A new species of Micropterix Hübner , 1825 from Lebanon ( Lepidoptera : Micropterigidae )

Micropterix jabalmoussae Zeller, Kullberg & Kurz, sp. n. is described from the mountain Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve (Lebanon) and compared with all other known species of Micropterix from this region and similar species of the Western Palaearctic. M. jabalmoussae is the fifth species of the genus Micropterix Hübner, 1825 known from the Levant.


Introduction
The genus Micropterix is distributed through the Palaearctic from North Africa and Europe to Japan in the east (Gibbs 1987;Zeller et al. 2013;Gibbs and Lees 2014) and even down to the foothills of the Himalayas (Lees et al. 2010).This study of a new species follows the recently published review of Micropterix of Cyprus and the Middle East (Zeller-Lukashort et al. 2009).
This description is based on two specimens collected by Jaakko Kullberg and Tommi Lievonen in Lebanon from the naturally rich Biosphere Reserve of Jabal Moussa (The Mountain of Moyses) located about 50 km north-east of the capital city Beirut in the Keserwan-Jbeil area, on the western side of the Mount Lebanon high plateau.The topography of the area is impressive.There is a Mediterranean vegetation zone starting at an elevation of 300 m grading up to arid mountain habitats surpassing 1700 m altitude on the high plateau (Association for the Protection of Jabal Moussa (APJM) 2016).Locally, Jabal Moussa carries a special importance, as it was designated in 2009 as the third biosphere reserve in Lebanon as part of the UNESCO Network of Biosphere Reserves under the Man & Biosphere (MAB) program.The reserve is surrounded by Nahr Ibrahim and Nahr Ed-Dahab rivers and the mountain is rich in local fauna and flora.For more information see http:// www.jabalmoussa.org.Especially at higher altitudes from 700 m and upwards the Lepidoptera fauna is mostly of Irano-Turanian origin and partly east Mediterranean, but in fact several familiar widespread species common to the Central European fauna are present in the mountains.Many of these are close to the southernmost edge of their distribution.

Methods
The morphology of the new species is compared with all other known species from this region and also with similar species of the Western Palaearctic (Kurz and Kurz 2016) 1 .We consequently build on the important identification treatments by Heath (1987), Kozlov (1989Kozlov ( , 1990a, b) , b) and Zeller-Lukashort et al. (2007).
The genitalia preparation follows standard techniques used for the family Micropterigidae.Due to the problems and difficulties in preparing female genitalia of specimens in the genus Micropterix, no attempt has been made to prepare the genitalia of the single available female of the new species (Zeller-Lukashort et al. 2007).
The photograph of the holotype was taken with a NIKON D200 digital camera, a NIKON Micro-Nikkor 105mm 1:2.8 lens and three LED lamps for illuminating.The photograph of the male genitalia of the holotype was taken with an OLYMPUS FHT trinocular microscope and NIKON D800 digital camera, manipulated using the focus stacking software HELICON FOCUS 6.4.1 to extend depth of field.All photos were developed using ADOBE PHOTOSHOP CS2.
For more information about collection sites, preparation techniques and a data archive of Micropterix spp.see Zeller-Lukashort et al. (2007).
The two studied specimens are deposited in the Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Finland (MZH).

Checklist of Micropterix of the Levant
The following species occur within the Levant (Wikipedia 2016) presented here in alphabetical order (Zeller-Lukashort et al. 2009;Kurz and Kurz 2016).

Micropterix jabalmoussae
Male genitalia (Fig. 2).Uncus very short and stout, beneath uncus a sclerotized twin structure of curved and slender shape, bearing hair-like setae at tip; accessory claspers nearly square, distally with rounded margin, bearing three groups of setae: about ten long setae with hooked ends at distal margin, a group of about eight T-shaped setae on inner surface and more dorsally and two clearly separated setae also on inner surface but more ventrally (Fig. 3); valvae moderately long, base thickened, medially distinctly constricted, distal parts spoon-like; distal parts at inner surface with one to two rows of short, straight, stout and thickened setae at ventral margin; phallus typical for genus, without cornuti.
The twin structures overlying the ventral margin of the accessory claspers randomly are part of the phallus and do not belong to the accessory claspers.Kurz et al., 1997 (Italy) and M. italica Heath, 1981 (Italy).From all these species the new species is clearly separated by its male genitalia, e.g. by the distinct shape of uncus, accessory claspers and valvae (Zeller-Lukashort et al. 2007, 2009;Kurz and Kurz 2016).In the male genitalia the new species somewhat resembles M. wockei Staudinger, 1970 from Greece but can easily be distinguished by its different valvae and shorter uncus (Kurz and Kurz 2016).M. islamella was found together with the new species but can easily be distinguished by its different wing pattern (Zeller-Lukashort et al. 2009).
Distribution.The new species is so far known from the mountain Jebel Musa (Kesrouan, Lebanon) from an elevation of about 950 m.
Life history.The early stages are unknown.The new species was found in a dry slope meadow within a semi-open forest with Malus sp., Crataegus sp., Rosa sp., Sorbus sp., Prunus sp. and Quercus sp.(Figs 4,5).M. islamella was also found at the same locality.
Etymology.The name of the new species is derived from the mountain Jebel Musa, also transcribed as Jabal Moussa or Gebel Musa, which literally means "The Mountain of Moyses".
During the dissection of the male genitalia of the holotype, the whole body (abdomen, thorax, mesothorax, legs and wings) was unfortunately severed from the head.The broken part is stored in a micro vial attached on the pin. Figure 1 was taken before dissecting.