Lepidochrysops haveni Larsen, 1983

Verovnik, Rudi & Seizmair, Michael, 2024, Notes on the genital morphology and phylogenetics of two Arabian species of the genus Lepidochrysops Hedicke, 1923 (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae), Ecologica Montenegrina 72, pp. 200-209 : 204-206

Lepidochrysops haveni Larsen, 1983

Material examined: Saudi Arabia, Province Jizan, Mt. Faifa, Marwah , 17.281553°, 43.101033°, 950 m, 10-XI-2023, 1♂, slide no. 24 GP001 , 2♀, slide no. 23 GP057 , 24 GP004 , leg., prep., coll. M. Seizmair. Saudi Arabia, Province Jizan, Mt. Faifa, Ayban Belghazi , 17.263406°, 43.076147°, 660 m, 08-XI-2023, 2♂, slide no. 23 GP055 , 23 GP060 , leg., prep., coll. M. Seizmair. Saudi Arabia, Province Jizan, Mt. Faifa , 8.5 km NE of Ayban Belghazi, 17.302683°, 43.076006°, 560 m, 2♀, slide no. 24 GP003 , 23 GP061 , leg., prep., coll. M. Seizmair.

External diagnostic characters ( Figures 1 E-H, Larsen, 1983, Turlin, 2000): Wingspan: 23.0 mm – 27.0 mm. Thorax and abdomen grey scaled. FW and HW ground of the male silverish blue. Basal and sub-basal areas in the FW and HW UPS in both sexes of a shining metallic blue. End-cellular spot prominent, claviform in the FW UPS of the male and in the FW and HW UNS of both sexes. HW E 2 - cells in the male UPS with weakly indicated extensive blackish spots - except for cell E 22, where the black spot is considerably more distinct and surrounded by greyish-white scales, orange scales weakly indicated in the proximal half of the spot in E 22. Spots in the cells E 23 – E 26 in the HW UNS of both sexes brownish, slightly sagittate, spot in cell E 22 metallic blue in its distal part, yellowish in its proximal part. FW and HW ground of the UPS in the female brownish. Female FW and HW UPS margin with weakly indicated interneural strokes, HW cell E 22 with a distinct blackish spot, with pale orange scales above its proximal margin, cell E 21 bare from spots, brownish spots in cells E 23 – E 26 surrounded by greyish-white scales. M 1 spot row in the female FW UNS strongly reduced in size and nearly evanescent. The UNS maculation is visible through the UPS in both wings. The hind wing is untailed.

Male genitalia ( Figures 2E – G , 3 D- F): Uncus lobes quasi digitiform, medially rounded, dorso-distally with tufts of long chaetae. Subunci dilated and strongly sclerotized in the basis, curved and tapered after the anterior fourth, tip weakly hooked, obtusely angled. Vinculum of constant width, rounded in the anterior border. Juxta lobes weakly sclerotized with thin, thorn-shaped sclerites at the posterior ends, bare from chaetae. Basal valva chaetose in the ventral area, costal border convexly projected at the anterior end. Sacculus of triangular shape and strongly prominent from the ventral border of the valva, medially with a concave projection. Post-basal valva constant in width, ventral and costal borders parallelled, with several tufts of chaetae in the costal area, sub-apical area straight, apex acuminate and right-angled. Lateral parts of the distal portion of the aedeagus slightly concave in the anterior half, convex in the posterior half. Lateral flanges of the proximal portion broadly rounded.

Female genitalia ( Figures 4 D-F): Ovipositor lobes ovate, chaetose, strongly narrowed at the ventral end. Posterior apophyses slender, basally angled, oblong, distal end slightly dilated. Anterior apophyses very short, of triangular shape. The genitalia plate is with several elongate rod-shaped sclerites. Colliculum with numerous short stroke-shaped sclerites. Ductus bursae membranous, bare from sclerotization.

Main genital morphological characters differentiating L. forsskali and L. haveni

The main diagnostic characters in the male and female genitalia for differentiating L. forsskali and L. haveni are summarized in Table 1.

Figures

Figure 1. Adults. A – D: L. forsskali, A, C: male, upperside and underside, Saudi Arabia, Prov. Jizan, Mt. Faifa, Marwah, 960 m, 10-XI-2023, leg. et coll. M. Seizmair B, D: female, upperside and underside, Saudi Arabia, Prov. Jizan, Mt. Faifa, Faifa Village, 1560 m, 13-XI-2023, leg et coll. M. Seizmair, E – H: L. haveni, E, G: male, upperside and underside, Saudi Arabia, Prov. Jizan, Mt. Faifa, Aayban Bengazi, 660 m, 08-XI-2023, leg. et coll. M. Seizmair, F, H: female, upperside and underside, same collection data as B, D. Scale bars = 10 mm.

Figure 2. Male genitalia. A – C: L. forsskali, slide no. 23GP056, A: genitalia capsule, phallus omitted, B: phallus, lateral view, C: ventral view. D – F: L. haveni, slide no. 24GP001, D: genitalia capsule, phallus omitted, E: lateral view, F: ventro-lateral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figure 3. Male genitalia, close-ups. A – C: L. forsskali, slide no. 22GP056, A. Basal valva, sacculus, B: postbasal valva, apex, C: juxta. D – F: L. haveni, slide no. 24GP001, D: basal valva, sacculus, E: postbasal valva, apex, F: juxta. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figure 4. Female genitalia. A – C: L. forsskali, slide no. 24GP002, A. genitalia capsule, B: close-up, genitalia plate (lateral view), colliculum, C: close-up, anterior apophyses. D – F: L. haveni, slide no. 24GP04, D: genitalia capsule, E: close-up, genitalia plate (lateral view), colliculum, F: close-up, anterior apophyses. Scale bars = 1 mm.