Pyropteron hispanica
Creators: name: Bartsch, Daniel
name: Pühringer, Franz
name: Milla, Liz
name: Lingenhöle, Arthur
name: Kallies, Axel
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Sesiidae
Pyropteron
Pyropteron hispanica

description: Pyropteron hispanica (Kallies, 1999)
(Figs 44, 212–214)
Synansphecia hispanica Kallies, 1999: Nota lepidopterologica, 22 (2): 92, 87 Figs 3–4, 92 Fig. 17b, 96 Fig. 19. Holotype: ♂, Spain, Prov. Almeria, Sierra, Baza, about 2000 m, e.l. Rumex scutatus (MFNB).
This south-western European species is easily recognizable by the nearly black coloration and the white markings on body and legs with large subapical patch of the antenna in both sexes and a narrow, snow-white patch between antenna and ocellus. The similar P. maroccana is dark brown with pale yellow pattern and the white patch between antenna and ocellus is reduced to a few yellow scales. P. triannuliformis, whose larva also feeds in Rumex sp., is more extensive and stronger yellowish marked.
Barcodes. This species shows some heterogeneity in barcode sequences with up to 1.1% intraspecific differences. In our analysis it clusters as sister of P. muscaeformis, however, with low statistical support (Fig. 1).
Biology and habitat. The larvae feed for one year in the root of Rumex scutatus Linnaeus and R. tingitanus Linnaeus (Polygonaceae). Along with its hostplants, the species lives in very different habitats, ranging from sand dunes near the sea and dried up river banks to rocky mountain slopes, often on shale, at up to 2000 m altitude (Kallies 1999 and our own observations). Pupation takes place without cocoon in the gallery of the larva, which often constructs a long exit-tube up to some centimetres above ground level. The moth is on the wing in May and June.
Distribution. Iberian Peninsula and southern France (Kallies 1999, Corley et al. 2009, Laštůvka & Laštůvka 2014).
Specimens examined. 1♂, Portugal, Algarve, Odelouca, 20. VI.2006, leg. Z. Laštůvka (CCDB-02112 D08); 3♂, Spain, Toledo, Robledo del Mazo, 19. VI.2002, leg. Z. Laštůvka (CCDB-02112 D06 and D07); 2♂, ibid., 19. VI.2003, leg. Z. Laštůvka (CFP); 4♂, 3♀, Portugal, E Algarve, Ribeira de Foupana, 2.9km NNW Tenencia, 120–140m, e.l. ex Rumex scutatus, larvae 7. III., adults 29.V.2009, leg. DB; 1♂, 2♀, Portugal, W Algarve, vic. Lagos, Bensafrim, Baragem de Bravura, 60–80m, e.l. ex R. scutatus, larvae 17. III., adults 20.–22.V.2006, leg. DB; 1♀, Portugal, W Algarve, vic. Lagos, Caramujeira, 30–60m, e.l. ex R. scutatus, larva 22. III., adult 8.V.2006, leg. DB (CDB); 1♂, Spain, Almeria, Sierra de Baza, 1800 m, e.l. 6. VI.1993 (ex R. scutatus), leg. RB (CCDB-04642 D05); 1♂, Spain, Granada, Sierra Nevada, Trevelez, 1500 m, 20. VII.1993, leg. RB; 1♂, Spain, Granada, Fregenite NW Rubite, 1180 m, 27. VII.1998, leg. FP (DNAtax 02-10, photo 35/4/40-5/11); 1♀, Spain, Almeria, Desierto de Tabernas, larva 30.IV.1999 (in Rumex scutatus), adult 8. VI.1999, leg. FP (CCDB-04642 D02) (CFP); 1♂, 1♀ (paratype), Spain, Andalusia, Sierra Baza, Escular, 1700m, e.l. ex R. scutatus, larva 19. VI., adult 25.VI. and 28. VII.1993, leg. DB; 4♂ (1♂ paratype), Spain, Andalusia, Serrania de Ronda, Ronda, 500m, 26. and 27. VI.1993, leg. DB; 1♂, 1♀, Spain, Castillo-La-Mancha, vic. los Alares, 580m, 19. VI.2012, leg. AL; 1♂, 1♀, Spain, Castillo-La-Mancha, Horcajo de los Mortes, 435m, 18. VI.2012, leg. AL; 9♂ (Figs 212–213), 3♀ (Fig. 214) (all paratypes), France, Camargue, Aigues Mortes, e.l. ex R. tingitanus, 3.IV., adults 16. VI.–19. VII.1995, leg. DB; 6♂, 8♀, France, Camargue, vic. Aigues Mortes, Mas de Sablons, e.l. ex R. tingitanus, larvae 3.IV., adults 1. VI.–10. VII.1999, leg. DB (BOLD DB-Lep-00055) (CDB); 3♂, 4♀ (all paratypes), S France, Herault, Marseilian Plage, 29. VI.1990, leg. Baumgarten; 1♀, Spain, el Rocia, 25. V.1971, leg. Ertel; 5♂ (paratypes), Spain, Malaga, Benahavis, 25. VI. 1991, 200m, leg. Riefenstahl; 1♀ (paratype), Spain, Almeria, Sa. Baza, e.l. ex R. scutatus, 5. V.1993, leg. RB (SMNS).
description: Published as part of 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, pp. 1-75 in Zootaxa 4972 (1) on page 65, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4972.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4771798