Pyropteron ceriaeformis (Lucas, 1849)

(Figs 14, 97–99, 108, 115)

Sesia ceriaeformis Lucas, 1849: Exploration scientifique de l’Algérie pendant les années 1840, 1841, 1842. Sciences physiques, Zoologie, 3: 369, pl. 2, Fig. 6. Holotype: ♂, Algeria, Oran, Djebel-Santa-Cruz (lost).

Sesia doryliformis (var. ceriaeformis) var. teriolensis Staudinger, 1894: Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift Iris, 7: 251. Holotype: ♂, Italy, Südtirol, Bozen, Eisacktal near Blumau [Patria dubia, this species does not occur in southern Tyrol] (MFNB).

This species as well as P. euglossaeformis were synonymized with P. doryliformis by Staudinger (1871). It was raised to species rank by Bartsch et al. (2006) based on differences in the biology and details of the morphology. The holotype of Sesia ceriaeformis is considered to be lost (Špatenka et al. 1999), and our efforts to find it in the MNHN have been without success. The original illustration by Lukas (1850), however, is distinctive. To stabilize the nomenclature of this taxon, we hereby designate a neotype for S. ceriaeformis . We chose the lectotype of Sesia doryliformis ceriaeformis f. auresiana as this taxon was established as an infrasubspecific name and is therefore unavailable (Fig. 99).

This species occurs in several individual forms, which differ in the coloration of their abdomens, but all of them are easily recognizable by a distinct red point in the forewing discal spot, on both upper and underside. A dark form of P. ceriaeformis is abundant at high altitudes in Morocco. It has the abdomen black and only tergite 4 with a broad posterior margin, which is yellow in males and red in females (Figs 97–98). Specimens from Lambese, the locus typicus, are paler and have the posterior margins of tergites 2, 4 and 7 yellow-white in males and of tergites 2, 4 and 6 silver-white more or less suffused with red in females (Fig. 99). Both forms are otherwise very similar in size, coloration and size and shape of the transparent areas, leaving little doubt about their conspecifity (see Bartsch et al. 2006).

Diagnosis. P. ceriaeformis is very similar to P. icteropus . Both species are distinguished by the coloration of the forewing discal spot, which is pure red in P. ceriaeformis, but black and dusted with red scales in P. icteropus . In male P. ceriaeformis, only tergite 4 of the abdomen with broad orange posterior margin (in P. icteropus at least abdominal tergites 2 and 4, occasionally also tergites 5–7 with broad yellow posterior margins as well as tergite 3 with broad yellow dorso-medial spot); in female, posterior margin of tergite 4 broad red or posterior margins of tergites 2, 4 and 6 silver-white more or less suffused with red (in P. icteropus tergites 2, 4–6 usually with red posterior margins and tergite 3 with broad red spot). Females of P. ceriaeformis lack the forewing ATA, which is present in P. icteropus . The genitalia of both sexes are very similar to that of P. doryliformis . In P. ceriaeformis males, the medial flap of the gnathos is less raised and the distal portion of the crista sacculi of the valva has a short triangular tooth (without such tooth in P. doryliformis and most other members of the species group, with a much larger tooth in P. biedermanni). The female genitalia have the antrum only in anterior third somewhat narrowed, corpus bursae round and with indistinct signum in the form of a sclerotized plate (signum similar in P. doryliformis, consists of numerous spines in P. icteropus and P. euglossaeformis).

Barcodes. P. ceriaeformis is sister to a clade consisting of P. euglossaeformis and P. icteropus .

Biology and habitat. In the vicinity of Oukaimeden, P. ceriaeformis is very common in places where Rumex acetosa was the only possible host plant (our own observations).

Distribution. Northern parts of Morocco, Algeria (Bartsch et al. 2006) and Tunisia.

Specimens examined. Neotype ♀ (lectotype of f. auresiana, Fig. 99) with labels: “ Algeria / Lambese / VI.1912 / leg. Powell ”; “ Neotypus / Sesia ceriaeformis / Lucas, 1849 / ♀ / D. Bartsch, des. 2020” (MNHP). 14♂, Morocco, Haut Atlas, Oukaimeden, 2300–2700m, pheromon, 3.VI.1999, 31°03’N, 08°01’W, leg. DB (Bartsch gen. prep. 2001-17) (Fig. 97); 1♂, ibid., 4.VI.1999, leg. DB (Bartsch gen. prep. 2001-14) (Fig. 108); 2♂, ibid., 5.VI.1999, leg. DB (Bartsch gen. prep. 2001-13); 15♂, 1♀, ibid., 11.VI.1999 (♀ Bartsch gen. prep. 2001-01); 8♂, 1♀ (Fig. 98), ibid., 12.VI.1999, leg. DB; 8♂, ibid., 13.VI.1999, leg. DB; 38♂, 1♀, ibid., 14.VI.2007, leg. DB; 1♀, ibid., 23.VI.2007, leg. DB; 1♂, Morocco, Middle Atlas, Tanout-ou-Fillali, 2000m, 6.V.1999, leg. DB (CDB, SMNS); 3♂, Morocco, Haut Atlas, Oukaimeden, 2500–2800m, 16–19.vi.2009, leg. A. Salk (CAK); 1♀, Algeria, Lambese, 15.VI.1902, leg. Korb (Bartsch gen. prep. 2001-04) (Fig. 115); 1♂, same data (Bartsch gen. prep. 2001-05); 1♀, same data (Bartsch gen. prep. 2001-19) (ZSM); 1♂, Tunisia (CRB); 1♂, Morocco, Haut Atlas, Oukaimeden, 2650 m, 6.VI.2008, leg. FP; 4♂, ibid., 20.VI.2008, leg. FP (BOX-2219 F10); 23♂, ibid., 2520 m, 6.VI.2008, leg. FP (photo 2008/199-209); 7♂, ibid., 20.VI.2008, leg. FP; 1♂, ibid., 28.VI.2009, leg. FP; 1♂, ibid., 2785 m, 28.VI.2009, leg. FP; 1♂, ibid., 2790 m, 6.VII.2009, leg. FP (CFP).