF9FFD1FF69B82D63D2FC79.taxon	materials_examined	Types. Holotype female and 1 female paratype, Qazvin: Road to Abazar village, 36 ° 20 ' 50 " N, 50 ° 4 ' 15 " E, 1512 m a. s. l, 24 May 2009, B. Gharali. Holotype in HMIM; paratype in BG.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFF9FFD1FF69B82D63D2FC79.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Proboscis fleshy, shorter than head height; frons completely yellow; Occiput completely black; mesonotum blackish brown, prescutellar area blackish brown; scutellum blackish brown except posterior margin narrowly yellow.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFF9FFD1FF69B82D63D2FC79.taxon	description	Description. Female (Fig. 3). Head (Figs. 3 a, b): slightly higher than long; eyes dichoptic, separated at vertex by 1.6 times distance between lateral ocelli; occiput completely black, postgena black; frons short, slightly depressed medially, completely yellow; face yellow, tip of oral margin tan to brown; antennae. scape short, subtrapezoidal, yellow; pedicel subconical, wider than long, yellow; first flagellomere lanceolate, length 1.5 times width, brown; second flagellomere slightly more than one-half length of first flagellomere, yellow, with minute transparent apical style; mentum yellow; clypeus yellow; proboscis yellow, brownish basoventrally, fleshy, shorter than head height; labrum sclerotized, stiff, pointed apically, shorter than proboscis; palpus not evident. Thorax (Fig. 3 b). Mesonotum completely blackish brown, prescutellar area blackish brown; dorsolaterally from humeral callus to post alar callus yellow; post pronotal lobes yellow; postalar calli yellow; scutellum blackish brown except posterior margin narrowly yellow; mesonotal disc and dorsum of scutellum with short fine black hairs; pleura bare, anepisternum blackish brown except upper part yellow, katepisternum black except upper margin narrowly yellow, anepimeron black except dorsal margin yellow; meron black, upper margin yellow; halter stem yellow, knob white. Legs. Coxae brown, femora brown except apex narrowly yellow; tibia brownish yellow; tarsal segment I-II yellow remainder brownish yellow. Wing (Fig. 3 a). Elongate, length 2.5 times width; hyaline; veins brown; costa ends slightly beyond end of R 4 + 5; vein Sc incomplete; Rs faded basally at connection with R 1; R 4 + 5 slightly bowed at apical one-third; vein M 1 curved toward wing margin; M 2 straight; M 4 straight; CuA slightly curved, reaching to wing margin; anal vein effaced, not reaching to wing margin; fringe of hair on posterior margin of wing well shortest at wing tip becoming longer and more sparse toward base. Abdomen. Tergites blackish brown except posterior and lateral margins yellow, sternites yellow with brown mark medially, last sternite brown. Genitalia. not dissected.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFF9FFD1FF69B82D63D2FC79.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The species is named in the honor of Dr. Menno Reemer (Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden) for his brilliant contribution to the taxonomy of Diptera especially the family Syrphidae and also for appreciating of his continuous support of the first author for many years.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFF9FFD1FF69B82D63D2FC79.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Empidideicus (Cyrtoides) reemeri sp. nov. was collected only in the Abazar village of Qazvin city in the north of Iran.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFF9FFD1FF69B82D63D2FC79.taxon	discussion	Remark. Empidideicus (Cyrtoides) reemeri sp. nov. is easily separated from the other species of the subgenus Cyrtoides in Iran, Empidideicus (Cyrtoides) primitus sp. nov., by the completely black occiput. For the separation of all known species of the subgenus Cyrtoides in the World, the key below was prepared.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFBFFD0FF69BB0264E7F841.taxon	description	(Figs 4, 5, 6 a, c)	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFBFFD0FF69BB0264E7F841.taxon	materials_examined	Types. Holotype male and 9 males and 52 females paratypes (one dissected from each sex), Jiroft: Narab village, 28 ° 55 ' 12.9 " N, 57 ° 31 ' 49.4 " E, 16 May 2022, S. Moghbeli. Holotype in HMIM; paratypes in HMIM and BG.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFBFFD0FF69BB0264E7F841.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Occiput black; frons yellow with a quadrate black mark bellow middle ocellus; scutellum yellow with two blackish spots basolaterally. Mesonotum black except interhumeral mark yellow, prescutellar area black; genital fork U-shaped; spermathecal reservoirs globular with shallow invagination.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFBFFD0FF69BB0264E7F841.taxon	description	Description. Male (Fig. 4 c). Head (Figs. 4 a, b): slightly longer than high; eyes dichoptic, separated at vertex by 1.6 times distance between lateral ocelli; occiput and postgena black; frons short, slightly depressed medially, with a quadrate black mark just below middle ocellus; face yellow, tip of oral margin tan to brown; antennae. scape short, subtrapezoidal; pedicel subconical, wider than long; first flagellomere lanceolate, length 1.9 times width; second flagellomere slightly less than one-half length of first flagellomere, with minute transparent apical style; mentum yellow; clypeus brown, as long as oral margin; proboscis dark brown to black, slightly shorter than head length; labrum sclerotized, stiff, pointed apically; palpus not evident. Thorax (Fig. 4 a). Mesonotum black; with two large interhumeral yellow marks; yellow dorsolaterally from humeral callus to post alar callus; yellow interhumeral marks coalesced with yellow humeral calli; scutellum yellow with two basolateral black marks; mesonotal disc and dorsum of scutellum with short fine black hairs; pleura bare, anepisternum brownish yellow, with dark brown pattern at anteroventral corner, katepisternum dark brown except upper margin narrowly light brown, anepimeron dark brown, meron blackish brown except upper margin yellow; halter stem yellow, knob white. Legs. Coxae brown; femora brown; tibia and tarsal segments yellow. Wing. Elongate, length 2.6 times width; subhyaline; veins brown; costa ends well beyond end of R 4 + 5; vein Sc incomplete; Rs faded basally at connection with R 1; R 4 + 5 slightly bowed at apical one-third; vein M 1 curved toward wing margin; M 2 straight; M 2 straight; M 4 straight; CuA slightly curved, reaching to wing margin; anal vein effaced, not reaching to wing margin; fringe of hair on posterior margin of wing well shortest at wing tip becoming longer and more sparse toward base. Abdomen. Dorsum black, concolorous with mediotergite color; tergites II – VII predominantly black with white band along posterior margin, band becoming successively broader on successive segments; lateral margins broader white than posterior bands; sternites white; tergites with sparsely scattered minute black hairs. Genitalia (Fig. 5). Hypopygium brownish. In ventral view gonocoxites subtrapezoidal, connected narrowly medially; with long pointed process inside and with W-shaped process at junction of gonocoxites; gonostyli semicircular with some hairs apically; lateral arms of parameral sheath extending to tip of basal aedeagal apodeme, slightly flared apically; aedeagal bulb large, rounded; lateral aedeagal apodeme slightly longer than lateral rami, basal aedeagal apodeme with two large, rectangular rami basally; epandrium in lateral view subrectangular with large pointed dorsolateral processes; cerci large, triangular in dorsal view. Female (Fig. 4 b): As in male. Genitalia (Fig. 6 a, c): genital fork thin, U-shaped, lateral arms apically very sclerotized and with two inwardly oriented process; spermathecal reservoir subquadrate, sclerotized brown, invagination shallow; apical spermathecal duct shorter than basal ducts, thin, transparent; sperm pump about length of reservoir, slightly sclerotized, without evident valves apically or basally; basal duct thin, transparent, common duct absent.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFBFFD0FF69BB0264E7F841.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from Latin word faber ferrarius and refers to the brilliant Kaveh the Blacksmith [= Kâve Âhangar in Persian] who leads a popular uprising against a ruthless ruler, Zahâk. His life history was written by the great, tenth century poet of Iran, Ferdowsi.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFBFFD0FF69BB0264E7F841.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Empidideicus (Empidideicus) ferrarius sp. nov. is known only from Jiroft vicinity. Jiroft city is famous as the greenhouse city of Iran.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
5D238781FFFBFFD0FF69BB0264E7F841.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Moghbeli et al. (2020) prepared a key to all species of Empidideicus known from Iran. Empidideicus (Empidideicus) ferrarius sp. nov. runs in this key to E. (Empidideicus) persicus Gharali & Evenhuis, 2010 (in Gharali et al. 2010) described from northern Iran. However, this new species is easily distinguished from it by its black quadrate mark on frons (small black dot in E. (Empidideicus) persicus) and two basolateral black spots on scutellum (completely yellow in E. persicus). In Empidideicus (Empidideicus) ferrarius sp. nov. yellow interhumeral mark separated from yellow humeral callus by black pattern on mesonotum but in E. (Empidideicus) persicus they are coalescent. The female genitalia of the two species have diagnostic differences including the shape of spermathecae and their invaginations, the status of sperm pump valve and the sclerotization status of the basal ducts (Figs. 6 a, b). Variability. Mesonotum in this species is completely black except two interhumeral marks that are yellow. This mark varies from large and significant in some specimens to very narrow and hardly noticeable in others so in dubious case checking the genitalia better to be done. Note. Moghbeli et al. (2020) recently presented a key to the species of the genus Empidideicus from Iran but mistakenly keyed the species Empidideicus (E.) aurantiacus Gharali & Evenhuis, 2010 (in Gharali et al. 2010) as having a black lateral occiput (see couplet 1), although this species has yellow occiput laterally. We here provide an updated and corrected key to all species of the genus known from Iran.	en	Gharali, Babak, Evenhuis, Neal L., Moghbeli, Sajjad (2025): Three new species of the genus Empidideicus Becker, 1907 (Diptera, Mythicomyiidae) from Iran with the first record of the subgenus Cyrtoides Engel, 1933. Zootaxa 5604 (4): 529-541, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5604.4.5
