Pyralis cardinalis Kaila, Huemer, Mutanen, Tyllinen & Wikstroem, 2020

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

Pyralis cardinalis Kaila, Huemer, Mutanen, Tyllinen & Wikstroem sp. nov. Figs 2 , 4-7 , 22 , 29

Pyralis subregalis Caradja, 1926: 162. Junior secondary homonym of Pyralis subregalis Snellen, 1895. Type locality: "Russia, Siberia".

Material studied.

(in addition to material listed below, genitalia examined from 17 additional Finnish specimens from MZH and RCBW).

Holotype: Finland • ♂; Alandia, Jomala, Ramsholm; 60.107°N, 19.8803°E [ETRS-TM35FIN 6687:8105]; 16.vii.2013; Marko Mutanen leg.; BOLD sample ID: MM26690; MZH.

Paratypes [56♂, 74♀]

Finland • 1♂, 1♀; Alandia, Lemland; 60.0057°N, 20.0911°E [ykj 667:311]; 23.-27.vii.2001; 31.vii.-2.viii.2004: B. Wikström & K. Vaalamo leg; RCBW.

• 1♂; Geta, Höckböle; 60.3612°N, 19.9156°E [ETRS-TM35FIN 6712:8109]; 30.vi.2009; Family M. Mutanen leg.; TLMF.

3♂, 1♀; Alandia, Finström, Prästgårdnäset; 60.3612°N, 19.9156°E [ETRS-TM35FIN 6700:8109]; 15.vii.2013; M. Mutanen leg.; ZMUO.

• 1♂; Alandia, Finström; 60.2634°N, 19.8553°E [ETRS-TM35FIN 6699:8103]; 14.vii.2015; M. Mutanen leg.; BOLD sample ID: MM26689; ZMUO.

• 1♂; Alandia, Finström, Mangelbo; 60.2385°N, 19.9785°E [ykj 6701:3111]; 11.vii.2015; M. Mutanen leg.; ZMUO.

• 1♂; Alandia, Maarianhamina, Ramsholm; 60.0853°N, 19.894°E [ETRS-TM35FIN 6684:8104]; 16.vii.2013; M. Mutanen leg.; ZMUO.

• ♂, 9♀; Regio aboensis, Dragsfjärd, Rosala; 59.8385°N, 22.4501°E [ykj 664:324]; 22.vii.-5.viii.1995, 16.-11.viii.1996, 16.-26.vii.2004; B. Wikström & P. Rautio leg.; GPBW7912; RCBW.

• 2♂, 1♀; Regio aboensis, Dragsfjärd; 59.8385°N, 22.4501°E [ykj 664:324]; 28.vii.-11.viii.1996; B. Wikström leg.; RCBW.

• 2♂, 13♀; Regio aboensis, Dragsfjärd, Hiittinen; 59.928°N, 22.4378°E [ykj 664:324]; 28.-29.vii.2005; M. Mutanen leg.; 1♀: gen. prep. Huemer, GU 11/1327 ♀ P. Huemer; TLMF, ZMUO.

• 1♂; Regio aboensis, Dragsfjärd, Taalintehdas; 60.0158°N, 22.5065°E [ykj 6664:3249]; 17.vii.2018; M. & T. Mutanen leg.; ZMUO.

2♂; Regio aboensis, Lojo; 23.-27.vii.1974; H. Krogerus leg.; http://id.luomus.fi/GD.1021, http://id.luomus.fi/GD.1023; MZH.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Inkoo; 60.0593°N, 23.8575°E [ykj 666:332]; 14.-17.vii.1993; B. Wikström leg.; RCBW.

• 2♂; Nylandia, Hanko; 59°49'N, 23°04'E [ykj 664:327]; 15.-26.vii.; 1996, B. Wikström leg.; RCBW.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Tvärminne; 59.8559°N, 22.9838°E [ykj 664:328]; 6.-18.vii.1976; J. Wettenhovi leg.; http://id.luomus.fi/GD.1025; MZH.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Porvoo mlk, Åminsby; 60°21'N, 25°30'E; 13.vii.1973; E. Suomalainen leg.; http://id.luomus.fi/GD.1022; MZH.

• 12♂, 7♀; Nylandia, Kirkkonummi, Lähteelä; 59.991°N, 24.445°E; 22.-24.vii.2010; J. Junnilainen leg.; RCJJ.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Helsinki; 60.1702°N, 24.9283°E [ykj 667:338]; 13.vii.1993; O. Nybom leg.; http://id.luomus.fi/GD.1024; MZH.

• 7♂, 3♀; Nylandia, Raasepori, Gästans; 59°54 ’15’’ N, 23°43 ’38’’ E; 30.vi.-22.vii.2019; L. Kaila leg.; http://id.luomus.fi/GD.960; GD969; MZH.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Kirkkonummi, Porkkala; 59.9814°N, 24.4026°E [ykj 665:335]; 28.-31.vii.2003; M. Mutanen leg.; TLMF.

• 1♀, Nylandia, Kirkkonummi, Porkkala; 59.9814°N, 24.4026°E [ykj 665:335]; 15.-16.vii.2001; M. & T. Mutanen leg.; TLMF.

• 1♂, 1♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 24.vii.1986; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 20.-28.vii.1988; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 2♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 27.-28.vii.1989; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 2♂; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 14.-24.vii.1990; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 2.-11.viii.1990; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 12.-16.viii.1990; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 2♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 12.-23.vii.1991; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 24.vii.-3.viii.1991; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 3♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 17.-30.viii.1991; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 6♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 16.-23.vii.1992; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 24.-26.vii.1992; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 4♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 1.-7.viii.1992; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂, 2♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 30.vii.-5.viii.1993; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 2♂; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 20.-29.vii.1994; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Tammisaari, Jussarö; 59.8235°N, 23.5854°E [ykj 6639:3308]; 20.-29.vii.1995; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Hanko, Russarö; 59.7695°N, 22.9496°E [ykj 6635:3272]; 16.-20.vii.1988; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Hanko, Russarö; 59.7695°N, 22.9496°E [ykj 6635:3272]; 5.-14.vii.1989; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Hanko, Russarö; 59.7695°N, 22.9496°E [ykj 6635:3272]; 15.-29.vii.1990; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Hanko, Russarö; 59.7695°N, 22.9496°E [ykj 6635:3272]; 12.-17.viii.1990; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂, 1♀; Nylandia, Hanko, Russarö; 59.7695°N, 22.9496°E [ykj 6635:3272]; 11.-15.vii.1992; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 4♂, 3♀; Nylandia, Hanko, Russarö; 59.7695°N, 22.9496°E [ykj 6635:3272]; 16.-23.vii.1992; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Hanko, Tvärminne; 59.8612°N, 23.1618°E [ykj 664:328], 11.vii.1983; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Hanko, Tvärminne; 59.8612°N, 23.1618°E [ykj 664:328], 30.vi.-1.vii.1986; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Hanko, Tvärminne; 59.8612°N, 23.1618°E [ykj 664:328], 5.-8.viii.1987; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Hanko, Tvärminne; 59.8612°N, 23.1618°E [ykj 664:328], 26.vi.-3.vii.1990; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Hanko, Tvärminne; 59.8612°N, 23.1618°E [ykj 664:328], 15.vii.1994; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 3♂, 3♀; Nylandia, Hanko, Tvärminne; 59.8612°N, 23.1618°E [ykj 664:328], 11.-18.viii.2019; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Hanko, Tvärminne; 59.8612°N, 23.1618°E [ykj 664:328], 31.viii.-2.ix.2019; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Hanko, Kolaviken; 59.8254°N, 23.0142°E [ykj 6641:3276]; 16.viii.1984; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; 1♀; same data, but 15.viii.1985; RCKN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Espoo, Soukanniemi; 60.0779°N, 22.8821°E [ykj 66700:32708]; 25.vii.2014; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Espoo, Laurinlahti; 60.1427°N, 24.6519°E [ykj 66724:33695]; 20.vii.2014; T. & K. Nupponen leg.; RCKN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Helsinki, Hylkysaari; 60.1757°N, 24.991°E [ykj 6675:3388]; 19.-26.vi.2019; K. Nupponen & M. Nieminen leg.; RCKN, RCMN.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Helsinki, Hylkysaari; 60.1757°N, 24.991°E [ykj 6675:3388]; 19.-25.vii.2019; K. Nupponen & M. Nieminen leg.; RCKN, RCMN.

• 2♀; Nylandia, Helsinki, Hylkysaari; 60.1757°N, 24.991°E [ykj 6675:3388]; 12.-19.viii.2019; K. Nupponen & M. Nieminen leg.; RCKN, RCMN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Helsinki, Hylkysaari; 60.1757°N, 24.991°E [ykj 6675:3388]; 28.viii.-1.ix.2019; K. Nupponen & M. Nieminen leg.; RCKN, RCMN.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Hanko; 59.8612°N, 23.1618°E [ykj 664:328]; 11.vii.2001; T. Mutanen leg.; ZMUO.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Hanko; 59.8612°N, 23.1618°E [ykj 664:328]; 20.vii.2001; T. Mutanen leg.; ZMUO.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Hanko; 59.8794°N, 24.9911°E [ykj 6642:3387]; 18.vii.2011; M., A. & N. Mutanen leg.; ZMUO.

• 1♂; Nylandia, Hanko; 59.8794°N, 24.9911°E [ykj 6642:3287]; 31.vii.2006; M. Mutanen leg.; BOLD Sample ID: MM03681; ZMUO.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Hanko, Täktom; 59.8099°N, 23.0205°E [ykj 66397:32767]; 13.vii.2018; M. & T. Mutanen leg.; ZMUO.

• 1♂, 1♀; Nylandia, Kirkkonummi, Porkkala; 59.9957°N, 24.4463°E [ykj 665:335]; 28.-31.vii.2003; M. Mutanen leg.; ZMUO.

• 1♀; Nylandia, Kirkkonummi, Porkkala; 59.9957°N, 24.4463°E [6656:3357]; 4.viii.2014; M. Mutanen leg.; ZMUO.

• 1♂, 1♀; Karelia australis, Virolahti; 60.5439°N, 27.6377°E [ykj 671:353]; 7.-13.vii.2001; 14.-21.vii.2002; P. Sundell, K. Vaalamo & B. Wikström leg.; RCBW.

• 1♂; Karelia australis, Virolahti; 60.5439°N, 27.6377°E [ykj 671:353]; 8.-24.vi.2004; B. Wikström leg.; BOLD sample ID: MM23516; RCBW.

Other material.

China • 30♂, 2♀; 48°05'N, 129 85'E; NW China; alt. c. 200-500 m; Heilongjian district, Fenglin Nature Reserve, mixed Pinus /deciduous forest; 28.vi.-10.vii.2000; P. Sihvonen leg.; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05663, L. Kaila prep. 6190; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05664; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05665; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05666, L. Kaila prep. 6189; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05663; MZH.

Estonia • 2♂; Tartu reg., Järvselja; 3.viii.1984; M. Kruus leg.; MZH.

• 4♂; Abruka island, Pitkanina; dry meadow; 29.-31.vii.1984; K. Mikkola leg.; MZH.

Japan • 1♂; Odawa Pass, Arimine Toyama; 21.vii.1979; H. Yamanaka leg.; L. Kaila prep. 6310; ZMUC;

• 1♂; Odawa Pass, Arimine Toyama; 25.viii.1984; H. Yamanaka leg.; ZMUC.

Latvia • 1♂; Rīga distr., Carnikava; 13.vii.2011; by light trap; N. Savenkov leg.; LMNH.

• 1♀; Daugavpils distr., Silene (Ilgas); 8.-9.vii.2014; N. Savenkov leg.; LMNH.

Russia • 1♀; Isthmus Karelia, Repino [Kuokkala]; 11.viii.1938; E. Lankiala leg.; MZH.

• 1♀; Seiskari; 60.034°N, 28.360°E; 24.vii.1993; J. Junnilainen leg.; RCJJ.

• 3♂; Belgorod oblast, Borisovka, Makeshkino, Stenki; 503800°N, 355800°E; 8.-15.vii.2009; 17.-30.vi.2013; K.-E. Lundsten & B. Wikström leg.; GPBW7720, GPBW7913, GPBW7935; RCMW.

• 4♂; Belgorod oblast, Borisovka, 40 km N. Makeshkino, Stenki; 503811°N, 374904°E; 12.-14.vii.2011; K.-E. Lundsten & B. Wikström leg.; GPBW7930, GPBW7939; RCBW.

• 4♂; 40 km N. Irkutsk, steppe sloppe; ad luc, 1.-3.viii.1984; K. Mikkola & M. Viitasaari leg.; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05674, BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05675; MZH.

• 1♂; Dauria, Onon river valley, lower Tshanrey; 15.vi.1992; M. Kostjuk leg.; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05667; MZH.

• 2♂; Novosibirsk, Akademogorodok; 14.-16.viii.1982; K. Mikkola leg.; MZH.

• 2♂, 1♀; SW Udmurtia, Kilmez; 57°00'N, 51°05'E; 8.-11.vii.2002; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 0756, BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 0757; K. Mikkola leg.; MZH.

1♂; Buryatia, pr. Ulan Ude; alt. 700 m; steppe hill; 17.vii.1996; J. Jalava & J. Kullberg leg.; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05676; MZH.

• 19♂, 2♀; Barguzin valley, Maisky village; 54°35'N, 110°48'E; alt. 500 m; sandy yard; 2.-7.vii.1996; J. Jalava & J. Kullberg leg.; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 056769, BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05670; MZH.

4♂, 2♀; Primorje, Gonota juznoe; 1979; M. Kruus leg.; coll. MZH.

• 2♂; Anisimovka; 43°10'N, 132°46'E; alt. 300 m; 24.-28.vii.1997; J. Kullberg & J. Kaare leg.; MZH;

• 3♂; S. Primorje Ussurijsk Res.; 43°38'N, 132°33'E; alt. 250 m; 29.-31.vii.1996; J. Kullberg & J. Kaare leg.; MZH.

• 1♂; S. Primorje, Lazovski Res.; 43°16'N, 134°08'E; alt. 180 m; 5.-9.viii.1996; J. Jalava, J. Kullberg & J. Kaare leg.; BOLD sample ID: TLMF Lep 05668; MZH.

South Korea • 1♂, 1♀; South Korea, Jeollanam, E, Heuksan Isl; alt. 2 m; 344 ’45.28’’ N, 125°26 ’15.54’’ E; 17.-18.vi.2010; K. Mikkola leg.; http://id.luomus.fi/GK.2801, http://id.luomus.fi/GK.2837; L. Kaila prep 6294 (♂); MZH.

Diagnosis.

Pyralis cardinalis is unique among other focal species as having two cornuti in the male genitalia; their structure is detailed below. It differs externally from P. regalis , P. sagarrai , P. kacheticalis , P. princeps and P. joannisi by the shape of the inner, silvery fascia: its outer margin is somewhat broadened medially, while the fascia is entirely or nearly parallel-sided in the other species. It can sometimes also be outwards slightly broadened in P. regalis and may thus taken alone not always be adequate for correct identification. Unlike other species the outer area of the hindwing of P. cardinalis is deep purple, that of other species is either dark brown ( P. regalis , P. princeps , P. joannisi , P. regalis may also have brown or purple tinge), or pale yellowish grey, or suffused with pale grey ( P. sagarrai , P. kacheticalis ), but without purple. The inner silvery fascia is narrow and reaches the dorsal margin in P. kacheticalis , unlike other species. The median area of the hindwing is paler in P. kacheticalis and P. sagarrai than in the other species, as noted in the key. In the male genitalia, P. cardinalis differs from all other related species by its vesica which is devoid of coarse spines. It shares with P. kacheticalis and P. sagarrai the presence of one long, prominent, more or less straight cornutus, but has another smaller, curved cornutus formed of fused coarse spines.

The large cornutus can sometimes also be outwards slightly broadened in P. regalis and may thus alone not always perfectly support correct identification. The vesica of P. regalis has one tiny cornutus that is often hard to decipher among spines (see, however, Remarks under that species). In the female genitalia, the inception of the ductus seminalis is broadened and somewhat sclerotized; this trait distinguishes it from all other species treated. The ductus bursae widens evenly towards the corpus bursae, it is similar only in the externally different P. perversalis ,

Description.

External appearance (Figs 2 , 4-7 ). Forewing length ♂: 8-9.5 mm, ♀: 8-11 mm. Labial palpus ascending, length of second segment 1.3 as long as diameter of eye; third segment short. Maxillary palpus 1/3 as long as labial palpus; head and these appendices, scape and pecten yellow. Head rough-scaled; collar yellow, intermixed with purple. Flagellum purple, male with thin cilia length of which is twice diameter of shaft; female antenna with very short ciliation. Thorax purple; abdomen varying from purple to lead-grey. Legs pale ochre. Forewing: basal third, distal quarter, and often area of distal quarter between fold and dorsal margin purple, near margin sometimes variably intermixed with dark grey scales; at 2/5 of wing length white fascia extending from costa to fold towards which it narrows, medially outwardly widened; similarly colored, elongate spot from distal 4/5 wing length from costa to 1/3 wing width towards middle; from both white areas to costal margin narrow, purple string both inwardly and outwardly narrowly bordered with dark grey. Between white areas wing colour orange brown, costa variably annulated by yellow, grey or alternating spots of both colour. Fringe brown, except in dorsal corner dark grey. Hindwing: divided by off-white stripes into three almost equally wide areas; stripes approaching each other towards anal margin. Basal and median area purple, sometimes variably intermixed with dark grey scales; distal area somewhat paler, purple. Fringe brown, except in anal corner silvery. Underside: forewing yellowish grey, area corresponding with outer white area of upper side pale ochre. Costal margin annulated by black and yellow, somewhat elongate spots; hindwing lead-grey, with evenly bent pale grey band along outer 2/3.

Male genitalia

(Fig. 22 ). Uncus hat-shaped, weakly sclerotized medially with triangular, distally tapered as a sparsely setose, blunt-tipped lobe; uncus articulated from tegumen; tegumen narrow, broadest laterally, tapered as narrow band touching uncus. Gnathos articulated from tegumen, formed of arms being near base and medially broad, somewhat narrowed between, mesially formed as narrow, triangular lobe terminating with abruptly bent, narrow, fused hook-shaped apex, median part of gnathos twice as long as uncus. Valva 1.5-2 times as long as wide, width varying to some extent, valvae connected to each other anteriorly; dorsal margin of basal part of valva sclerotized, distal area formed of articulated square lobe; costa convex, weakly sclerotized. Transtilla laterally shortly sclerotized, median part articulated, membranous. Juxta scobinate, convex, broad tongue-shaped. Anellus connected to vinculum, nearly membranous, in lateral view bent as s-shaped, posteriorly connected to apex of phallus; easily severed during dissection from genital capsule and attached to phallus. Vinculum short, broad, v-shaped. Phallus 3 times as long as wide apart from distal 1/4 which is narrowed towards apex, and incised with ventrally directed distal opening. Vesica with two cornuti: one narrow spine, length of which is roughly half of the narrowed distal part of phallus, and another small, curved cornutus-like group formed of dense group of coarse, partly fused spines; vesica otherwise indistinctly spinose.

Female genitalia

(Fig. 29 ). Papillae anales dorsally fused, relatively narrow, somewhat bent; densely setose. Ostium bursae situated at posterior margin of sternum 8, membranous, bowl-shaped, width ¾ distance between posterior apophyses in dorsoventral projection. Posterior apophysis straight and slender; anterior apophysis somewhat longer, bent and basally stouter than apophysis posterioris. No antrum present between ostium and the distinctly sclerotized colliculum; colliculum as long as wide. Ductus seminalis incepted anterior to colliculum, at the inception ductus somewhat broadened and weakly sclerotized. Otherwise ductus bursae membranous, evenly widened towards corpus bursae without clear limit to the latter. Length of ductus bursae and corpus bursae about 7.5 times length of posterior apophysis. No signum or granulation in corpus bursae, but membrane with minute lens-shaped formations.

Molecular data.

BIN: replace: BOLD:AAF5806. The intraspecific mean divergence of the barcode region is 0.21%, the maximum divergence 0.70% (N = 21). The minimum distance to the nearest European neighbour, P. sagarrai , is 7.43%. However, an unrevised species from China is only 4.23% apart from P. cardinalis .

Biology.

Life history is not known. Adults have been observed at sugar bait as well as in light traps over a long period, spanning from the end of June to the end of August. The peak of the flight period is during July, and no evidence of more than one yearly generation seems to exist.

Distribution.

China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Japan, Latvia, Russia (European part, southern Siberia, Far East), South Korea, Sweden.

Remarks.

We have intentionally delimited the type series of this transpalearctic species to a limited geographical area. As such we selected Finland from where an exceptionally rich material is available. As P. cardinalis is nowadays common in the southern part of Finland, we selected for the type series only a representative subset of known specimens, and list here only the type specimens. P. cardinalis is expanding in northern Europe; probably the first confirmed records from Baltic countries and Fennoscandia are from 1930s. The first documented and still existing specimen is from Repino [then Kivennapa] in Isthmus Karelia from 1931. There are records from Finland and apparently from Latvia from the later 1930s ( Karvonen 1937; N. Savenkov, pers. comm.). Since 1970s it has become ever more abundant in the Baltic countries and Finland. P. cardinalis [as P. regalis ] was first recorded 1996 in Denmark and is now established in the island of Bornholm ( Buhl et al. 2020). Bengtsson (2020) outlined its recent expansion in Sweden [as P. regalis ]. The origin of the contemporary distribution is not possible to estimate as all barcodes examined throughout its range are virtually identical. The specimen illustrated as P. princeps by Leraut (2005, Fig. 33 ) is actually P. cardinalis.

Figures

Figure 2. Pyralis cardinalis sp. nov., holotype, ♂, habitus.

Figures 4 - 11. Pyralis sp., habitus. 4 - 7. P. cardinalis sp. nov., 4. ♂, Finland, V, Kemioensaari, leg. J. Tyllinen. 5. ♀, A, Lemland, leg. B. Wikstroem & K. Vaalamo; 6. ♂, Finland, U, Kirkkonummi, leg. J. Junnilainen; 7. ♂, Finland, U, Raasepori, leg. L. Kaila. 8 - 11. P. regalis. 8. ♂, Greece, Lesvos, leg. L. Kaila & J. Kullberg. 9. ♀, Slovenia, Granska Gora, leg. B. Wikstroem; 10. ♂, Italy, Tuscany, Cortona, leg. B. Wikstroem. 11. Bulgaria, 5 km S. Blagoevgrad, ♀, leg. B. A. Bengtsson.

Figures 22 - 24. ♂ genitalia of Pyralis spp. 22. P. cardinalis sp. nov., GPBW 7913, Belgorod oblast, Makeshino Stenki. 23. P. regalis ([Denis & Schiffermueller]), GPBW 7908, France, Corse, Patrimonio. 24. P. sagarrai Leraut, GPBW 8148, France, Pyrenees or., Olette.

Figures 29 - 33. ♀ genitalia of Pyralis spp. 29. P. cardinalis, GPBW 7939, Belgorod obl., Borisovka.; 30. P. regalis, GPBW 7941, Slovenia, Granska Gora. 31. P. sagarrai, GPBW 8151, France, Pyrenees or., Olette. 32. P. kacheticalis (Christoph), L. Kaila prep. 6305, Lebanon, Koura. 33. P. perversalis (Herrich-Schaeffer), GPBW 8403, S. Ural, Cheliabinsk oblast.