In this research, we applied integrative taxonomy approach in order to delimit species of Merodon caerulescens species complex. Molecular analyses confirmed COI sequence divergence between the Rhodes and Crete populations. Additionally, ITS2 sequences show certain differences which should be additionally tested. 28S rRNA gene sequences once again proved to be too conserved for closely related species delimitation. Geometric morphometry results indicate differences in wings shape between males and females of the two islands populations. Additionally, subtle differences between the two populations in the body coverage and colouration of hairs are also observed. Thus, based on the all presented evidence we concluded that taxon Merodon caerulescens is a complex of two species, M. caerulescens (Rhodes) and M. atricapillatus sp. n. (Crete).

Uni ver sity of No vi Sad, Fa culty of Sci en ces, De part ment of Bi o logy and Eco logy Trg Do si te ja Ob ra do vi ća 2, No vi Sad 21000, Ser bia 2 Uni ver sity of No vi Sad, Re se arch In sti tu te for In for ma tion Tec hno lo gi es in Bi osystems, Bi o Sen se In sti tu te Trg Dr Zo ra na Đin đi ća 1, No vi Sad 21000, Ser bia EN VI RON MEN TAL ANALYSIS OF CON SER VA TI O NALLY SIG NI FI CANT Eu me rus AND Platyche i rus SPE CI ES (Dip te ra: Syrp hi dae) IN SER BIA AB STRACT: Due to ra i sing en vi ron men tal pres su res, the num ber of spe ci es ex po sed to risk of ex tin cti on is al so in cre a sing. One of the first steps in spe ci es pre ser va tion is the ir le gal pro tec tion. Ho we ver, it is im pos si ble to pro tect all spe ci es, the re fo re, con ser va tion pri o ri ti es are to be esta blis hed. The aim of this study was to analyze the en vi ron men tal niches of spe ci es from two ge ne ra: Eu me rus Me i gen, 1822 and Platyche i rus le Pe le ti er et Servil le, 1828 re cog ni zed as im por tant for con ser va tion in Ser bia (strictly pro tec ted and protec ted ac cor ding to na ti o nal le gi sla tion or ones to be sug ge sted for fu tu re pro tec tion). For spe ci es of ge ne ra Eu me rus and Platyche i rus, di stri bu ti o nal pat terns in re la tion to al ti tu de, an nual pre ci pi ta tion and an nual mean tem pe ra tu re we re esta blis hed. In or der to com pa re en vi ron men tal nic hes of the se spe ci es, Prin ci pal Com po nent Analysis (PCA) was car ried out, which in di ca ted par tial over lap of the en vi ron men tal nic hes of the se two ge ne ra, but Platyche i rus spe ci es se e med to be bet ter adap ted to har sher con di ti ons. Spe ci es ric hness maps in di ca ted that for Eu me rus the most spe ci es-rich are as we re Bač ka and mo un ta ins of Ea stern Ser bia, whi le Di na ric mo un ta ins in We stern Ser bia we re rich in spe ci es of both gene ra. Pro tec ting ha bi tats with dif fe rent com bi na tion of cli ma tic con di ti ons will con tri bu te to pro tec tion and con ser va tion of spe ci es with dif fe rent en vi ron men tal pre fe ren ces. KEYWORDS: con ser va tion, en vi ron men tal nic hes, ho ver f li es, PCA, pro tec ted speci es