Descripción: |
This study is a revision of the Iberian Merodon Meigen, 1803 species, including an illustrated key, a discussion of taxonomic
characters and a morphological diagnosis for all included species. Descriptions are provided for nine new species: M. antonioi
sp. n., M. arundanus sp. n., M. cabanerensis sp. n., M. crypticus sp. n., M. hurkmansi sp. n., M. legionensis sp. n., M. longispinus sp.
n., M. luteihumerus sp. n. and M. quercetorum sp. n. The taxon M. escorialensis Strobl, 1909 is redescribed and lectotype is designated.
Lectotypes are designated for four taxa: M. albifrons Meigen, 1822; M. spinipes obscuritarsis Strobl in Czerny & Strobl,
1909; M. spicatus Becker, 1907; and M. spinipes grossus Gil Collado, 1930. Three varieties are redefined and considered as valid
species: M. obscuritarsis Strobl in Czerny & Strobl, 1909 (as var. of spinipes); M. grossus Gil Collado, 1930 (as var. of spinipes); M.
unicolor Strobl in Czerny & Strobl, 1909 (as var. of aeneus). The following new synonymies are proposed: M. affinis Gil Collado,
1930 syn.n. (= junior synonym of M. longicornis Sack, 1913); M. lusitanicus Hurkmans, 1993 syn.n. (= junior synonym of M. serrulatus
Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822); M. andalusiacus Paramonov, 1929 syn.n., M. bolivari Gil Collado, 1930 syn.n., M. hispanicus
Sack, 1931 syn.n. (= all three are junior synonyms of M. unguicornis Strobl in Czerny & Strobl, 1909); M. spicatus Becker, 1907
syn.n. (= junior synonym of M. chalybeus Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822); M. fuerteventurensis Barkemeyer, 2002 syn. n. (= junior
synonym of M. obscuritarsis Strobl, 1909); and M. spinipes grossus (Gil Collado, 1930) syn.n. (= junior synonym of M. albifrons
Meigen, 1822). Status of M. serrulatus Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822 is revised. Four species: M. longicornis Sack, 1913, M. pumilus
Macquart, 1849, M. ottomanus Hurkmans, 1993 and M. segetum (Fabricius, 1794) are new for the Iberian Peninsula. Male genitalia
are illustrated for all the species and a key of the 34 Iberian species (+ M. hurkmansi sp. n.) for males and females (except for the
unknown female of M. longispinus sp. n.) is appended. Distribution and biological data for the Iberian species are also included. A
brief zoogeographic discussion is also presented. The level of endemism of genus Merodon on the Iberian Peninsula is extremely
high (almost 50%). Financial support was provided
by the Spanish Ministerio de Medio Ambiente
(040/2002), Generalitat Valenciana (GV04A-576), Spanish
Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (CGL2005-07213/BOS),
Ministry of Science, Technology and Development of the
Republic of Serbia (project number 143037) and Provincial
Ministry of Science and Technological Development,
Autochtonous Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia – project:
Maintance of Biodiversity – Hotspots on the Balkan and
Iberian Peninsula (Insecta, Diptera, Syrphidae). |