Brachystetha nitrariae Loginova

Material examined. CN: 3 ♂, 1 ♀, 5 immatures, ‘ En ‘ Avedat, 24.x.1988, Nitraria retusa (J. Halperin); 1 ♀, same but iv.1988,? Rhamnus; 1 ♂, ‘ En ‘ Aqrabbim, 27.iii.1999, Nitraria retusa (A. Freidberg); DS: 1 ♀, ‘ Enot Zuqim, 22.iv.1998 (A. Freidberg); SN: 1 ♂, Elat, Park Holland, 29º34.314’N 34º57.586’E , 14.v.2010 (A. Freidberg); AV: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Yotvata, 9.i.1990, Nitraria retusa (J. Halperin); 9 ♂, 3 ♀, ‘ Avrona [Evrona], 18.ii.1989, Nitraria retusa (J. Halperin) .

Published records in Israel. AV, CN (Burckhardt & Halperin 1992).

Host plant. Nitraria retusa (Nitrariaceae) .

Comments. The material from Israel is variable with respect to the dark forewing pattern: very light and indistinct in some specimens and darker and strongly contrasted in others. In addition, the Israeli specimens have a dark forewing pattern that is less expansive than in specimens from Mongolia. We found no significant differences in the terminalia between these colour forms and provisionally concluded that they represent intraspecific variation.