title: Molecular and Morphological Inference of Three Cryptic Species within the Merodon aureus Species Group (Diptera: Syrphidae).
abstract: 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 Günz-Mindel interglaciation and the Great interglaciation (between the Ris and Mindel glacial periods).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1616-2701
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Šašić
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Biosystems Research, BioSense Institute-Research Institute for Information Technologies in Biosystems, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ačanski
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ante
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vujić
authors.affiliation: Zoology Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ståhls
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
authors.forename: Snežana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Radenković
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dubravka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Milić
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Obreht Vidaković
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
authors.forename: Mihajla
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Đan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004175:Diptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics*; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
chemical_list: D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV