CORRECT CITATIONS OF THE RECENTLY DESCRIBED SPECIES OF GENERA MERODON, CHEILOSIA AND PARAGUS (DIPTERA: SYRPHIDAE)

The paper cites the correct citation of 14 species described in 2020, which are also listed in the Atlas of the Hoverflies of Greece. In order to prevent potential dilemmas and different taxonomic interpretations in accordance with the rules of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, it is stated that 14 presented species should be cited

HOVERFLY FAUNA (DIPTERA: SYRPHIDAE) OF THE LANDSCAPE OF OUTSTANDING FEATURES “VLASINA”

In the many years of research organized between 1977 and 2017, a total of 76 hoverfly species were collected in the protected Landscape of Outstanding Features “Vlasina” (southeastern Serbia) on six localities. Among the identified taxa there is a rare species, Cheilosia longula (Zetterstedt, 1838), which is protected in Serbia. Additionally, one potentially new hoverfly species is registered (Merodon aff. cinereus). The first species checklist of hoverflies for Vlasina is proposed

Revision of the Merodon serrulatus group (Diptera, Syrphidae)

The phytophagous hoverfly genus Merodon Meigen, 1803 (Diptera, Syrphidae), which comprises more than 160 species distributed in Palaearctic and Afrotropical regions, can be differentiated into multiple groups of species that harbor high levels of hidden diversity. In this work, the serrulatus species group of Merodon is revised, providing an illustrated key to species, a detailed discussion on the taxonomic characters and a morphological diagnosis, including also the first data about the preimaginal morphology of this species group. The study includes characteristics of the 13 species of the M. serrulatus group, along with the available distributional data. Moreover, descriptions are provided for seven new species, namely M. defectus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov., M. disjunctus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov., M. medium Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov., M. nigrocapillatus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovk sp. nov., M. nigropunctum Vujic, Likov & Radenkovic sp. nov., M. opacus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovk sp. nov., and M. trianguloculus Vujic, Likov & Radenkovk sp. nov. In addition, the taxa M. serrulatus (Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822), M. bequaerti Hurkmans, 1993, M. birsutus Sack, 1913, M. kawamurae Matsumura, 1916, M. sacki (Paramonov, 1936) and M. sophron Hurkmans, 1993 are redefined and redescribed. Following a detailed study of the type material sourced from different entomological collections, the status of all available taxa related to M. serrulatus is revised and a new synonymy is proposed: M. tener Sack, 1913 syn. nov. (junior synonym of M. serrulatus). The identity of M. trizonus (Szilady, 1940) could not be assessed as the type specimens are lost. Thus, the name M. trizonus is considered as nomen dubium. The monophyly and composition of this species group are assessed through Maximum Parsimony and Maximum Likelihood analyses of the mitochondrial COI and nuclear 28S rRNA gene sequences.Peer reviewe

National records of 3000 European bee and hoverfly species: A contribution to pollinator conservation

Pollinators play a crucial role in ecosystems globally, ensuring the seed production of most flowering plants. They are threatened by global changes and knowledge of their distribution at the national and continental levels is needed to implement efficient conservation actions, but this knowledge is still fragmented and/or difficult to access. As a step forward, we provide an updated list of around 3000 European bee and hoverfly species, reflecting their current distributional status at the national level (in the form of present, absent, regionally extinct, possibly extinct or non-native). This work was attainable by incorporating both published and unpublished data, as well as knowledge from a large set of taxonomists and ecologists in both groups. After providing the first National species lists for bees and hoverflies for many countries, we examine the current distributional patterns of these species and designate the countries with highest levels of species richness. We also show that many species are recorded in a single European country, highlighting the importance of articulating European and national conservation strategies. Finally, we discuss how the data provided here can be combined with future trait and Red List data to implement research that will further advance pollinator conservation

Fauna of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) of Greece

Osolike  muve  predstavljaju  veoma  bitnu  i korisnu  insekatsku  grupu.  Pružaju  nezamenljive ekološke  i  ekonomske  usluge,  kao  i  usluge  za  životnu sredinu.  Navedene  usluge  su  omogućene  njihovom sposobnošću  oprašivanja  biljaka  u  prirodnim  i agroekosistemima,  kao  i  zahvaljujući  larvama– predatorima  lisnih  vaši  i  drugih  insekata,  smanjujući ekonomske  gubitke  u  prinosu  kultivisanih  biljaka. Takođe  mogu  poslužiti  kao  bioindikatori  klimatskih promena  i  stanja  staništa.  Neke  vrste  imaju  i konzervacioni značaj, obzirom da su zbog  antropogenih uticaja postale ugrožene, što zahteva preduzimanje mera za  obezbeđivanje njihovog opstanka. Izuzetno bogatstvo flore i faune na Balkanskom poluostrvu  predstavlja  jedinstveni  ekološki  i biogeografski  fenomen  u  Evropi.  Grčka,  kao  jedna  od najvažnijih  centara  biodiverzita  na  Balkanu  i  u Mediteranu  se  odlikuje  širokim  spektrom  važnih  tipova ekosistema,  od  kojih  su  najbitniji  šumski,  budući  da najveći  broj  osolikih  muva  preferira  upravo  taj  tip staništa. Značaj  faunističkih  istraživanja  se  ogleda  u otkrivanju  sastava  i  brojnosti  vrsta  na  određenim staništima ili područjima. Faunistički sastav pruža uvid u biodiverzitet  istraživane  oblasti,  koja  se  neprekidno menja,  naročito  u  poslednje  vreme  pod  uticajem negativnog  antropogenog  uticaja.  Podaci  o  vrstama mogu  biti  od  velikog  značaja  za  eventualne  programe zaštite  i  oporavka  ugroženih  vrsta,  kao  i  u  planiranju formiranja  novih  zaštićenih  područja  ili  u  uvođenju novih mera zaštite u već postojećim prirodnim dobrima. Prepoznavanje ugroženih vrsta ili ugroženih staništa koje one  naseljavaju,  igra  bitnu  ulogu  u  planiranju konzervacionih strategija za njihovo očuvanje. Rezultati  doktorske  disertacije  upotpunjujuznanje o faunističkom sastavu, taksonomiji, distribuciji i  diverzitetu osolikih muva u Grčkoj. Pomoću sakupljenih  podataka  formiran  je  identifikacioni  ključ  za razlikovanje  kako  rodova  tako  i  vrsta   registrovanih  na  ovom  području,  što  u  velikoj  meri  pomaže  u  daljim faunističkim  istraživanjima.  Kao  rezultat  ove  doktorske  disertacije  dobijena  je  konačna  lista  od  418  vrsta  iz  83 roda.  Od  ukupnog  broja  zabeleženih  vrsta  64  vrste  su  prvi put registrovane na teritoriji Grčke, dok  su 18 vrsta  nove za nauku. Osnovni  cilj  ovog  rada  je  revizija  faune osolikih muva  Grčke  na osnovu prikupljenog materijala iz  publikovanih  i  nepublikovanih  zbirki  i  dopunskih terenskih istraživanja, sastavljanje liste o svim poznatim  vrstama  sa  područja  Grčke,  i  izrada  identifikacionog ključa  za  razlikovanje  zabeleženih  rodova  i  vrsta (praćeni  fotografijama  i  crtežima  dijagnostičkih morfoloških  karaktera  adultnih  jedinki).  Drugi  deo doktorske  disertacije  se  bavi  prepoznavanjem  retkih  i ugroženih vrsta Grčke sa naglaskom na njihovu zaštitu i konzervaciju.  U  okviru  disertacije je  izvršena  prostorna analiza distribucije vrsta na području  Grčke, koja su već ugrožena  na  evropskom  i  balkanskom  nivou,  a  u  cilju  određivanja  područja  sa  posebnim  značajem  za  njihovo očuvanje.Hoverflies  are  a  very  important  and  useful  insect group.  They  provide   irreplaceable  environmental  and economic  services,  as  well  as  environmental  services.  These services  are  enabled  by  their  ability  to  pollinate  plants  in natural  and  agroecosystems,  as  well  as  thanks  to  larvaepredators  of  aphids  and  other  insects,  reducing  economic losses  in  the  yield  of  cultivated  plants. Hoverflies  are extremely important for the environment, as they can serve as bioindicators of climate change and habitat conditions. Some species  also  have  conservation  importance,  since  they  have become  endangered  due  to  anthropogenic  effects,  which requires taking measures to ensure their survival. The extraordinary richness of flora and fauna on the Balkan  Peninsula  represents  a  unique  ecological  and biogeographical phenomenon in Europe. Greece, as one of the most important center of biodiversity in the Balkans and in the Mediterranean,  is  characterized  by  a  wide  spectrum  of important  ecosystem  types,  the  most  important  of  which  are forests, since the largest number of hoverflies prefer this type of habitat.The importance of faunal research is reflected in the discovery  of  the  composition  and  number  of  species  in specific habitats or areas. The faunal composition provides an insight into the biodiversity of the investigated area, which is  constantly  changing,  especially  lately  under  the  influence  of negative  anthropogenic impact. Data about species can be of great importance for possible programs for the protection and recovery of endangered species, as well as in the planning of the formation of new protected areas or in the introduction of new  measures  of  protection  in  already  existing  natural resources.  Identifying  endangered  species  or  endangered habitats  they  inhabit  plays  an  important  role  in  planning conservation strategies for their conservation.The  results  of  these  thesis  complement  the knowledge  of  the  fauna  composition,  taxonomy,  distribution and diversity of hoverflies in Greece. Using the collected data, an  identification  key  was  formed  to  distinguish  both  the genera  and  species  registered  in  this  area,  which  greatly assisted in further faunistic research. As a result of these thesis a final list of 418 species rom 83 genus was obtained. Of the total  number  of  recorded  species,  64  species  were  first  time registered in the territory of Greece, while a total of 18 species are new to science. The main goal of this paper is to revise the fauna of Greek  howerflies  based  on  the  collected  material  from published  and  unpublished  collections  and  additional  field research, compile a list of all known species from  Greece, and create an identification key to distinguish the recorded genera and  species  (accompanied  by  photographs  and  drawings  of diagnostic morphological characters of adult individuals). The second  part  of  the  thesis  deals  with  the  identification  of  rare and endangered species of Greece  with an emphasis on their protection  and  conservation.  Within  the  framework  of  the dissertation, a spatial analysis of the distribution of species in Greece  was  carried  out,  already  threatened  at  the  European and  Balkan  levels,  in  order  to  determine  areas  of  special significance for their preservation

Revision of the Palaearctic species of the Merodon desuturinus group (Diptera, Syrphidae)

This revision of material belonging to the Merodon desuturinus group from the Palaearctic Region resulted in the delimitation of four species: Merodon cabanerensis Marcos-García, Vujić & Mengual, 2007; Merodon desuturinus Vujić, Šimić & Radenković, 1995; Merodon neolydicus Vujić, nom. n.; and Merodon murorum Fabricius, 1794. Merodon murorum is redescribed. A neotype for Merodon auripilus Meigen, 1830 is designated, which is a new junior synonym of Merodon murorum. The related Afrotropical species Merodon cuthbertsoni Curran, 1939 is re-evaluated and compared to its sibling Palaearctic taxon Merodon desuturinus. An identification key for the Merodon desuturinus group is provided

Taxonomic complexity in the genus Merodon Meigen, 1803 (Diptera, Syrphidae)

The genus Merodon Meigen, 1803 is distributed across the Palaearctic and Afrotropical Regions. The present work summarizes the knowledge from recent taxonomic and systematic revisions and includes an identification key for the five monophyletic lineages (namely albifrons, aureus, avidus-nigritarsis, desuturinus and natans), 24 species groups, two species subgroups and 10 unplaced species, along with diagnosis and illustrations. A list of 234 taxa, including 194 described and 40 undescribed species, is appended. Most of the species are distributed in the Palaearctic (209 taxa, 181 described), while 27 species (14 described) are known from the Afrotropical Region. Three lineages (aureus, desuturinus and natans) are present in the Afrotropical Region, as well as in the Palaearctic. The Afrotropical melanocerus species group of the desuturinus lineage and the bombiformis species group of the aureus lineage are endemic to the Afrotropical Region, and all other species groups belong to the Palaearctic fauna. The albifrons lineage contains six species groups (albifrons, constans, equestris, geniculatus, ruficornis and rufus) and two unplaced taxa. The aureus lineage includes five species groups (aureus, bombiformis, funestus, nanus and spinitarsis). The avidus-nigritarsis lineage is divided into 10 species groups (aberrans, aurifer, avidus, clavipes, fulcratus, italicus, nigritarsis, pruni, serrulatus and tarsatus) and eight unplaced taxa. The desuturinus lineage contains two species groups: the Afrotropical melanocerus group, with the melanocerus and planifacies subgroups plus the species M. cuthbertsoni Curran, 1939, and the Palaearctic murorum species group. The natans lineage consists of the natans species group plus the species M. segetum Fabricius, 1794

Integrative taxonomy of the Merodon aberrans (Diptera, Syrphidae) species group: distribution patterns and description of three new species

In this paper, we revise the Merodon aberrans species group of the genus Merodon Meigen, 1803 (Diptera: Syrphidae), providing morphological diagnoses and descriptions, molecular data for three species, as well as an illustrated key and a discussion of the different taxonomic characters used. We also discuss distribution patterns for this species group. The results revealed that the M. aberrans group is composed of five described species (M. aberrans Egger, 1860, M. brevis Paramonov, 1926, M. flavitibius Paramonov, 1926, M. hamifer Sack, 1913, and M. warnckei Hurkmans, 1993) and three new ones, namely M. hermonensis Vujić, Radenković et Likov sp. nov., M. petiolatus Vujić, Radenković et Rojo sp. nov., and M. retectus Vujić, Radenković et Likov sp. nov. Following a detailed study of the type material in different entomological collections, the status of several species is revised, one new synonym is proposed (subspecies M. aberrans isperensis Hurkmans, 1993 as junior synonym of M. flavitibius), lectotypes are designated for M. kneri Mik, 1867 and M. flavitibius, and paralectotypes are designated for M. hamifer and M. flavitibius. Seven out of eight species from the M. aberrans group are distributed in the Asian continent, namely all Caucasian countries, Turkey and Iran, confirming the notion about high diversity of Merodon species in these regions, but also highlighting the need for a systematic faunistic research.The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Grant Nos. 451–03-9/2022–14/200125 and 451-03-9/2022-14/200358) and the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, #grant No 7737504, project Serbian Pollinator Advice Strategy – for the next normal – spas