Panurginus cypricus Hopfenmüller, sp. nov.

(Figs 1–3)

Material examined. CYPRUS • Holotype: ♂; ca. 3 km NE of Troodos; 34°56′0′′N 32°53′31 ′′E; 1700 m; Pinus - zone; 12 June 2013; A.W. Ebmer leg.; OÖLM • Paratypes: 1♂, 7♀ ca. 3 km NE of Troodos; 34°56′10′′N 32°53′31′′E; 1700 m; Pinus -zone; 12 Jun 2013; A.W. Ebmer leg.; AWEC, SHPC • 1♂, 10♀ Troodos, Mt. Olympos; 34°55′44′′N 32°52′13′′E; 1850–1900 m; Pinus -zone; 10 Jun 2013; A.W. Ebmer leg.; AWEC, SHPC • 3♀; Troodos, Mt. Olympos, Sun Valley; 34°55′55′′N 32°52′06′′E; 1900 m; Pinus -zone; 14–15 Jun 2013, A.W. Ebmer leg.; AWEC, SHPC • 1♂; Troodos, Olympus; 7 Jun 1988; T. Osten leg.; OÖLM • 1♂, 1♀; Pano Platres; 7 Jun 1988; T. Osten leg.; OÖLM; • 1♀; Troodos, Mt. Olympos; 34.93N 32.86E; 1900 m; 20 Jun 2013; Schmid-Egger, leg.; CSEC.

Other material not included in the type series: CYPRUS • 1♀; Troodos, Chionistra; 17 Jun 1939; Hakan Lindberg leg.; OÖLM; paratype of Panurgus (Panurginus) brullei bytinskii Warncke, 1972, which was later synonymised with P. turcomanicus Popov, 1936 by Warncke (1987).

Diagnosis: Panurginus cypricus sp. nov. (Figs 1A–1D, 2A, C, D, 3A–3D) is very similar to P. lactipennis Friese, 1897 and P. turcomanicus Popov, 1936 (see Astafurova & Proshchalykin 2024a) as which it was previously identified (see Varnava et al. 2020) and to P. schwarzi (Warncke, 1972). The males are mainly identified by their genitalia and pregenital sterna. The penis valve of the new species is evenly rounded on its outer margin in dorsal view (Fig. 2A), whereas similar species have more angular outer margins, or the apical third is distinctly rounded (Fig. 2B). The last sternum (S8) of P. cypricus sp. nov. (Fig. 2D) is very similar to P. schwarzi with the apical plate widened to the end in ventral view and similar apical hair tufts. In P. lactipennis the apical plate of S8 is also widened but has rim between the apical hair tufts (Fig. 2F). Also, the depressed part of the “neck” of S8 prior to the apical extension is longer than the extension which can be seen in lateral view and giving the apical half of S8 a stronger s-shape than in the other species (Fig. 2H). Panurginus turcomanicus also differs in S8 from the mentioned species as the apical plate is not extended at the end in ventral view but rounded and there are almost no sidewards directed hairs on the apical extension (Fig. 2G). The identification of females of the species mentioned above is very ambitious and no reliable characters have been found so far, but the wing venation is darker than in most specimens of similar species. Nevertheless, P. cypricus sp. nov. seems to be the only species of Panurginus in Cyprus and is probably endemic to the island.

Description: Male. Body length 4.5–5 mm.

Body: Head transverse (Fig. 1C). Flagellomere (F) 1 conical, about as long as wide, F2 and F3 about half as long as wide, F4–F5 shorter than long, F6 and following about as long as wide, but last one 1.5 times as long as wide. Labral plate widely rounded to slightly trapezoid with median depression. Facial fovea short, broadened towards upper end, about the distance to eye as wide in the middle. Hind basitarsus about 3 times as long as wide. Metasomal terga with marginal and basal zones depressed. Marginal zones about two third to the same length as length of disc.

Sculpture: Clypeus densely punctured, head mostly shiny between punctures but upper half of face shagreened. Scutum and scutellum densely punctured (less than 1 diameter apart), but on disc of scutum less dense; mesosoma shagreened, disc of scutum and scutellum shiny. Terga densely punctured but marginal zones almost without punctures, only with a few scattered punctures on basal half; with fine and indistinct shagreen between punctures.

Coloration: Wing veins mostly brownish, darker especially around marginal cell; stigma bright yellow. All tarsomeres yellowish but last one brownish, basal half of hind tibia yellow.

Genitalia & Pregenital Sterna: Gonostylus narrow, slightly enlarged at the end. Penis valve evenly rounded on outer margin in dorsal view, inner margin almost straight with small step in the middle. Outer margin with short erect hairs that are getting longer to apical end. Sternum (S) 6 with posterior margin depressed on the sides and with medially elevated extension ending with erect hairs; margin of depressed parts translucent. S7 narrowing into a protruding process, with a small tip on each side next of the process. S8 with a slightly narrowed neck and slightly extended apical plate; apical plate ventrally with hair tufts on each side and setae directed outwards; posterior margin of apical plate almost straight. Depressed part of neck in lateral view shorter than apical plate (longer in P. lactipennis, Fig. 2H).

Female. Body length 4.5–5 mm.

Body: Head transverse (Fig. 3B). Flagellomers similar to male but F4-F7 shorter than long. Labral plate widely rounded to slightly trapezoid. Facial fovea straight, about the distance to eye than wide, in most specimens slightly enlarged at upper end. Metasomal terga with marginal and basal zones depressed.

Sculpture: Body generally shiny, on mesosoma shagreened between punctures, except for scutum and scutellum. Clypeus densely punctured with punctures less than a diameter apart. Upper half of face with more scattered punctures (on vertex partly denser, Fig. 3D) and punctures smaller than on clypeus. Scutum and scutellum with differently sized punctures, 1–2 diameters apart on disc, denser on margins. Metasomal terga with fine punctures, on first tergum 1–2 diameters apart, getting sparser on distal terga. Marginal zones almost impunctate.

Coloration: Wing veins yellowish to brownish, stigma bright yellow. Flagellomeres 4 to 10 brownish underneath. Tarsomers reddish-brown. Marginal zones of terga reddish, partially translucent.

Etymology. The specific epithet cypricus (adjective in masculine form) is given after the type locality.

Distribution. Central Cyprus, on the highest parts of the Troodos mountains. The species is known only from a few square kilometres and seems to be one of the most restricted species in IUCN Europe.

Remarks. So far, no overlapping distribution with species of the brullei -group in the eastern Mediterranean is known (except for P. corpanus which is morphologically different). P. schwarzi seems to be restricted to southern Greece, whereas P. lactipennis has only been confirmed in southern Russia and Ukraine. P. turcomanicus has the widest distribution within the brullei -group, from Greece (newly recorded for this country) to Afghanistan. In Turkey, the Caucasus, and the Levant the status of Panurginus is still under investigation and far from being solved, with undescribed species and taxonomic changes to come.