Pyropteron umbrifera (Staudinger, 1871)

(Figs 24, 26, 162–164)

Sesia umbrifera Staudinger, 1871: Horae Societatis Entomologicae Rossicae, 7 [“1870”]: 96. Lectotype ♂: Greece, Corfu (MFNB).

This species was described from Corfu, after which it has not been found for over a hundred years and was even considered extinct. It was then rediscovered both on Corfu (Špatenka) and on the Greek mainland (Bartsch) in 1995. Pyropteron umbrifera is extremely endangered due to the destruction of its habitats.

Barcodes. This species seems the most derived in the group with intraspecific barcode differences, up to 2.6%.

Biology and habitat. Salt marshes with large stands of Limonium brevipetiolatum Artelari & Erben, the hostplant of the larva. Further species of Limonium may also be utilized as hostplants. The larva lives one year in the upper part of the root and the rhizome.

Distribution. Endemic to the south-western Balkan peninsula, from where it is currently only known from the Ionian coast of Greece (Petersen & Bartsch 1998, Laštůvka & Laštůvka 2001, Špatenka et al. 1999). It is also likely to be present in Albania.

Specimens examined. 1♀, Greece, Igoumenitza, Thiamis delta, e.l. ex Limonium brevipetiolatum, larva 23. V ., adult 14.VII.1995, leg. DB; 8♂ (Figs 162–163), 12♀ (Fig. 164), Greece, Amphrakikos Kolpos, Arta, Salaora, e.l. ex Limonium brevipetiolatum, larvae 23. and 25. V ., adults 18.VI .–19. VII .1995, leg. DB; 8♂, 5♀, ibid., 2. VI .1995, leg. DB; 13♂, 1♀, ibid., 17. VI .1995, leg. DB; 4♂, ibid., e.l. ex Limonium brevipetiolatum, larvae 24. V ., adults 12.VI .– 10. VII .2012, leg. DB (CDB); 35♂, 13♀, ibid., 12. VI .1997, leg. FP (photo 29/3/35-4/31, gen. prep. FP 98/20); 13♂, ibid., 17. VI .2002, leg. FP (BOX-2221 B11); 7♂, Greece, Achaia (Peloponnese), Kalogria W Kato Achaia, 5 m, 14. VI .1997, leg. FP (photo 29/5/11-27); 10♂, ibid., 18. VI .1997, leg. FP; 1♂, ibid., 19. VI .1997, leg. FP; 4♂, ibid., 21. VI .1997, leg. FP (BOX-2219 G09) (CFP).