Lemonia levantina, Prozorov & Prozorova & Volkova & Yakovlev & Saldaitis & Ortiz & Bianco & Schneider & Revay & Müller, 2022

Prozorov, Alexey M., Prozorova, Tatiana A., Volkova, Julia S., Yakovlev, Roman V., Saldaitis, Aidas, Ortiz, Antonio S., Bianco, Giovanni, Schneider, Tom, Revay, Edita E. & Müller, Günter C., 2022, Description of a new Middle Eastern Lemonia species, comments on the Lemonia philopalus complex and Lemonia syriensis (Lepidoptera: Brahmaeidae: Lemoniinae), Ecologica Montenegrina 57, pp. 77-97 : 88-91

Lemonia levantina sp. n.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DF78B3FB-7901-4181-9C84-F85DA02CD5E6

( Figs 1–3 , 7 , 15–16 , 33–38 , 61–65 , 77–79 )

Type material: HOLOTYPE ♂, Jordan , Rift Valley, 40 km N of Aqaba, sands NW Rahma, ca. 100 m, leg. G. Müller & E. Revay ( ZSM) . PARATYPES (195♂, 22♀ total; all CGM): Egypt : 36♂, 4♀, SW Sinai, 30 km E of Abu Zenima , edge of sand dunes, contacted semi-shrub vegetation, 500 m, 25.I –5.II.1996, 28.I – 12.II.1998, 5–17.II.1999, leg. G. Müller ; 4♂, ♀, S Sinai, near Sharm El-Sheikh , 200 m, II.2002, I.2009, leg. V. Kravchenko & G. Müller ; ♂, S Sinai, Saint Catherine , ca. 1800 m, 5–20.XI.2002, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, S Sinai, Saint Catherine , ca. 500 m, I.2002, I.2003, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, Sinai, Abu Darbah, I.2002, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, ♀, Sinai, Dahab , ca. 200 m, I.2002, leg. G. Müller ; 3♂, ♀, East Coast, Jebel Hamafah , ca. 800 m, 5–12.XII.2002, leg. V. Kravchenko & G. Müller ; 2♂, Eastern Desert, Sudan border, Jebel Hamatha , ca. 800 m, II.2003, leg. V. Kravchenko & G. Müller ; 2♂, Eastern Desert, Ras Garib City , 50 m, XI.2002, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, Jabal al ‘ Urf , 900 m, I.2003, leg. G. Müller ; 4♂, Zaafarana , 500 m, I.2003, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, Hurghada, Jebel Abu Harbak, 800–1200 m, XI.2002 – I.2003, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, Bir- Abraq , 23.35° N, 34.48° E, 1100–1400 m, 29.XII.2008, leg. Evans. Gaza Strip: 5♂, near Rafah , ca. 500 m, 12.I.2001, leg. G. Müller ; 2♂, Beit Hanoun , 500 m, 10–20.I.2002, leg. V. Kravchenko & G. Müller ; 5♂, South Gaza Strip , ca. 50 m, XII.2001, leg. G. Müller. Israel: 10♂, ♀, Western Negev , ca. 200 m, I.2003, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, Negev, Holot ` Agur , II.2002, leg. V. Kravchenko & G. Müller ; 7♂, Arad , 500–600 m, XII.2001, I.2002, II.2002, I.2003, leg. G. Müller ; 21♂, 2♀, Samar , ca. 100 m, 15.II.1985, 12–17.II.1988, II.2009, leg. G. Müller ; 9♂, Southern Arava valley, near Grofit , ca. 150 m, II.2010, leg. V. Kravchenko & G. Müller ; 3♂, Grofit , ca. 150 m, 8.II.1987, leg. G. Müller ; 3♂, Southern Arava, Grofit , ca. 150 m, 3.II.2000, 6.II.2000, leg. G. Müller ; 9♂, Southern Arava Valley, near Grofit , ca. 150 m, II.2000, leg. V. Kravchenko & G. Müller ; ♂, SW Negev, Nahal Pehami , 2.II.2000, leg. G. Müller ; 5♂, sands N Eilat , II.1989, leg. G. Müller ; 2♂, 15 km N Eilat , I.2003, leg. G. Müller. Jordan: 18♂, ♀, Rift Valley , 40 km N of Aqaba, sands NW Rahma, ca. 100 m, leg. G. Müller & E. Revay ; 10♂, ♀, Rift Valley , 90 km N of Aqaba, sands SW Ar-Rishah, ca. 100 m, leg. G. Müller & E. Revay ; ♂, Halat Ammar , ca. 900 m, I.2002, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, Al- Jafr , ca. 900 m, I.2002, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, Aqaba, ca. 100 m, II.2002, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, 50 km N Amman, Al Maidal , 1000 m, 25–30 I.2002, leg. G. Müller , BC JM 0055. Iraq: 10♂, Ad Nadhatah , ca. 600 m, I.2003, leg. G. Müller ; 1♂, Wadi Muhammadi , ca. 300 m, I.2003, leg. G. Müller. Saudi Arabia: 7♂, 3♀, Al Bid' , ca. 400 m, II.2004, leg. G. Müller ; 5♂, 2♀, Rijal , ca. 1500 m, 1–10.II.2002, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, Jabal Buwarah , ca. 1200 m, XII.2001, leg. G. Müller ; ♂, Alflumaydah , ca. 100 m, II.2002, leg. G. Müller.

Diagnosis. Levantine-Egyptian species, it has a 4.86% genetic distance from the Moroccan L. philopalus rungsi and 5.55% from the Iberian L. vazquezi ( Figs 77–78 ). Externally and morphologically variable, no reliable character found to distinguish it from the sister species. Worn specimens may be confused with the sympatric Lemonia syriensis Daniel, 1953 ( Figs 39–53 ), but generally the coloration of L. levantina sp. n. is darker and more contrasting, cilia paler, forewings narrower (see Figs 34 and 45 ); uncus usually with well pronounced isthmus (see Figs 64 and 70 ); imagoes occur in sandy desert areas instead of grasslands ( Figs 79–81 ).

Description. Male habitus. Antenna brown, pectination elongates within the first sixth of the antenna length and stays the same length until the distal 1/6 th where it quickly shortens. Flagellum tripectinate – each flagellomere bears a pair of opposite ventral lateral elongated rami and a single short medial ramus on the ventral side, all three densely covered with sensilla ( Figs 1–2 ). Maxillary palpi very small ( Fig. 1 ); labial palpi three-segmented ( Fig. 3 ). Venation similar to other Lemonia species ( Figs 7–8 ). Forewing length: 18– 25 mm; wingspan: 40–49 mm. Background coloration brown, veins creamy. Cilia creamy. Discal spot a creamy torus on outer margin of cell. External field may be pale ( Fig. 33 ) or of background color ( Fig. 34 ), external line of pale color, more or less pronounced. Hindwing follows the same coloration as forewing but without discal spot, may be completely pale ( Fig. 33 ) or with lighter medial field ( Fig. 34 ). Cilia creamy. Abdomen dorsally dark brown with creamy interspace between abdominal segments, ventrally creamy. Femur yellow and tibia creamy, tarsi black and creamy. The tibial spur formula is 0-2-2, epiphysis absent ( Figs 15–16 ). Foreleg’s basitarsus bears 2–3 big spurs, second tarsomere may bear one big spur, distitarsus apically bears a pair of long chaetae. Male genitalia ( Figs 61–65 ). Tegumen somewhat triangular, widening basally. Socii membranous, covered with short chaetae. Uncus elongated, apically may be rounded ( Fig. 64 ) or pointed ( Fig. 65 ), varies in width and length with more or less pronounced isthmus near its base, covered with short chaetae. Gnathos short, rounded, spatula-like with uneven surface, narrow subanal plate going from it towards anal opening. Vinculum narrow, band-like. Valvae elongated, rounded, covered with chaetae, ventral lateral margin more or less convex ( Figs 64–65 ); sacculus weakly pronounced. Juxta boat-like, apically rounded, widened basally, surrounds aedeagus. Aedeagus elongated, narrow, c-shaped. Vesica small, bag-shaped. The eighth sternum small, somewhat triangular, apically rounded, varies in shape. The eighth tergum trapezoid not modified. Female habitus similar to male ( Figs 36, 38 ), but larger in size, antenna pectination shorter, discal spot less pronounced if at all. Forewing length: 26–28 mm; wingspan: 48– 55 mm. Female genitalia have not been studied.

Etymology. We dedicate the subspecies to the region of the Levant where the species was predominantly collected.

Distribution ( Fig. 77 ). Mainly arid, sandy areas in North East and South East Egypt, Southern Israel, Jordan, Northern Iraq and Northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Biology ( Fig. 79 ). The new species is found in semidesert and desert habitats with annual precipitation below 300 mm. The psammophilous taxon inhabits areas with sparse and scattered vegetation. It occurs mainly on lowland with a few records in SE Egypt above 1000 m, here it is restricted to water catchments in hyper-arid environment. Adults were collected from late November to mid-February with a clear peak from late December to February. The higher the altitude, the earlier adults can be found. It is worthwhile mentioning that the flight period of single populations does not exceed two weeks. The new taxon can be regarded as a late winter – early spring species. In contrast the Western taxa appear to fly mainly in autumn and are found in open and forested Mediterranean grassland habitats, to our best knowledge there are no records from desert habitats.

The early stages of the new taxon are unknown, but the caterpillars are probably night active and feed on low herbaceous plants. The new species is very local, rare and almost the complete material was collected with long-term operated light traps within two decades. Adults appear mainly after midnight until sunrise to light sources, typically at very low temperatures.

Figures

Figures 1–6. Heads of Lemonia spp. 1–3. L. levantina, male, Egypt, border to Sudan, slide Lemon-12 (CGM). 4–6. L. italiana Prozorov et al., 2022, male, Italy, Basilicata (ZSM). 1, 4. Head and antenna. 2, 5. Magnified details of antenna. 3, 6. Magnified palpi. Scale bar – 1 mm.

Figures 7–8. Venation of Lemonia spp. 7. L. levantina, male, Israel, N Eliat, slide Lemon-14 (CGM). 8. L. sibirica Wnukowsky, 1934, male, Russia, Ulyanovsk Oblast (CGM). Deviant cell in L. sibirica forewing venation is highlighted with red. Scale bar – 1 сm.

Figures 9–16. Legs of Lemonia spp. 9–11. L. syriensis. 9. Male, Lebanon, Bequa Valley, slide 14.565 (MWM/ZSM). 10. Male, Israel, slide 14.557 (MWM/ZSM). 11. Male, Jordan, slide 14.567 (MWM/ZSM). 12. L. philopalus philopaus, male, Algeria, slide 8698 (MWM/ZSM). 13. L. philopalus rungsi, male, Morocco, Temelelt (CGM). 14. L. vazquezi, male, Spain, slide 8697 (MWM/ZSM). 15–16. L. levantina. 15. Male, Israel, slide 8696 (MWM/ZSM). 16. Male, Egypt, border to Sudan, slide Lemon-12 (CGM). Scale bar – 1 mm.

Figures 28–38. Adults of Lemonia spp. 28–32. L. philopalus. 28. Male, Algeria, Guelt es Stel, slide Lemon-1 (ZSM). 29. Female, Algeria, Guelt es Stel, BC JM 0101 (MWM/ZSM). 30. Male, Algeria, Hassi Bahbah (CGM). 31. Male, Tunisia, Gabes (MWM/ZSM). 32. Male, Algeria, Guelt es Stel, BC JM 0097 (MWM/ZSM). 33–38. L. levantina. 33. Male, Jordan, Al Maidal, BC JM 0055 (CGM). 34. Holotype male, Jordan, Rift Valley (ZSM). 35. Male, Egypt, border to Sudan (CGM). 36. Female, Saudi Arabia, Al Bid (CGM). 37. Male, Israel, Eilat (CGM). 38. Female, Israel, Samar (CGM). Scale bar – 1 cm.

Figures 58–71. Male genitalia of Lemonia spp. 58–60. L. philopalus. 58. Algeria, slide Lemon-1 (MWM/ZSM). 59. Algeria, slide 8698 (MWM/ZSM). 60. Algeria, slide Lemon-2 (MWM/ZSM). 61–65. L. levantina. 61. Israel, slide 8696 (MWM/ZSM). 62. Egypt, border to Sudan, slide Lemon-12 (CGM). 63. Jordan, Ar Ruwayshid, slide 14.566 (MWM/ZSM). 64. Egypt, border so Sudan, slide Lemon-13 (CGM). 65. Israel, Eilat, slide Lemon-14 (CGM). 66–71. L. syriensis. 66. Egypt, Marsa Alam, slide 13.123 (MWM/ZSM). 67. Israel, W Jerusalem, slide 13.120 (MWM/ZSM). 68. Israel, slide 14.557 (MWM/ZSM). 69. Lebanon, Bequa Valley, slide 14.565 (MWM/ZSM). 70. Jordan, Ash Shobak, slide 14.563 (MWM/ZSM). 71. Jordan, slide 14.567 (MWM/ZSM). Scale bar – 1 mm.

Figures 77–79. Principal differences between L. vazquezi (green), L. philopalus rungsi (orange), L. philopalus philopalus (red), L. levantina (light blue) and L. syriensis (purple): 77. Distribution map (for details visit https://bit.ly/3DunGVv). 78. Phylogenetic tree (Neighbor-joining, Kimura-2 parameters, uniform rates, bootstrap 1000 replicates from MEGA11, Tamura et al., 2021). 79. Pairwise distances (%).

Figures 39–53. Adults of L. syriensis. 39. Holotype male, Turkey, Kahramanmaraş, BC JM 0107 (ZSM). 40–41. Female and male, Turkey, Kahramanmaraş (CGM). 42. Male, Syria, Shaghir Bazar (CGM). 43–44. Female and male, Syria, Homs (CGM). 45–46. Male and female, Lebanon, Bsharri (CGM). 47. Male, Jordan, Malka (CGM). 48. Male, Jordan, Allenby bridge (CGM). 49. Female, Jordan, Hisban (CGM). 50. Male, Jordan, Wadi Araba (CGM). 51. Male, Syria, Golan Heights (CGM). 52. Male, Israel, Rosh Pinna (CGM). 53. Male, Egypt, Hurghada (CGM). Scale bar – 1 cm.