Microlechia rhamnifoliae (Amsel & Hering, 1931)

Fig. 49

Lita rhamnifoliae Amsel & Hering, 1931 —Dt. ent. Z. Iris 1931: 142, pl. 1, fig. 1.

Records. Amsel & Hering, 1931: 142; Amsel, 1933: 125; Amsel, 1935a: 301; Bodenheimer 1937: 100.

Material examined. “ Lectotype ” ♂, here designated, “ Jerusalem, ex l. Rhamnus palästina, 6.iv.1930, Z. 248, H. Amsel” | Typus, leg. H. Amsel, Lita rhamnifoliae ” | (gen. slide Am. 5171) | Lectotypus, Megalocypha rhamnifoliae Amsel, teste Povolny, 1976”. Paralectotypes: 2 ♂, Tel-Aviv, Z. 225, Rhamnus palästina, 29.iii.1930, H. Amsel (gen. slide Am.291, Am.254); 1 ex, Jerusalem, ex.l., Rhamnus palästina, 6.iv.1930, z.248 (Amsel) (gen. slide Am.255) (all SMNK).

Host plant. Rhamnus lycioides subsp. graeca (Boiss. & Reut.) Tutin (as R. palastina Boiss.) (Amsel & Hering, 1931: 142).

Distribution. Canary Island, Morocco, Greece, Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Africa (Povolný 2002: 100; Huemer & Karsholt 2010: 227).

Remarks. Lita rhamnifoliae was first described based on larvae living on “ Rhamnus palästina ” found at Yarkon by Tel-Aviv, Georgskloster by Jericho and near Jerusalem in February and March 1930. Later this species was described again (Amsel 1935a: 301) based on an unstated number of adults reared most likely from the same larvae which were mentioned in the first description.

Povolný (1978: 47, 48) stated that type material of larvae is not preserved and selected a neotype from series of specimens mentioned by Amsel in the “second” description (Amsel 1935a: 301).

We traced four specimens in SMNK labelled as cited above (Fig. 48). The collecting days given on their labels differ from those in the original description and probably represent the days when the adults emerged. One of them, dated 6.iv.1930, is labelled as lectotype and bears additional label “ Neotypus ”. We consider this specimen as part of the original type series, and hence we set aside the neotype designated by Povolný (op cit.) (ICZN 1999: article 75.8). At the same time we designate this specimen as lectotype of Lita rhamnifoliae Amsel & Hering, 1931 in order to stabilize nomenclature.