A revision of the Palaearctic species of Euxoa Hübner, 1821 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae). I. The West-Asiatic species group of Pleonectopoda Grote, 1873 (sensu lato)

The subgeneric division of the genus Euxoa is discussed; the subgenus Pleonectopoda and its major Eurasiatic lineages are characterised; the Ponto-Mediterranean – Iranian E. (P.) rjabovi species group is defined, four new species (kosswigi, matovi, michaelfibigeri and thomasbaroni spp. n.) are described; the lectotypes of E. rjabovi Kozhanchikov, 1929 and E. inclusa Corti, 1931 are designated; the taxonomic identity of Euxoa hilaris (Freyer, 1838) and E. conifera (Christoph, 1877) is clarified; E. uncarpa Kozhanchikov, 1929 is synonymised with E. conifera (syn. n.). All taxa of the E. (P.) rjabovi species group and their genitalia are illustrated.