Pyrausta aerealis (Hübner, 1793)

Alipanah, Helen, Asselbergs, Jan, Malm, Tobias & Slamka, František, 2023, Taxonomic study of the subfamily Pyraustinae (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Iran, Zootaxa 5289 (1), pp. 1-82 : 44

Pyrausta aerealis (Hübner, 1793)

( Fig. 20B )

Phalaena Pyralis aerealis Ḩbner, 1793: 7, pl. 20.

TL: W Europe, Central Asia.

Syn.: Phalaena obsoletalis Fabricius, 1794: 229 .

Phalaena obsoletus Fabricius, 1798: 468 .

Scopula suffusalis Treitschke, 1829: 68–69 .

Pyrausta wockei Rebel, 1902: 106–107 .

Pyrausta aerealis unicolor Rebel, 1917: 279 .

Material examined. Kermân Prov.: 1 ♂, Bâft, Khabr protected area, 21 km E Dashtâb Ranger Sta., Pâyeshgah-e Mobârakeh , N 28˚47΄43.2˝, E 56˚30΄54.4˝, 2271 m, 5.vi.2017, Âlipanâh, Afsariân, Mozhdehi leg. (gen. prep. HA-2401, HMIM) .

Distribution. Europe; Transcaspia; Transcaucasia; Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Iran, Algeria, Syria, Volga region (steppes), central Ural, Ili territory, Tian Shan Mts, south of Siberia, Kyrgyzstan (including Alay Mts), Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, India ( Slamka 2013).

Remarks 1. This species is represented by seven subspecies ( Nuss et al. 2003 –2022), of which P. aerealis ablutalis (Eversmann, 1844) has been reported from the north of Iran ( Slamka, 2013). As stated by Slamka (2013), this subspecies is distributed in the steppes of the Volga region, Turkey, Armenia, Georgia and Iran. In Iran it has been reported from Fars (Shiraz, Sineh Sefid), Golestan (Gorgan), Mazandaran (Kandovan Rd. and Tarsi Kola), Sistan and Baluchestan (Taftan Mt.) and Tehran (Damavand: Rineh) Provinces ( Lederer 1871; Zerny 1940; Amsel 1961; Slamka 2013). According to Slamka (2013), in P. aerealis ablutalis the forewing is light, concolourous, more or less pale brown, with somehow distinct postmedial line. However, as he noted, P. aerealis ablutalis is questionable and may only be a local paler form of P. aerealis aerealis .

Remarks 2. Pyrausta wockei described from East Turkestan shows characters of a different species. Generally it is smaller and the postmedial pale line is more oblique. The genitalia of both sexes are slightly different from P. aerealis (cf. Slamka 2013). Even though P. wockei Rebel is here considered a synonym of P. aerealis (Ḩbner), in our opinion it is externally different and further studies may prove it to be a distinct species.

Figures

FIGURE 20. A) Pyrausta pionalis Toll, female. B) P. aerealis (Ḩbner), male. C, D) P. tatarica Kemal et al., 2020: male, West Azarbaijan, Maku (C), male, East Azarbaijan, Kaghazkonan (D). E, F) P. limbopunctalis (Herrich-Schäffer): male, Kordestan, Saghez- Baneh Rd (E), male, Alborz, Dizin (F) (scale bar = 10.0 mm).