Jordanita tenuicornis
Jordanita tenuicornis, males
Jordanita tenuicornis is a butterfly of the family of burnet ( Zygaenidae ). The epithet is derived from the words " tenuis " for thin and " cornu " for horn together and points to the thin probe of the species.
- 4.1 Notes and references
- 4.2 Literature
Features
The moths reach a forewing length 10.0 to 12.8 mm in males and from 8.0 to 10.8 mm in females. Head, thorax, and the proximal part of the legs shimmering green, the abdomen shining bluish green or blue. The forehead ( frons ) is about 1.5 times wider than the compound eyes. The sensor shimmering blue or bluish green and consist of 35 segments in Sicily and 48 segments in Abruzzo. The probe shaft is slightly slimmer at the base. The front upper wing surface shimmers green or bluish green. The hind wings are dark gray and slightly translucent. The wing undersides are gray. The front edge of the hind wing is occupied with metallic shiny scales.
In the males have the Valven a ventral extension of variable length, which - based on the total length - is at a distance of 1/3 to the top. The extension springs at the distal end of the saccule. The ventral edge of the blades has little distally from this extension denticles. The Vinculum has a short, heavily sclerotized and distally rounded Saccusplatte. The aedeagus is five times longer than wide. On the bubble no spines are present, but only a small area of tiny triangular needles. The 8th Abdominalsternit is triangular to trapezoidal and distally doppellappig. It extends slightly beyond the rear edge of the segment.
In females, the ostium with respect to the Abdomenachse is asymmetric. The edges are formed by the strongly undulating sklerotisiserte eighth sternite. The latter is clearly visible through the characteristic indentation at the posterior margin of the seventh Abdominalsternits. The antrum is translucent, ribbed and short. The ductus bursae translucent has a broad base and is serrated. Distal he is bent narrow and strong. The corpus bursae is ovate, the inner side is covered with tiny, triangular needles.
The egg is greenish yellow.
Caterpillar, and chrysalis cocoon previously undescribed.
Similar Species
There is no sympatric with J. tenuicornis occurring species. Jordanita globulariae is larger, has broader wings, the hind wings are bright and translucent. Jordanita graeca has a very similar habit, but is not in the center and south of Italy or Sicily before. J. tenuicornis can be distinguished genitalmorphologisch of the two similar species.
Subspecies
The subspecies J. t. tenuicornis (Zeller, 1847) is smaller than the subspecies J. t. turatii and has a cut Valve extension. The subspecies J. t. turatii ( Bartel, 1906) is greater than the Nominatunterart and has a longer ventral Valve extension.
Dissemination
Jordanita tenuicornis is endemic in Central and Southern Italy and Sicily. The subspecies J. t. tenuicornis occurs in southern Italy and Sicily. The subspecies J. t. turatii is located in the central Italy. The species inhabited meadows and roadsides with thistle growth.
Biology
The females lay eggs in a similar way as Jordanita subsolana and Jordanita graeca individually in the fluff the underside of leaves. The caterpillars of the subspecies J. t. turatii develop on gold thistle ( Carlina vulgaris ) and the Flockenblumenart Centaurea ambigua. The adult larvae of subspecies J. t. tenuicornis nate in the leaves of creeping thistle ( Cirsium arvense) and various knapweed species. The moths fly in Sicily from April and in the Italian mountains to July. They are characterized by a very rapid flight.