Pyropteron leucomelaena blaesii Bartsch, Pühringer, Lingenhöle & Kallies, 2021

Bartsch, Daniel, Pühringer, Franz, Milla, Liz, Lingenhöle, Arthur & Kallies, Axel, 2021, A molecular phylogeny and revision of the genus Pyropteron Newman, 1832 (Lepidoptera, Sesiidae) reveals unexpected diversity and frequent hostplant switch as a driver of speciation, Zootaxa 4972 (1), pp. 1-75 : 40-41

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4972.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E78473FE-5662-409A-90C2-7C4912DC57E8
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4914578
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/EB498780-E816-FFF1-5BA4-F8ADBE93F866
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Pyropteron leucomelaena blaesii Bartsch, Pühringer, Lingenhöle & Kallies
status	subsp. nov.

Treatment

Pyropteron leucomelaena blaesii Bartsch, Pühringer, Lingenhöle & Kallies ssp. nov.

( Figs 16 View FIGURES 11–18 , 123–128 View FIGURES 120–134 , 223 View FIGURES 221–225 , 231 View FIGURES 226–232 )

This subspecies appears to be limited to Northern Africa and the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula. The single male from southern Spain that was DNA-barcoded in this study clearly clusters with specimens from Morocco but is externally indistinguishable from those of the typical subspecies. We here include it as well as further specimens from the same region provisionally with P. leucomelaena blaesii ssp. nov. However, more work is required to clarify the identity of the populations on the Iberian Peninsula.

Diagnosis. Wingspan of holotype 14.0 mm. Males of this subspecies differ from the typical ones by the ventrally pure black abdomen and the somewhat broader forewing apical area and discal spots of both wings. Females differ by an additional white caudal margin of tergite 2 (missing in Spanish specimens).

Distribution. Currently known from Morocco and southern Spain. Laštůvka & Laštůvka (1995, 2001) and Špatenka et al. (1999) also mention Algeria and Tunisia, which is likely to relate to P. leucomelaena blaesii ssp. nov. The geographical delimitation to the nominate subspecies in south-western Europe is still insufficiently known.

Etymology. This new subspecies is named after Rolf Bläsius, Eppelheim, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the knowledge of the Western Palaearctic Sesiidae and other Lepidoptera .

Specimens examined. Holotype ♂ ( Figs 126–127 View FIGURES 120–134 ) with labels: “ Maroc: Prov. Marrakech, / Haut Atlas , northern slope of / Tizi-n Test, ca. 1500 m, / 30°50’30’’N 8°22’53’’W, / 24.VI.2007, at Pheromon, / D. Bartsch leg.”; “ Holotypus / Pyropteron / leucomelaena blaesii / ♂ / D. Bartsch, des. 2020” ( SMNS) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 2♂, same data as holotype, leg. DB GoogleMaps ; 5♂, Morocco, High Atlas , southern slope of Tizi-n Test, 2000–2200m, 10., 11. and 14. VI .1999, leg. DB; 3♂, Morocco, High Atlas , Oukaimeden, 2700m, 23. VI .2007, leg. DB; 1♀ ( Fig. 125 View FIGURES 120–134 ), Morocco, High Atlas, vic. valley d’Ait Bou Guemes , valley d’Arrous, Aid Said, 1850m, e.l. ex Sanguisorba minor , larva 25. V ., adult 27.VI.2005, leg. DB; 1♂, Morocco, Middle Atlas , Prov. Ifrane, Val d’Ifrane, 1600m, 21. VI .2007, leg. DB; 1♂, Morocco, Middle Atlas , Prov. Ifrane, Tizi’n Tretten, 1950m, 20. VI .2007, leg. DB (Bartsch gen. prep. 2020-11) ( Fig. 223 View FIGURES 221–225 ); 3♂, Morocco, Middle Atlas , Khenifra, southern slope of Col du Zad, 2000m, 18. VI .2007, leg. DB; 7♂, 1♀ ( Fig. 128 View FIGURES 120–134 ), Morocco, Middle Atlas , Khenifra, 2km NE Aghbala, 1850–1900m, 16. VI .2007, leg. DB (Bartsch gen. prep. 2020-12) ( Fig. 214 View FIGURES 206–220 ); 1♂, Morocco, Middle Atlas , Beni Mellal, Tizi-n Ifar, 1680m, 16. VI .2007, leg. DB; 1♂, ibid., 1400–1600m, 6. VI .1999, leg. DB (CDB). 6♂, Morocco, Tizi-n Test , 2100m, 14. VI .1999, leg. AL; 4♂, Morocco, Tizi-n Tichka , 1800m, 29. VI .1998, leg. AL; 1♂, Morocco, High Atlas , 2700m, Oukaimeden, 25. VI .1998, leg. AL; 1♂, Middle Atlas , Ifrane, 1700m, 3. VII .1998, leg. AL; 3♂, Morocco, Middle Atlas , Tizi-n Ifar, 1400m, 5. VI .1999, leg. AL; 1♂, Morocco, Mittl. Atlas , Azilal- Ait Mhammed, 1800m, 30. VI .1998, leg. AL; 5♂, Morocco, High Atlas , Tizin-n Ilissi, 2600m, 26. VI .2015, leg. AL; 7♂, Morocco, Middle Atlas , Boulemane, 1780m, 28. VI .2015, leg. AL; 17♂, Morocco, High Atlas , Ourika valley, vic. Setti Fatma, 1460m, 22. VI .2015, leg. AL; 2♂, Morocco, High Atlas , Teluet Tasga, 1980m, 18. VI .2015, leg. AL;. 2♂, Morocco, Haut Atlas , Asif Arous b. Agouti, 1800 m, 8. VI .2003, leg. RB; 3♂, Morocco, Haut Atlas , Rbat [b. Ait Bou Gemez], 1900 m, 6. VI .2003, leg. RB; 2♂, Morocco, Haut Atlas , S Taddert N Tizi-n-Tichka, 1690 m, 20. VI .2008, leg. FP (CCDB-02110 B12 = FP Lep 00024); 3♂, Morocco, Haut Atlas , Tizi-n-Tichka, 2220 m, 23. VI .2005, leg. FP (photo 2005/595-604); 1♂, Morocco, Haut Atlas , W Telouet (Tizi-n-Tichka), 2000 m, 30. VI .2005, leg. FP; 1♂, Morocco, Moyen Atlas, E Aghbala , 1860 m, 27. VI .2005, leg. FP (CCDB-02110 B06 = FP Lep 00018), photo 2005/1446-1451; abdomen in ethanol); 1♂, Morocco, Moyen Atlas , N Azilal, 1480 m, 16. VI .2008, leg. FP; 2♂, Morocco, Moyen Atlas , N Ifrane, Str. nach Fez, 1610 m, 25. VI .2005, leg. FP (photo 2005/756-758); 1♂, Morocco, Moyen Atlas , Ifrane, Source Vittel, 1600 m, 18. VI .2008, leg. FP; 1♂, ibid., 23. VI .2009, leg. FP; 2♂, Morocco, Moyen Atlas , Ifrane, 1640 m, 9. VI .2008, leg. FP; 3♂, Morocco, Moyen Atlas , Khenifra, El Khemis, 1540 m, 7. VI .2008, leg. FP; 1♂, Morocco, Moyen Atlas , M. F. Ait-Azrou N El Khemis, 1050 m, 7. VI .2008, leg. FP; 2♂, Morocco, Moyen Atlas, W Tizi n’Ifar , 1720 m, 15. VI .2008, leg. FP; 1♂, Morocco, Moyen Atlas , Ait Mhammed SE Azilal, 1750 m, 29. VI .2005, leg. FP (photo 2005/1058-1070); 5♂, ibid., 1690–1740 m, 16. VI .2008, leg. FP (CCDB-02110 B09 = FP Lep 00021); 6♂, ibid., 1690–1800 m, 27. VI .2009, leg. FP; 5♂, Morocco, Moyen Atlas , SE Boulemane, 1790 m, 24. VI .2009, leg. FP (CCDB-02112 A07 = FP Lep 00197) ( CFP) .

Specimens not included in the type series. 35♂, Spain, Sierra Nevada, Mt. Prado Llano, 1500m, 1.VII.1989, leg. AL; 14♂, Spain, Sierra de Alfacar , 1200m , 24.VI .1989 , leg. AL; 6♂, Spain, Sierra Nevada , 2000m, vic. Trevelez, 14.VII.1993; 18♂, Spain, Sierra Nevada , 2030m, 37°07’07,6’’N, 03°26’13,0’’W GoogleMaps , 26.VI .2012 , leg. AL ( Figs 123–124 View FIGURES 120–134 ) (CAL). 1♂, Spain, Malaga , Puerto de Encinas Borrachas SW Ronda, 900–1000 m, 2.VII.2000, leg. FP; 1♀, Spain, Granada , VI .1925, leg. Predota; 1♂, Spain, Granada , Sierra Nevada , Pico del Veleta, Monte Ahí de Cara, 1900 m , 12.VII.2000, leg. FP (photo 44/2/31-39); 1♂, Spain, Sierra Nevada, Juviles S Berchules , 1400 m, 11.VII.2000, leg. FP (CCDB-02110 B11 = FP Lep 00023), photo 44/2/20-25); 1♀, Spain, Sierra Nevada, S Puerto de la Ragua, 1500 m, 25.VI.1988, leg. M. Schwarz; 1♂, 1♀, Spain, Jaen , Cambil, 23.VI.1988, leg. M. Schwarz (CFP).