Revisions of the clavipes and pruni species groups of the genus Merodon Meigen, 1803 (Diptera, Syrphidae).

This study focuses on the avidus-nigritarsis lineage within the genus Merodon, exploring morphological, genetic, and distributional aspects of two related assemblies within this lineage: the clavipes and pruni species groups. An integrative taxonomic approach was followed to ensure comprehensive species identification and validation, using adult morphology, wing geometric morphometrics, and genetic analysis of the mtDNA COI gene. In the clavipes group, seven species were identified, including three new species: M.aenigmaticus Vujic, Radenkovic & Likov, sp. nov., M.latens Vujic, Radenkovic & Likov, sp. nov., and M.rufofemoris Vujic, Radenkovic & Likov, sp. nov. In the pruni group, our revision revealed a new species, M.aequalis Vujic, Radenkovic & Likov, sp. nov., and the revalidation of Merodonobscurus Gil Collado, 1929, stat. rev. Merodonpallidus Macquart, 1842 is redescribed. Diagnoses, identification keys to species, and distribution maps are provided, and neotypes for Syrphusclavipes Fabricius, 1781 and Merodonquadrinotatus (Sack, 1931) are designated. Additionally, the following new synonyms are proposed: M.clavipesalbus syn. nov., M.clavipesater syn. nov., M.clavipesniger syn. nov., and M.splendens syn. nov. are junior synonyms of M.clavipes; and M.veloxarmeniacus syn. nov. and M.veloxanathema syn. nov. are junior synonyms of M.velox.

Mangrovomyia, a new genus of long-legged flies from Iranian mangroves (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Hydrophorinae).

The genus Mangrovomyia Grichanov et Gilasian gen. nov. is described from Iran, including two new species, M. naserzadehae Grichanov et Gilasian sp. nov. and M. mofidii Grichanov et Gilasian sp. nov. The new genus is believed to be most closely related to the genera Hydrophorus Fallén, Epithalassius Mik and Paraliptus Bezzi in the subfamily Hydrophorinae, differing in peculiar characters of body setation, antenna, wing and male genitalia. The most distinct synapomorphies appear to be the very short and thick arista-like stylus; trapezoidal postpedicel with oblique transverse furrow; frons, face and clypeus covered with numerous setae, and anterior half of mesonotum covered with a field of numerous short setae and devoid of strong bristles. Mangrovomyia mofidii sp. nov. differs from M. naserzadehae sp. nov. in femora yellow (vs. black), fore tibia with thick and golden-brown (vs. thin and black) apical spine-like setae, katepisternum entirely covered with numerous setae (vs. without setae), and other features. Mangrove habitats of the new species are briefly discussed.

The genus Coenosia Meigen in Iran, with a key to species and description of a new species (Diptera: Muscidae).

An identification key to the seven known Iranian species of the genus Coenosia Meigen, 1826 is given, including Coenosia persica Pont Parchami-Araghi, sp. nov. as well as the newly recorded C. humilis Meigen, 1826, C. nigridigita Rondani, 1866 and C. testacea (Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830). Photographs of the habitus and male genitalia of the studied material in addition to illustrations of the male genitalia of the new species are provided.

Review of the genus Synamphichaeta Villeneuve (Diptera: Tachinidae), with the description of a new species from Iran.

The Palaearctic genus Synamphichaeta Villeneuve, 1936 is reviewed and the new species Synamphichaeta hirtivena Gilasian Ziegler, sp. nov. is described from Iran. Illustrations of the terminalia and head of the male are provided, together with habitus photos of both sexes. An identification key to the two known species of Synamphichaeta is presented. A lectotype is recognised for Synamphichaeta tricincta Villeneuve, 1936 and its designation is attributed to Mesnil.

Review of the genus Bampura Tschorsnig (Diptera: Tachinidae), with the description of a new species from Iran.

The new species Bampura breviaristata Gilasian Ziegler sp. nov. is described from Karkheh National Park, Khuzestan, Iran. A first full description of the male of Bampura angustigena Tschorsnig and an identification key to both known species of Bampura Tschorsnig are provided. The male terminalia of the examined species of the genera Amnonia Kugler, Atylomyia Brauer, Bampura Tschorsnig and Paratryphera Brauer Bergenstamm are illustrated and compared. A new taxonomic placement for the genus Bampura, as a member of the tribe Ethillini in the subfamily Exoristinae, is proposed and discussed. The tube-like basiphallus is found to be a new synapomorphic character state for the Paratryphera Brauer Bergenstamm group of genera.

Two new enigmatic species of the genus Merodon Meigen (Diptera: Syrphidae) from the north-eastern Middle East.

Two new remarkable species of the genus Merodon Meigen (Diptera: Syrphidae) are described from biodiversity hotspots in the Middle East: Merodon eumerusi Vujic, Radenkovic et Likov sp. n. and Merodon mixtum Vujic, Radenkovic et Likov sp. n. Although M. eumerusi, from the Mountains of Central Asia, belongs clearly to the lineage of M. avidus-nigritarsis, it possesses some unique features within the genus that are also present in other Merodontini genera. M. mixtum, from the Irano-Anatolian mountains, has typical characters of different species groups within the M. albifrons lineage. Here, we discuss the unusual apomorphic characters of these newly discovered taxa and highlight the need for further analyses to ascertain the phylogenetic relationships within the tribe Merodontini and the genus Merodon.

First Iranian record of the family Odiniidae (Diptera: Opomyzoidea), including two species new to the Middle East region.

The family Odiniidae is newly reported from Iran through the recent discovery of the species Odinia meijerei Collin, 1952 and Turanodinia graciosa Krivosheina Krivosheina, 1996 in Iran and the Middle East region. The species T. graciosa is here elevated from the rank of subspecies (Turanodinia stackelbergi graciosa Krivosheina Krivosheina, 1996) to species level. This taxonomical change was based on the comparison of the male genitalia of T. graciosa with T. stackelbergi Krivosheina Krivosheina. Images of the habitus and male genitalia of O. meijerei and T. graciosa are provided.

Review of the genus Trichactia Stein (Diptera: Tachinidae) in the Palaearctic Region, with the description of a new species from Iran and the East Mediterranean.

The genus Trichactia Stein, 1924 (Diptera: Tachinidae) is newly recorded from Iran and its Palaearctic species are reviewed. The new species Trichactia meridiana Ziegler Gilasian, sp. nov. is described from Iran and the East Mediterranean. An identification key to the three known Palaearctic species of Trichactia, photographs of all species and illustrations of their male terminalia are provided. Intraspecific variation between different geographical populations of T. meridiana sp. nov. is discussed.

Phylogenetic study of the genus Sternolophus Solier (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae) based on adult morphology.

The phylogeny of the hydrophilid genus Sternolophus Solier, 1834 was examined in this study using 60 morphological adult characters, eight of them continuous and 52 discrete. The cladistic analysis resulted in a single most parsimonious tree with two major subclades corresponding, respectively, to species previously assigned to the subgenera Sternolophus s. str. Solier and Neosternolophus Zaitzev, although they are not re-instated. The species groups S. angolensis (Erichson, 1843) and S. solieri Castelnau, 1840 are recovered as monophyletic. The biogeography and diversification of the species of Sternolophus are briefly discussed.

Discovery of the genus Claraeola Aczél in Iran with the description of two new species (Diptera: Pipunculidae).

The genus Claraeola Aczél is recorded from Iran for the first time. Two new species, Claraeola parnianae Motamedinia & Kehlmaier sp. nov. and Claraeola khorshidae Motamedinia & Kehlmaier sp. nov., are described and illustrated. An updated identification key to the Western Palaearctic species of the genus Claraeola is provided. Both species were characterized morphologically and by DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial COI gene.

A review of the genus Minthodes Brauer & Bergenstamm (Diptera: Tachinidae) in Iran, with the description of a new species.

Minthodes susae Gilasian & Ziegler sp. nov. (Diptera: Tachinidae), from southwestern Iran, is described and illustrated, and compared with M. brevipennis (Brauer & Bergenstamm) from Turkey. A lectotype is recognised for Pseudomintho brevipennis Brauer & Bergenstamm (currently a species of Minthodes) and its designation is attributed to Mesnil. Minthodes pictipennis Brauer & Bergenstamm is newly recorded from Iran and Turkey, and M. latifacies Herting is reported from Iran for the first time. An identification key to the four Minthodes Brauer & Bergenstamm species known to occur in Iran is provided. Finally, new data are given on the intraspecific variation of Minthodes atra (Kugler).

Description of Myolepta pazukii Gilasian & Reemer sp. nov. (Diptera: Syrphidae) with notes on the Iranian species of Myolepta Newman.

Myolepta pazukii Gilasian & Reemer sp. nov. is described from Iran based on a single male specimen. Photographs of the male holotype and illustrations of its abdomen and hypandrium are provided. The new species is incorporated into the key to the west Palaearctic Myolepta species provided by Reemer et al. (2004). Taxonomic notes and distribution data on two recorded Iranian Myolepta species are presented.

The first southwest Asian record of the subfamily Microdontinae, and the description of a new species of Metadon Reemer from Iran (Diptera: Syrphidae).

Metadon persicus Gilasian & Reemer sp. nov. is described, based on a single female specimen from the Zagros mountains in Iran. Morphological variation among the members of the genus Metadon Reemer and their distribution in the world are discussed. Photographs of the new species are provided. The subfamily Microdontinae represents a new taxon for southwestern Asia and the genus Metadon is reported from the western Palaearctic region for the first time.

Revision of the Tephritis maccus species group (Diptera: Tephritidae) with description of a new species from Iran.

The maccus species group of the genus Tephritis Latreille 1804 is revised. The maccus group contains five species with a radiate wing pattern, cell r without or with only one large hyaline spot or indentation on the anterior wing margin, and the aculeus moderately broad, sharply narrowing and pointed at the very apex. The included species are: Tephritis azari Mohamadzade Namin & Korneyev, Tephritis gharalii sp. nov., Tephritis maccus Hering, Tephritis sophus and Tephritis urelliosomima Korneyev & Dirlbek.

A revision of the genus Pelecocera Meigen with the description of the male of pelecocera persiana Kuznetzov from Iran (Diptera: Syrphidae).

The genus Pelecocera Meigen (Diptera: Syrphidae) is revised. Type material of most species was studied to describe, illustrate and delimit the male of Pelecocera persiana Kuznetzov, recently discovered from Iran. This is the first known specimen of this species since 1914, when the type female was collected. The diagnostic characters of P. persiana are provided, along with an identification key for Pelecocera species. The lectotype of Pelecocera latifrons Loew is designated.