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

We here revise the genus Pyropteron Newman, 1832 using molecular and morphological analyses. Our data support the monophyly of Pyropteron with Synansphecia Capu.e, 1973 (syn. rev.) being its junior subjective synonym. Four taxa are described as new to science, Pyropteron minianiformis xerxes Bartsch, Puhringer, Lingenhole & Kallies ssp. nov., Pyropteron hellenicum Bartsch, Puhringer, Lingenhole & Kallies sp. nov., Pyropteron jordanicum Bartsch, Puhringer, Lingenhole & Kallies sp. nov. and Pyropteron leucomelaena blaesii Bartsch, Puhringer, Lingenhole & Kallies ssp. nov., and 4 species are raised to species rank, Pyropteron nigrobarbata (Rebel, 1916) stat. nov., Pyropteron icteropus (Zeller, 1847) stat. rev., Pyropteron euglossaeformis (Lucas, 1849) stat. rev. and Pyropteron erodiiphaga (Dumont, 1922) stat. rev. To stabilize the taxonomy, we designate neotypes for Pyropteron euglossaeformis stat. rev. and Pyropteron ceriaeformis (Lucas, 1849). Pyropteron pipiziformis (Lederer, 1855) comb. nov., is combined with Pyropteron for the first time. The identity of Pyropteron atlantis (Schwingenschuss, 1935), previously confused with Pyropteron borreyi (Le Cerf, 1922) is fixed. We treat Pyropteron muscaeformis lusohispanica Lastuvka & Lastuvka, 2007 syn. nov. as a synonym of Pyropteron koschwitzi (Spatenka, 1992), Pyropteron minianiformis aphrodite Bartsch, 2004 syn. nov. as a synonym of Pyropteron minianiformis destituta (Staudinger, 1894), Pyropteron muscaeformis occidentalis Joannis, 1908 syn. nov. as a synonym of Pyropteron muscaeformis (Esper, 1783), and Sesia lecerfi Oberthur, 1909 syn. nov. is considered a synonym of Bembecia ichneumoniformis ([Denis & Schiffermuller], 1775). Finally, we discuss a model whereby frequent switches in hostplant usage drive rapid speciation in the genus Pyropteron.

Automated summary

This study revises the genus Pyropteron Newman, 1832 using molecular and morphological analyses, describing four new taxa and raising four species to species rank. Neotypes were designated for certain species and species combinations were made. The study also clarified the identity of previously confused species.