Merodon desuturinus, Vujic, Simic & Radenkovic, 1995

Likov, Laura, Vujić, Ante, Radenković, Snežana, Zorić, Ljiljana Šašić, Djan, Mihajla, Jordaens, Kurt & Mudri-Stojnić, Sonja, 2025, Two new hoverfly species of the Merodon desuturinus lineage (Diptera: Syrphidae: Merodontini), European Journal of Taxonomy 987, pp. 26-60 : 29

Diagnosis of the Merodon desuturinus lineage

The specific shape of the lateral sclerite of the aedeagus (gradually tapered, with the tip curved downwards) is the main synapomorphic character that connects all species of the group ( Fig. 1C : s). Species in this group have pile on the posterior side of mesocoxa, a curved distal prolongation of anterior surstylar lobe ( Fig. 1B : al), basoflagellomere less than two times as long as wide ( Fig. 2A ), scutum without pollen ( Fig. 2B ) or with less distinct pollinose longitudinal vittae, wing microtrichose between veins R1 and RS ( Fig. 2C : marked with arrow) contrary to bare area in species from the morphologically related M. albifrons lineage, postpronotum usually brown or yellow-reddish, and pilosity on lateral side of tergum 4 in female long, medially short and mostly adpressed ( Fig. 2D ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Merodon melanocerus Bezzi, 1915 (RSA, Mount Gilboa, FSUNS), male genitalia. A. Surstyle lobe, lateral view. B. Surstyle lobe, ventral view. C. Hypandrium, lateral view.Abbreviations: al =anterior surstylar lobe; pl =posterior surstylar lobe; s =lateral sclerite of aedeagus. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 2. Merodon desuturinusVujić, Šimić & Radenković, 1995 (Serbia, Kopaonik, FSUNS). A. Head, lateral view. B. Thorax, dorsal view. C. Part of the wing, dorsal view, microtrichose part of wing between veins R1 and RS marked with arrow. D. Abdomen, lateral view. A–C. Male. D. Female. Scale bars: A=2 mm; B–D =1 mm.