Dyspersa kantshavelii

Dyspersa kantshavelii (Gegechkori, 1977) Feeds on The host plant of D. kantshavelii is unknown. Based on its morphology, it belongs to a complex of species that are associated with thistles (Cirsium spp.) (Ossiannilsson 1972, Burckhardt and Lauterer 2002 b). Distribution General distribution. Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia), Turkey. Distribution in Bulgaria (Fig. 108 f). Material examined: ROP, RPP, RRW. Notes New record for Bulgaria and Europe. Dyspersa kantshavelii is a little-known species that was previously only known from the mountains of the Caucasus and north-eastern Turkey (Gegechkori 1977, Gegechkori 1984, Burckhardt 1988). In Bulgaria, the species was collected by P. Lauterer in several places in the Pirin mountains, mostly at high altitudes (1600–2500 m a. s. l.); there is also a record from the Western Rhodopi. Diagnosis Adult (Fig. 108 a, b, c, d, e). We provide here photos and drawings of the diagnostic characters, based on specimens collected in Bulgaria. The specimens correspond well with the original description (Gegechkori 1977). Dyspersa kantshavelii resembles D. agrophila (Löw, 1888), D. cirsii, D. flixiana (Burckhardt & Lauterer, 2002) and D. viridula (Zetterstedt, 1828) in the size, colouration, genal processes, forewing venation and general structure of the male and female terminalia, but differs from them in the shape of the paramere (its posterior margin is almost evenly convex and the anterior margin is more shallowly incised subapically in lateral view and the apical process is shorter than in all other species), the distal segment of the aedeagus (its apical dilation is subglobular and bearing a small tooth and incision anteriorly / ventrally in lateral view, whereas this tooth and incision is larger in the other species) and the female terminalia (the apical processes of the proctiger and the subgenital plate is similar to D. viridula, but slightly shorter than in D. agrophila and longer than in D. cirsii and D. flixiana) (Fig. 108 e, see also Ossiannilsson (1992), Burckhardt and Lauterer (2002 b)).