Pyropteron icteropus (Zeller, 1847) stat. rev.

(Figs 15, 100–102, 110, 111, 117, 118)

Sesia icteropus Zeller, 1847: Isis, 40 (6): 403. Syntypes: 3♂, Italy, Sicily, Syracus (lost).

This taxon was considered a distinct species and placed in Synansphecia by Laštůvka (1990b), later it was treated a subspecies of P. doryliformis by several authors (e.g. Špatenka et al. 1999). It is confirmed in species rank based on its distinct barcode sequences and details of the morphology.

Diagnosis. Compared with P. doryliformis, P. icteropus is more slender and usually smaller (some specimens with wingspans of only 12–13 mm); the antenna is dorsally black, rarely with some yellowish scales subapically (in P. doryliformis except for the black tip more or less densely covered with yellow in male, or red in female); the inner margins of the tegulae broad yellow in male, red in female; the thorax, legs and abdomen with clearly defined markings on black ground colour, yellow in male and dark red in female (in P. doryliformis completely dusted with ochreous brown scales in males, diffuse marked and dusted with red in females); the anal margin of the forewing almost always completely red, seldom only basally red (in P. doryliformis without any red in males, dusted with red in females). For differentiation from P. ceriaeformis see there. The coloration of the yellow markings of the male abdomen varies distinctly, as shown in Figs 49–50, to a lesser degree in females.

Genitalia. The male genitalia of P. icteropus differ from those of P. doryliformis in small details; the gnathos flaps are somewhat narrower and the distal portion of the setaceous part of the crista sacculi is less prominent and more sparsely covered with setae. The differences are clearer in the female genitalia, which have the corpus bursae slightly pear-shaped with indistinct signum near ductus bursae, which consists of numerous scattered microscopically small dots (corpus bursae round, signum a round sclerotized plate in P. doryliformis and P. ceriaeformis).

Barcodes. P. icteropus is sister to the P. euglossaeformis clade.

Biology and habitat. Hostplants of P. icteropus are several bitter-tasting species of Rumex such as R. conglomeratus, R. crispus, R. maritimus and R. pulcher (Laštůvka 2007, our own observations). The moth occurs in various open habitats, preferably on meadows, pastures and ruderal sites with stands of the hostplants.

Distribution. Endemic to Sicily. It is unlikely to be found in other parts of southern Italy as numerous Pyropteron larvae from Apulia from various localities and different species of Rumex produced several hundred specimens of P. chrysidiformis, but not a single P. icteropus (AL).

Specimens examined. 1♂ (Fig. 100), 4♀ (Fig. 102), Italy, Sicily, Prov. Palermo, 5 km W Ficuza, 500–600m, e.p. ex Rumex crispus, larvae 16. V., adults 6.–15.VI.2007, leg. DB; 5♂ (Fig. 101), Italy, Sicily, Prov. Palermo, Le Madonie, 4km E Scillato, 340m, 6. VI.2013, leg. DB (1♂ SMNS-DNA-072); 1♂, Italy, Sicily, Prov. Palermo, Le Madonie, 1km NW Sclafani Bagli, 470m, 4. VI.2013, leg. DB; 5♂, Italy, Sicily, Prov. Palermo, Le Madonie, vic. Caltavuturo, 500m, 4. VI.2013, leg. DB; 2♂, Italy, Sicily, Prov. Palermo, Le Madonie, 3km NNW Collesano, 400m, 7. VI.2013, leg. DB; 1♂, Italy, Sicily, Prov. Palermo, Le Madonie, Castelbuono, NW Monte Feno, 450m, 5. VI.2013, leg. DB; 1♂, Prov. Palermo, Castronuovo, vic. Lago Fanaco, 630m, 6. VI.2013, leg. DB (SMNS-DNA-073) (CDB). 2♂, 2♀, Taormina, 1942/1943 (Bartsch gen. preps. 2019-31, 2019-32, 2019-33, 2019-34) (Figs 110, 111, 117, 118); 2♂, Italy, Sicily, Ragusa, 450m, 7.–8. VI.1993, leg. Petersen; 2♂, Italy, Sicily, Etna, Milo, 18. VII.1996, ex coll. Bruer; 3♂, 6♀, Sicily, Mt Cuccio, VI.1930, leg. Höfer (SMNS); 1♂, Italy, Sicily, Madonie SE Castelbuono, 450 m, 5. VI.2001, leg. FP; 1♂, Italy, Sicily, Valdinte NW Francavilla, 550 m, 7. VI.2001, leg. FP; 8♂, Italy, Sicily, CT, Castiglione di Sicily, 550 m, 7. VI.2001, leg. FP (DNAtax 02587, photo 47/3/8); 1♂, Italy, Sicily, CT, S Randazzo, 890 m, 6. VI.2001, leg. FP; 2♂, Italy, Sicily, ME, Cesaro, 6. VI.2001, leg. FP (photo 46/6/32-34); 4♂, Italy, Sicily, PA, Campofelice di Fitalia, 860 m, 11. VI.2001, leg. FP; 2♂, Italy, Sicily, PA, Ficuzza, 4. VI.2001, leg. FP; 3♂, ibid., 590 m, 9. VI.2001, leg. FP; 1♂, ibid., Alpe Cucco, 1050 m, 8. VI.2001, leg. FP (photo 47/3/36-4/6); 3♂, Italy, Sicily, PA, Mezzojuso, 610 m, 11. VI.2001, leg. FP (BOX-2219 F09, DNAtax 02588) (CFP).