Resolving the taxonomy of the Merodon dobrogensis species subgroup (Diptera: Syrphidae), with the description of a new species

The taxonomy of Merodon dobrogensis Bradescu, 1982 (Diptera: Syrphidae) species subgroup was reviewed. Multiple data sources (morphology, geometric morphometry of wings and surstylus, molecular data, and distributional data) were used to investigate the species subgroup in the manner of integrative taxonomy. Merodon dobrogensis Bradescu, 1982 and M. puniceus Vujic, Radenkovic, and Perez-Banon, 2011 are supported as distinct species belonging to the M. dobrogensis species complex within the M. dobrogensis species subgroup. Additionally, evidence is presented for the description of a new species, M. rojoi Radenkovic and Vujic new species, with a distribution in mainland Greece, the Greek island Euboea, and the Peloponnese. A short diagnosis is provided for the M. aureus species group, the M. dobrogensis species subgroup, and the newly defined M. dobrogensis species complex, in addition to a description of the new species, with drawings and photographs of adult morphology.Peer reviewe

Merodon chalybeus Subgroup: An Additional Piece of the M. aureus Group (Diptera, Syrphidae) Puzzle

In this study, we examined the morphology, genetics and distribution of the members of the Merodon chalybeus subgroup (M. aureus species group): M. chalybeus Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822, M. minutus Strobl, 1893 and M. robustus Veselić, Vujić & Radenković, 2017. Two of the species, M. chalybeus and M. minutus, are morphologically very similar and often misidentified in the literature. Here, by employing an integrative taxonomic approach we provide strong evidence for the separation of M. chalybeus and M. minutus. Our results show their clear allopatric distribution: M. minutus on the Balkan Peninsula, Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica, while M. chalybeus is a western Mediterranean species distributed on the Iberian Peninsula and northwest Africa. Data on the distribution of M. robustus were updated, with new records from Cyprus, Israel and Turkey, besides its type locality (Samos in Greece). We provide evidence for M. chalybeus and M. minutus representing a species complex, named the M. chalybeus complex, which together with M. robustus constitute the M. chalybeus subgroup.Peer reviewe

Molecular and Morphological Inference of Three Cryptic Species within the Merodon aureus Species Group (Diptera:Syrphidae)

The Merodon aureus species group (Diptera: Syrphidae: Eristalinae) comprises a number of different sub-groups and species complexes. In this study we focus on resolving the taxonomic status of the entity previously identified as M. cinereus B, here identified as M. atratus species complex. We used an integrative approach based on morphological descriptions, combined with supporting characters that were obtained from molecular analyses of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene as well as from geometric morphometry of wing and surstylus shapes and environmental niche comparisons. All applied data and methods distinguished and supported three morphologically cryptic species: M. atratus stat. nov., M. virgatus sp. nov. and M. balkanicus sp. nov., which constitute the M. atratus species complex. We present an identification key for the sub-groups and species complexes of the M. aureus species group occurring in Europe, describe the taxa and discuss the utility of the applied methods for species delimitation. The estimated divergence times for the species splits of these taxa coincide with the Pleistocene Gunz-Mindel interglaciation and the Great interglaciation (between the Ris and Mindel glacial periods).Peer reviewe

Return map analysis of the highly nonlinear Bray-Liebhafsky reaction model

By numerically simulated Bray-Liebhafsky (BL) reaction under a continuously fed well stirred tank reactor (CSTR) conditions, we discussed the attractors and Poincar, 1D maps with respect to flow rate as the control parameter. The new technique of the return maps from transient trajectories over the slow manifold is developed and applied in order to explore its multilayered structure related to dynamical states (periodic and aperiodic -chaotic oscillating modes) of the system. Kinetic relations underlying the slow manifold structure are briefly discussed