Pyropteron jordanicum Bartsch, Puhringer, Lingenhole & Kallies 2021, sp. nov.

Pyropteron jordanicum Bartsch, Pühringer, Lingenhöle & Kallies sp. nov.

(Figs 23, 152–155, 166–168, 226)

This species was recorded as P. pipiziformis from several localities in Israel by Freina & Lingenhöle (2000). The same authors also gave a brief description and illustrate the variability of the male genitalia. Almost the entire type series was captured by Lingenhöle, who donated specimens to other collections.

Description. Male. Alar expanse 11.0–18.0 mm (holotype 17.0 mm). Head almost entirely brownish-black; inner side of labial palpus white ventrally; frons additional with purple shine; vertex glossy black; pericephalic scales orange, laterally somewhat paler; antenna dorsally with white, subapical patch or even with some white scales. Thorax black with steel-blue gloss; patagia and mesothorax ventro-laterally with large orange patch. Legs black with steel-blue gloss; tarsus white, slightly mixed with dark grey distally, first tarsomere on proximal half dark grey; spurs white; fore leg with lateral half of coxa white and tibia ventrally with tuft of pale brownish-yellow scales; tibia of mid and hind leg with large white patch laterally. Wings black with steel-blue gloss; forewing transparent areas well developed; the PTA reaching discal spot; ETA consisting of 5–6 cells; discal spot narrow; apical area absent; hindwing discal spot short and narrow. Abdomen black with steel-blue gloss, laterally with longitudinal, orange stripe, widened distally on sternites 4–7; tergite 4 orange; anal tuft black.

Male genitalia. Gnathos flaps well-developed, ovoid, the middle one distally shorter; crista sacculi medially flattened, distally very high, setae subdistally mostly but not always with a more or less large gap.

Female. Alar expanse 13.0–15.0 mm. Similar to male, but antenna without white scales; tarsus of all legs black; spurs ventrally brownish-black; transparent areas smaller, the PTA not reaching the discal spot; ETA consisting of 5 cells, first and last one very short; apical area present.

Diagnosis. The male of P. jordanicum differs from that of P. pipiziformis as follows: ETA very large (smaller in P. pipiziformis); apical area reduced (well-developed in P. pipiziformis); forewing discal spot somewhat smaller, caudally narrowed; white elements of the legs more prominent; anal tuft black (basally and laterally suffused with orange in P. pipiziformis). The male genitalia are very similar to that of P. pipiziformis, but have the setaceous area well separated from the distal portion of the crista sacculi (connected by a narrow stripe of setae in P. pipiziformis). The difference in the DNA barcode of the two species is large, with more than 5%. Both, P. pipiziformis and P. jordanicum sp. nov. are similar to P. atypica. With more than 20 mm wingspan the latter species is, however, distinctly larger, has its head and thorax entirely black, lacks white markings of the legs, has the proximal half of tibia of mid and hind leg dorso-laterally pale orange and a ventrally closed orange ring on abdominal segment four.

Variation. There is little variation in the external appearance of this species. Specimens from Jordan are somewhat larger than those from Israel and have sometimes the stalk of veins R4 and R5 extremely long. Occasionally there are specimens with the space between veins R4 and R5 filled with scales, not partially hyaline as usually. One specimen from Beit Zayit, Israel, has the coxa of the fore leg nearly completely white. A relatively large variability is seen in the crista sacculi of the male valve. The field of setae can be continuous or have a clear gap (Freina & Lingenhöle 2000).

Barcodes. This species is sister to the previous with an average distance of 5.6%, while the average intraspecific variation is just above 1%.

Biology and habitat. The hostplant is unknown. Freina & Lingenhöle (2000) report that numerous specimens were collected in ruderal places in Israel with the help of various artificial pheromones. Males attracted to pheromones fly very low, close to the ground (pers. observation Lingenhöle).

Distribution. So far known from Israel and Jordan (Freina & Lingenhöle 2000).

Etymology. This species is named after the river Jordan, whose banks are in the centre of its distribution area.

Specimens examined. Holotype ♂ (Figs 153–154) with labels: “ Israel / Süd Golan / Umg. Eli Al 350 m / 30.4.– 1.5.1999 / leg. Lingenhöle ”; “ Holotypus / Pyropteron / jordanicum / ♂ / D. Bartsch, des. 2020” (SMNS). Paratypes: 105♂, 1♀, same data as holotype (Fig. 155) (1♂ AL gen. prep. 101) (Fig. 167); 37♂, Israel, 15 km W Jerusalem, Beit Zayit, 700m, 8. V.1999 (3♂ AL gen. prep. 108, 109, 110); 43♂, Israel, North Golan, vic. Banyas, 500m, 3.–4. V.1999 (3♂ AL gen. prep. 102, 111, 112) (102, Fig. 168), (1♂ Bartsch gen. prep. 2019-27) (Fig. 166) (BOLD DB-Lep-00013); 4♂, N-Israel, Meron Mts, vic. Zefat, 5km S Meron, 5. V.1999; 4♂, Israel, Galiläa, Gilboa Mts, Ha-Gilboa Res., 350m, 28.–29.IV.1999; 2♂, N-Israel, Mount Kamal, vic. Isfiya, 400–500m, 5. V.1999, all leg. AL (SMNS, CAK, CAL, CDB, CTG, CTS); 1♀ (Bartsch gen. prep. 2020-06) (Fig. 226), Israel, Mt. Carmel-Nahal Nesher, 14. VI.2000, leg. Török (slide DB 2020-06, SMNS); 7♂, Jordan, Ajloun gouvernorate, Ajloun, 32°19’49,4’’N, 35°43’46,2’’E, 28. V.2009, leg. Stalling; 1♂, same locality, 32°19’N, 35°44’E, 29. V.2009, leg. Stalling; 3♂, Jordan, Irbid Gouv., Jadita, Wadi Yabis, 32°24’00’’N, 35°40’22’’E, 260m, 28. V.2009, 11:00 h, leg. Stalling (CTS); 1♂, Jordan, Prov. Ajloun, Ajloun, 08. V.2008, leg. W. Garrevoet (CTG); 4♂, Israel, Golan, vic. Eli Al, 350 m, 30.IV.-1. V.1999, leg. AL; 3♂, Israel, Beit Zayit w. Jerusalem, 700 m, 8. V.1999, leg. AL (BOX-2219 A02); 1♂, Israel, Nord-Golan, Banyas — Umg., 500 m, 3.–4. V.1999, leg. AL (CFP).