Pyralis kacheticalis (Christoph, 1893)

Wikstroem, Bo, Huemer, Peter, Mutanen, Marko, Tyllinen, Juha & Kaila, Lauri, 2020, Pyralis cardinalis, a charismatic new species related to P. regalis [Denis & Schiffermueller], 1775, first recognized in Finland (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae), Nota Lepidopterologica 43, pp. 337-364 : 337

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/nl.43.54916
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:14033F5A-F5E7-42B9-8942-76B050E36B70
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/45B3E019-814F-55B4-B386-0BA08C980537
treatment provided by	Nota Lepidopterologica by Pensoft
scientific name	Pyralis kacheticalis (Christoph, 1893)
status

Treatment

Pyralis kacheticalis (Christoph, 1893) Figs 14-17 View Figures 12–17 , 25 View Figures 25–27 , 32 View Figures 29–33 , 34 View Figure 34 , 35 View Figure 35

Asopia kacheticalis Christoph, 1893: 96.

Pyralis imperialis Caradja, 1916: 17; synonymized by Leraut 2005: 78.

Material examined.

Type material. Lectotype ( Asopia kacheticalis ), here designated, labelled: [blue round label]; M T[??] Eldar; Kol. Vel. Kn. Nikolaja Mihakhailovidza; Pyralis kacheticalis (Christoph, 1893); Syntypus; in underside of one label: 25-7-86 [and something illegible] Kacheticalis ( ZISP). [See remarks]. Photograph of lectotype of Pyralis imperialis , with labels: Amasia; imperialis Caradja; lectotype Pyralis imperialis DES ♀ Car. Dr. A Popescu-Gorj ( MGAB). Photograph of a specimen labelled as paralectotype of P. imperialis with record made by Mihai Stănescu: "Owner: Muzeul National de Istorie Naturală "Grigore Antipa" - Bucuresti. Domain: Stiintele naturii; accession number 177830; Type. Pyralis imperialis . Subtype Pyralis imperialis (Caradja, 1916), Dimensions: AA=21 mm; Discovery area. Amasia, Turcia; Listing order 2043/27.01.2011 - Tezaur." ( MGAB).

Other material.

Azerbaijan. 3♂, 1♀, 41°15 ’15” N, 47°02 ’44” E, Greater Caucasus Mts., 350 m, 15 km NW Sheki, 3.vi.2019, leg. K. Nupponen & R. Haverinen; 1♂, Caspian Sea shore, 41°22 ’22” N, 49°03 ’08” E, -36 m, Chaygaragasly, 5.vi.2019, leg. K. Nupponen & R. Haverinen (all RCKN).

Cyprus. 2♂, Moniatis N. Limassol, 850 m, 23.-29.vi.1997, leg. D. Nilsson, A. Madsen, M. Fibiger & P. Svendsen ( ZMUC); 1♂, Fasouri, 15 km W. Limassol, 5 m, 25.vi.1997, leg. P. Svendsen, D. Nilsson & M. Fibiger ( ZMUC); 1♀, N. Limassol, Platres, 1150 m, 6.viii.1985, leg. P. Svendsen ( ZMUC); 3♂, 34.735, 32.592, Pafos distr., Nikokleva, 100 m.a.s.l., 34.735, 32.592, 21.v.2017, leg. J. Junnilainen (RCJJ); 2♂, 34.826, 33.285, Larnaka district, Vavla, 472 m.a.s.l., 28.v.2017, leg. J. Junnilainen (RCJJ).

Greece. 1♂, 39°09 ’82’’ N, 26°18 ’00’’ E, Lesvos, 6.V.2007 exp. MZH, leg. L. Kaila & J. Kullberg, L. Kaila prep. 6188, BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05742 ( MZH); 1♂, 39°19 ’05’’ N, 26°09 ’17’’ E, Lesvos, 6.vi.2014, leg. J. Tyllinen, GPBW7942 (RCJT).

Lebanon. 2♂, 34°10 ’29’’ N, 35°15 ’25’’ E, 1530 m, Batroun, Tannourine al Fawca, Bala’a, 23.viii.2010 leg. J. & A. Kullberg , L. Kaila prep. 6187, BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05671, http://id.luomus.fi/HV.363, http://id.luomus.fi/HV.367 ( MZH); 2♀, 34°00 ’04’’ N, 35°45 ’04’’ E, Kesrouane, 940 m, Mt. Jebel Musa, Mar Geryes, open forest, 28.viii.2010, leg. J. & A. Kullberg, BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05672, BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05745, http://id.luomus.fi/HV.362, http://id.luomus.fi/HV.366 ( MZH); 1♂, 34°3 ’25.63’’ N, 35°43 ’2.28’’ E, Kesrouan, 850 m, Ghbele, 5.-6.vi.2012 leg. J. Kullberg & T. Lievonen, http://id.luomus.fi/GK.8123 ( MZH); 1♂, 33°43 ’57’’ N, 35°47 ’15’’ E, Beqaa, 860 m, Aammique marshes nr. Ketraya, 2.ix.2010, leg. J. & A. Kullberg, http://id.luomus.fi/HV.364 ( MZH); 1♂, 33°43 ’31’’ N, 35°41 ’29’’ E, Choul, 175 m, Baruq Mts., 31.viii.2010, leg. J. & A. Kullberg, http://id.luomus.fi/HV.365 ( MZH).

Turkey. 1♂, Prov. Kayseri, Incesu, 1100 m, 14.-vi.1996, leg. F. Schepler, 1♂, 28.vii.1996, leg. K.E. Stovgaard ( ZMUC); 2 spec., 5 km E Ürgüp,3.ix.1997, leg. K. Nupponen & J. Junnilainen, GPBW8145 (RCJJ).

Ukraine. 18♂, 2♀ Zaporozhye region, Melitopol district, with Danilo-Ivanivka, 2.-7.viii.2019, leg. Kovalyov & A. Zhakov (RCBW); 1 spec., Zaporoshye region, Yakimov district with Radivonovka, 2.viii.2019, leg. Kovalyov (RCBW); 1 spec., Hersonskaja Obl. 03 oz, Sivasho Kyhjuk-Tuk, 11.viii.1999, leg. A. Zhakov (RCBW); 1♂, 3♀, Zap. Obl. Melitopol region, Danilo-Ivanovka, r. Tashenak, leg. Kovalev, 1.v.-6.viii.2019, leg. Kovalev (RCBW.); 1♂, Donetsk region, Lyman nr. Torsko, 20.-23.vi.2019, leg. A. Zhakov (RCBW).

Diagnosis.

Pyralis kacheticalis differs from other related species apart from P. sagarrai by the pale hindwings, and the shape of the white fascia on the forewing being very narrow, straight and extended to the costal margin. The male genitalia are close to those of P. sagarrai from which they are distinguished by the shape of the cornutus: it is entirely smooth in P. kacheticalis , basally wide and formed as fusion of coarse spines in P. sagarrai . The female genitalia of these species seem to be identifiable with some reservations (see key), but may be indistinguishable from P. regalis. The separation of this species from P. princeps and P. joannisi is explained in the key.

Molecular data.

BIN: replace: BOLD:ABA8506, replace: BOLD:ABA9291. Genetically variable species clustering into two BINs and a third distinct cluster presently lacking the BIN assignment. The intraspecific mean divergence of the barcode region is 2.18% and the maximum divergence 3.67% (N = 9). The minimum distance to the nearest neighbour, P. sagarrai , is 5.5%.

Distribution.

Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Greece, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Ukraine, Turkey.

Remarks.

In the original description of P. kacheticalis it is indicated that the number of specimens on which the species is described is more than one, so no holotype exists. We herewith designate a lectotype for the taxon (Fig. 34 View Figure 34 ) in order to fix the identity of the species and conserve nomenclatural stability. Pyralis imperialis Caradja was originally described based on two specimens. Although Popescu-Gorj (1991) designated a lectotype for this taxon, the specimen (Fig. 35 View Figure 35 ) does not differ in any way from P. kacheticalis . We therefore follow Leraut (2005) in regarding P. imperialis with P. kacheticalis as synonyms.

Specimens from Cyprus, Lebanon and Ukraine/Greece form three distinct barcode clusters. Externally, there is some variation between specimens, but the variation observed in, e.g., the shape of median area of hindwing, seems not to correlate with barcode clusters. Also, the genitalia are identical among all specimens that we have examined. We refrain from making taxonomic conclusions due to the paucity of material at our disposal, and with evidence from barcodes alone.

An endemic population, externally closest to P. kacheticalis that occurs in Crete, seems to form its own entity, possibly deserving species status. This note is based on an unpublished barcode that deviates strongly from others, as well as external features (genitalia not studied). Due to the paucity of material we exclude this taxon from the present contribution.