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The Lepidoptera. Form, Function and Diversity
... Archiearinae Ennominae 4-5 Common, 1990 5 4 Sterrhinae Larentiinae Common, 1990;Scoble, 1992; 2011 Epidesmiinae ...
... Rajaei et al., 2022 Uraniidae Drepanoidea Common, 1990;Cook and Scoble, 1992;Scoble, 1992;Holloway, 1997;Minet and Scoble, 1999 ansa scoloparium Cook and Scoble, 1992;Rydell et al., 1997Rydell et al., 1997. Larvae and tympanal organ. ...
... Rajaei et al., 2022 Uraniidae Drepanoidea Common, 1990;Cook and Scoble, 1992;Scoble, 1992;Holloway, 1997;Minet and Scoble, 1999 ansa scoloparium Cook and Scoble, 1992;Rydell et al., 1997Rydell et al., 1997. Larvae and tympanal organ. ...
... The wings often shed some scales if they come into contact with people. When a butterfly loses a lot of scales, it can't fly as well (Scoble, 1995;Nijhout, 1991). ...
... 22, Issue No. 01, January-2025, ISSN 2230 enriched our understanding of insect biology. Historically, the recreational and scientific collection of butterflies contributed to a vast body of knowledge, advancing disciplines such as systematics, ecology, and evolutionary biology (Scoble, 1995;. ...
This research explores the educational potential and threats to biodiversity posed by the overproduction and exploitation of butterflies in live exhibitions. Ecosystems rely on butterflies. They indicate a shift in the climate and play a crucial role in pollination. All three art, culture, and emotions involve them. Insects belonging to the lepidoptera order are useful for many reasons, including pollinating plants, spinning silk, signaling changes in the environment, and being aesthetically pleasing. Ecosystem richness and variety change over time. The variety and number of butterfly species have increased due to the growing popularity of polyculture farms and organic farming methods. A relatively new kind of zoo the butterfly house has exploded in popularity during the last three decades. As a result, a new industry known as the Butterfly House Industry (BHI) has emerged all over the world, focused on the commercial cultivation of butterfly pupae. Here we present the 174 butterfly species and subspecies from 100 genera and 8 families that have been identified so far from the Indian states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
... Ennominae is the most diversified subfamily, comprising approximately half of the described species within Geometridae (Gaston et al. 1995;Scoble 1999;Pitkin 2002;Scoble and Hausmann 2007;Rajaei et al. 2022). However, due to this extensive diversity (approximately 10,000 species), the taxonomic classification at the tribal level has remained in constant flux, and there is still no consensus on the taxonomic affinities of the recognized tribes, particularly when considering taxa from the New World (Holloway 1993;Scoble 1995;Pitkin 2002;Beljaev 2006;Õunap et al. 2011;Brehm et al. 2019). ...
... Wing and genitalia slides were prepared following the methods outlined in Parra (1991). Nomenclature for genitalia and external characteristics followed Klots (1970) and Scoble (1995), respectively. All prepared slides were photographed using a Motic SMZ-171-TL trinocular stereoscopic microscope equipped with a 5-Mpx Moticam Motic2500 digital camera. ...
The taxonomic study of the Chilean Ennomini genera is still in its early stages. Within this group, the maculation patterns of Chilean species are uniform and often inadequate for distinguishing between many species, compounded by a lack of taxonomic revisions focused on the genera within the tribe. In this study, the genus Digonis Butler, 1882, is reviewed and redefined based on characteristics of wing patterns and genitalia. Digonis comprises the following five species: D. aspersa Butler, 1882, D. cervinaria (Blanchard, 1852), D. punctifera Butler, 1882, D. gungnir Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov., and D. apocrypha Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. Additionally, D. cuprea Butler, 1882 is synonymized with D. cervinaria (Blanchard, 1852), and all varieties of D. punctifera Butler, 1882, and D. cuprea are synonymized with their respective species. Furthermore, two new genera are introduced: Phasmadigonis Ramos-González & Parra, gen. nov., erected for P. alba (Butler, 1882), comb. nov., and Gugnelve Ramos-González & Parra, gen. nov., established for G. butleri Ramos-González & Parra, sp. nov. With the species and genus descriptions, a comparative diagnosis, genitalia illustrations for all species, and wing venation for each genus are provided.
... Insects usually have one or more generations per year. However, it is under genetic or environmental control whether to develop into an adult or rest in diapause (Scoble, 1995). The expression of one or more broods is generally controlled by photoperiod and temperature (Scoble, 1995;Altermatt, 2010). ...
... However, it is under genetic or environmental control whether to develop into an adult or rest in diapause (Scoble, 1995). The expression of one or more broods is generally controlled by photoperiod and temperature (Scoble, 1995;Altermatt, 2010). Many bivoltine (having two generations per year) populations turn to univoltine (one generation per year) when moved to higher altitude (Välimäki et al., 2008). ...
Solitary and primitively eusocial bees, an important group of pollinators, have declined in the past few decades. In view of the recent focus on safeguarding pollinating insects, it is vital to understand the basic ecology of species for their conservation, for example their phenologies. We observed the flight periods of solitary and primitively eusocial bees in both the urban core of a large British town and nearby nature conservation areas. The bee surveys were conducted with standardised methods, on warm sunny days from the first appearance of bees in March 2012 and continued until October 2012. This study confirmed that a high number of species are active in the spring season. The emergence dates of species in urban areas and nature sites varied; about 26 of the 35 species were recorded at least one week earlier in urban areas; in contrast, only four species were seen earlier in nature conservation sites. When comparing this with the expected flight periods recorded (largely in nature sites) in the literature, many species were recorded at their expected time. However, a few individuals were recorded after their usual flight activity time, suggesting that the populations were possibly affected by the microclimate in urban areas. More urban phenological data are needed to understand the phenological trends in bees in urban habitats.
... As important pollinators, moths positively respond to flower abundance (Milberg et al., 2016), which in turn depends upon the structure of the understory layer (Costa and Magnusson, 2003;Lindh, 2008). Mating influences the mobility behaviour between sexes, with males actively engaged in female searching and females being less active due to load of eggs (Scoble, 2002). It has been demonstrated that bat density decreases in denser woodlots (Kalcounis et al., 1999;Blakey, 2017), resulting in a reduced predatory pressure on moths. ...
... (Lepiforum no-profit association, 2006), and integrated with original data from our collection. The incidence of tympanate moths was weighted according to the abundance of species considering as nontympanate those belonging to the Lasiocampidae, Sphingidae, Limacodidae, Hepialidae, and Brahmaeidae families (Scoble, 2002). Traits were computed for entire communities and separately for the canopy and understory-linked portions of moth communities. ...
... This method facilitates the association of different life stages within Lepidoptera, as well as the distinction between sexually dimorphic species, a common challenge in this order [31]. Butterflies and larger moths are often used as bioindicators for environmental changes, habitat quality assessments, and climate change studies [32,33]. However, their usefulness in ecological evaluations is often limited due to insufficient taxonomic data. ...
... Moths in the family Saturniidae typically live for only a week as adults, during which time they do not feed and must locate mates at night to reproduce [10] while avoiding echolocating bats. At least five saturniid lineages have independently evolved hindwing tails with twisted and cupped ends [11]. ...
Elaborate traits evolve via intense selective pressure, overpowering ecological constraints. Hindwing tails that thwart bat attack have repeatedly originated in moon moths (Saturniidae), with longer tails having greater anti-predator effect. Here, we take a macroevolutionary approach to evaluate the evolutionary balance between predation pressure and possible limiting environmental factors on tail elongation. To trace the evolution of tail length across time and space, we inferred a time-calibrated phylogeny of the entirely tailed moth group (Actias + Argema) and performed ancestral state reconstruction and biogeographical analyses. We generated metrics of predation via estimates of bat abundance from nearly 200 custom-built species distribution models and environmental metrics via estimates of bioclimatic variables associated with individual moth observations. To access community science data, we developed a novel method for measuring wing lengths from un-scaled photos. Integrating these data into phylogenetically informed mixed models, we find a positive association between bat predation pressure and moth tail length and body size, and a negative association between environmental factors and these morphological traits. Regions with more insectivorous bats and more consistent temperatures tend to host longer-tailed moths. Our study provides insight into tradeoffs between biotic selective pressures and abiotic constraints that shape elaborate traits across the tree of life.
... This larva was brought to the laboratory to record emergence of the adult and confirm the species. The terminology of pupa stage follows Scoble (1992). The specimen was identified through Evans (1952) ...
This paper reports the butterfly Cogia stylites (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869) feeding on a Fabaceae tree species in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. The immature specimen was found inside its shelter, constructed using leaflets from the host plant identified as Senna multijuga subsp. lindleyana var. lindleyana (Gardner) H.S. Irwin & Barneby (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae). Other species of Cogia Butler, 1870, and the closely related genus Typhedanus Butler, 1870, have a specific relationship with plants of
the genus Senna Mill. Thus, this is the first report of C. stylites feeding on Senna Mill. species.
... Through their interaction with vegetation, butterfly communities can impact ecosystem composition, structure, and function (Nelson and Epstein 1998). Vegetation and butterfly communities are generally forecasted to show corresponding patterns in the diversity of their species due to ecological interactions mainly involving ecosystem services (Scoble 1992). Many butterfly species depend on one or a few closely related species of host plants that provide suitable food resources for their larvae at local scales (Opler 1999;Tiple et al. 2011). ...
Butterflies are a widespread species and play a crucial role in pollination and seed dispersal. This study examines the interaction between butterfly communities and their host and nectar plants, as well as the environmental factors influencing butterfly species richness on the Bangalore University Campus (BUC) in Bengaluru, India. Regular sampling was conducted using the standard line transect method to observe butterflies and document their host and nectar plants. A total of 105 butterfly species, 86 larval host plant species, and 25 adult nectar plant species were identified. Among them, one near-threatened species, Parantica nilgiriensis, was recorded, while the rest were classified as least concern. Catopsilia pomona and C. pyranthe were observed year-round, with Acraea terpsicore being the most abundant species. Nymphalidae was the most dominant butterfly family. Among host plants, Cassia tora had the highest density on campus, while Fabaceae was the most abundant and diverse larval host plant family. Cadaba fruticosa attracted five Pierid butterfly species, while Ixora coccinea and Lantana camara were popular nectar sources. Relative humidity showed a positive correlation with the abundance and richness of Nymphalidae butterflies. This study highlights the rich diversity of butterfly species and their host plants at BUC, offering valuable insights for conservation and habitat management.
... The measurements were taken after detachment of the eggs from the host plants using a scraper. Mean weight of the egg was estimated by weighing 20 eggs using an electronic analytical balance (0.001 mg accuracy) and averaged as described by Scoble (1992). ...
... Lepidoptera is one of the most diverse insect orders, encompassing more than 180,000 species globally [1] . Butterflies and moths are ecologically significant due to their role in pollination, as bio-indicators, and in food webs [2] . India, with its varied climatic zones and rich biodiversity, harbours a significant diversity of Lepidoptera, making it one of the key regions for studying their taxonomy, ecology, and conservation. ...
... Pollinator-mediated selection may be strong enough to separate flowers pollinated by even closely related and functionally-similar groups into discrete syndromes, such as long-and shorttongued fly syndromes (Robertson 1928;Fenster et al. 2004), or fragrance-, resin-, and pollencollecting euglossine bee syndromes (Armbruster 1993). Moth and butterfly pollination syndromes too are defined distinctly (Faegri & Pijl 1979;Armbruster et al. 2000;Fenster et al. 2004), despite most Lepidoptera sharing many similarities in anatomy, resource requirements, and other physical and ecological traits (Ford 1946;Scoble 1992;Young 2010). The moth floral syndrome (phalaenophily) includes white or pale-colored flowers, nocturnal anthesis, ample and sweet floral fragrance, and lots of nectar; the butterfly syndrome (psychophily) describes diurnally-open, colorful (often pink or red) flowers that produce little fragrance and comparatively little nectar (Faegri & Pijl 1979;Dobson 1994). ...
Premise—Pollinator-mediated selection drives floral morphologies to converge on sets of traits deemed “pollination syndromes”. As a result of similarity due to common descent, pollination syndromes can be shared among closely related plants in cases where pollinators remain relatively constant over evolutionary time. In these cases, species that display trait deviations away from their ancestral states may indicate hidden pollinator shifts. Identifying when and where trait deviations reflect reproductive contributions from unexpected pollinators is important for understanding the boundaries and cohesion of pollination syndrome phenotypes. Methods—The floral morphology of heart’s delight, Abronia ameliae, unites a collection of traditional moth-pollination syndrome traits, typical for the genus, with several characters odd for moth pollination, including diurnally open, pink flowers and large, tall inflorescences. We predicted that the evolution of this combination of traits reflects a change in pollinators from other Abronia, specifically that this species is primarily diurnally-pollinated. We conducted pollinator-exclusion experiments in a natural population and a common garden to determine the independent reproductive contributions of diurnal and nocturnal pollinators to A. ameliae and characterized its volatile profile. Results—We found that A. ameliae is indeed primarily diurnally pollinated: visitation by day-active butterflies and moths contributed to higher seed set than visitation by nocturnal moths. However, A. ameliae also emits nocturnal moth-associated volatile compounds and receives considerable nocturnal pollination. Conclusions—We suggest that the unusual phenotypes found in A. ameliae flowers relative to the genus reflect a shift in reproductive contributions to incorporate mostly diurnal pollination and transition to a mixed pollination strategy that blends diurnal and nocturnal pollination phenotypes.
... The group commonly referred to as "Heterocera" encompasses approximately 147,415 species of nocturnal Lepidoptera (Amarillo, 2000), including the Saturniidae family, which is characterized by large-sized moths with an estimated 1,200-1,300 species worldwide (Heppner, 1991), 850 of which are found in the Neotropics (Scoble, 1992). Conversely, the Sphingidae family includes around 1,400 species across 200 genera, with members distributed across most continents (Kitching & Cadiou, 2000). ...
This study documents the diversity of Saturniidae and Sphingidae moths in the transitional premontane forests of Quizaltepe Hill, San Lorenzo, Boaco, Nicaragua, a previously unexplored area. During the dry season, 70 individuals representing 25 species were recorded, with Manduca lefeburii and Dysdaemonia boreas being the most abundant. Land-use analysis identified threats from agricultural expansion, underscoring the conservation value of this site, which serves as a refuge for both lowland and montane species. These preliminary results suggest that the rainy season could increase species diversity and abundance, highlighting the need for seasonal research and the importance of the area as an ecological corridor and refuge for species conservation.
... This may be attributed to the temperate climate of Scandinavia, which potentially confers a degree of protection not seen in Mediterranean or tropical ecosystems where drought effects are more pronounced (Schoonhoven et al., 2005;Sintayehu, 2018). Additionally, the nocturnal activity patterns of moths might shield them from some of the more immediate and intense effects of daytime heat and desiccation during droughts (Scoble, 1988). Another explanation for the discrepancy may be our study's predominance of range-expanding and migratory species, which likely possess broader physiological tolerances and adaptive capacities (Parmesan, 2006). ...
Insects are pivotal to ecosystem diversity and functionality, yet they face increasing threats from anthropogenic climate change impacts. A growing body of studies reports the effects of changing temperature and precipitation patterns, but relatively few studies focus on the consequences for insect populations because of extreme weather events.
Here, we examine population growth responses to temperature, precipitation and the extreme summer drought in Sweden in 2018. For this purpose, we used longitudinal data for 54 moth species collected between 2005 and 2023 using light traps at three sites in southeastern Sweden.
We found a positive relationship between temperature and population growth rates across all study sites, while precipitation showed a positive relationship at two sites and no effect at the third. The results indicated a negative time‐lag effect on population growth, at two of the sites, of precipitation the previous year, while there were no significant effects of temperature the previous year. Despite the extreme drought in 2018, moth populations remained resilient, with no dramatic decline in population growth between 2018 and 2019.
Our results contrast earlier studies reporting severe declines in population growth in response to extreme drought events. The discrepancy may reflect a combination of region‐specific effects of extreme weather events and that selected species in this study predominantly consist of range‐expanding and migratory species, better able to withstand adverse conditions due to a higher climatic tolerance and being habitat and food plant generalists.
Our findings underscore the importance of an increased knowledge of site‐specific responses and effects of extreme weather events such as droughts when outlining conservation efforts.
... Butterflies and moths are not only beautiful creatures but also a good pollinator (Ghazanfar et al., 2016;Mertens et al., 2021) and contribute to fruit set in plants . Butterflies also perform a key role in tropical regions (Scoble, 1995, Duara and Kalita, 2014, Mertens et al., 2021. Their natural tendency to visit multiple flowers on different plants helps in maximising xenogamy, thus increasing genetic diversity (Reddi and Bai, 1984). ...
India is a country known for its rich and diverse forests. With five major forest groups, namely Tropical, Montane subtropical, Temperate, Subalpine, and Alpine forests. Among these, the Tropical forests occupy the largest area in India and are known for their rich diversity of flora. In India's tropical forests, insect pollinators such as bees, butterflies, moths, flies, and other insects are the main pollinators. They perform the important task of transferring pollen grains from one plant to another, thus aiding in the reproduction and survival of various species. Their pollination services ensure the survival and proliferation of a many plant species, making them an indispensable part of these precious ecosystems.
... The morphological structure of the fifth instar larva of C. trifenestrata Helfer in its head, thorax, and abdomen closely resembles the typical structure of caterpillars belonging to the order Lepidoptera. Examples are the presence of an inverted Y-shaped suture, an adfrontal suture located on the front of the head, six stemmata on the head capsule, silk glands situated on the labium, and prolegs located on specific abdominal segments, such as A3, A4, A5, A6, and A10, and crochets (hooks), as documented by Scoble (1995) [16], Wagner and Hoyt (2022) [17], and Miller and Hammond (2003) [12]. ...
Simple Summary
The Cricula trifenestrata Helfer, a wild silkmoth found in various Southeast Asian countries, is often considered a pest due to the damage its larvae cause to crops. However, its silk, which is more valuable than that of the common silkworm, holds significant economic potential. This study focuses on examining the larvae found on cinnamon trees in Thailand in order to gain a better understanding of their physical characteristics. The larvae have distinctive black and crimson–red bodies with striking yellow spots and long whitish hairs, which may serve as a defense mechanism against predators. The researchers also discovered a unique luminescent quality in the yellow hair warts under regular and UV light, indicating a possible role in defense. Furthermore, the authors observed differences between male and female larvae, with females being larger and having different stripe patterns. This study offers a detailed description of the larvae’s morphology, providing valuable insights that could aid in managing their impact on crops and maximizing the potential benefits they offer. Understanding these characteristics could lead to more effective pest control methods and enhanced utilization of their silk, thus making a positive contribution to agriculture and the silk industry.
... On A10 four hooked short perianal setae are present as given by Patočka & Turčáni (20) and Mosher (9). Cremaster is rudimentary, like most Olethreutinae (19,(21)(22)(23)(24). The prominent pretornal spot in female forewing and brown band like fascia on dorsum of male forewing are in accordance with the description given by Bradley (25) and Sohn et al. (4). ...
Cryptophlebia ombrodelta (Lower, 1898) (Olethreutinae: Tortricidae: Lepidoptera) larvae were recorded for the first time from the fruits of Saraca asoca (Roxb.) Willd. (Fabaceae) a culturally and medicinally important tree at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The larvae were reared to the adult stage at Butterfly House, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Insect Museum. Pupae and adults of C. ombrodelta are described in detail. The pupal morphology is described for the first time. Adults are redescribed in detail and special emphasis is given on Male and Female genital morphology. Mitochondrial DNA was extracted from adult specimens, DNA sequence was compared with other related sequences on the NCBI database for additional confirmation. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using sequences submitted worldwide which show more than 98% similarity.
... The latter generic name is followed in the present studies. Further, according to Scoble (1995), it is more appropriate to describe the presently collected material in Aganaine, which is characterized by long and upwardly pointed antennae (Common, 1970). Regarding the placement of the species, the consultation of literature shows that they belong to the genus Asota Hübner with the genera such as Aganais Boisduval, Aspa Walker, Damalis Hübner, Euimata Billberg, Hypsa Hübner, Lacides Walker and Psephea Billberg as its synonyms (Holloway, 1988). ...
The present study has been undertaken from 04 districts i.e., Kangra, Mandi, Bilaspur and Hamirpur of state Himachal Pradesh. In all, 03 species i.e., Asota ficus (Fabricius), A. caricae Fabricius and A. plaginota Butler of genus Asota Hübner have been collected and taxonomically studied. The details on their distribution, diagnosis, adult description and their male and female genitalia have been given. The coloured photographs of adult moths, labial palpi, legs, wings and genitalia have also been given in the form of plates. The dichotomous key for these species is also provided.
... It makes it possible to find the relationship between the different life stages of Lepidoptera and also the species that are sexually male and female in a form that is very abundant in this order [31]. Large moths and butterflies were used to indicate environmental quality (such as habitat destruction), habitat diversity classification, and climate change indicators [32,33]. However, due to insufficient taxonomic information about them, their role as an important group in environmental assessments is limited and weak. ...
... Some studies on butterfly ecology have sought to analyze the variables that determine the faunal composition of the communities of this group, including host plants (Scoble 1992;Hall and Willmott 2000;DeVries and Walla 2001;O'Brien et al. 2003;Boggs and Dau 2004), some of the factors related to diapause, migration, and seasonality (Scott 1979;Janzen 1987;Jones and Rienks 1987), temporal fluctuation (Vasconcellos-Neto 1991;Freitas 1996;Freitas et al. 2001), spatial structure (Brown 1981;Mallet 1986), predation (Janzen 1988;Chai and Srygley 1990;Lyytinen et al. 2004), and competition (Benson 1978). However, in most previous studies, the analysis was carried out on a community basis. ...
This study compares the variation of richness, abundance, and diversity of butterfly species for vegetation communities along an elevational gradient and during different seasons in the Priority Region for Conservation of Biodiversity, Sierra Chiquita, located in the northeast of Mexico. We also analyze the influence of environmental variables on the abundance and richness of butterfly species. Seven sampling sites were established based on criteria of vegetation distribution per altitudinal gradient. Sampling was on a monthly basis and carried out in six permanent plots at each site, using an aerial entomological net during November 2015 to October 2016. A total of 38,011 specimens, representing six families and 195 species, were collected. All parameter values showed significant differences across sites, except between thorn forest and gallery forest. Seasonality effect was absent on richness and diversity species; however, for species abundance, the differences between dry season and rainy season were significantly different in each site except for the comparison of thorn forest and gallery forest. The association between the environmental variables and butterfly communities in the elevational gradient was significant, being the dew point, the solar radiation, the canopy leaf area, and the number of flowering plants the most important variables. The present work represents an important contribution of the vegetation communities variation in richness, abundance, and diversity of butterflies in the northeast of Mexico. These results highlight the importance of the conservation of this heterogeneous habitat and establish reference data for the diurnal Lepidoptera fauna of the region.
... Permanent slides of genitalia were prepared, labeled and deposited in the department. The terminology used for describing the specimens followed Diakonoff (1954) and terminology for genital characters drawn from Klots (1970) and Scoble (1992). The classification of studied specimens followed Kawahara et al. (2017) and Mitter et al. (2017). ...
Conopomorpha sinensis (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), commonly known as the litchi fruit borer, is a devastating pest of litchi, leading to substantial economic losses in fruit production. The present study was incepted to supplement updated information on biology, morphometrics, integrative taxonomy, and phylogenetic analysis of C. sinensis . The duration of developmental stages such as egg, larval, pre-pupal, pupal, male and female adult lasts for 3.45 ± 1.13, 11.10 ± 2.52, 2.05 ± 0.51, 5.85 ± 0.88, 5.55 ± 1.00, and 9.00 ± 1.12 days, respectively. The average fecundity was 33.10 ± 6.84 eggs/female. The head capsule width for five larval instars was 0.11 ± 0.01, 0.18 ± 0.02, 0.34 ± 0.01, 0.58 ± 0.04, and 0.64 ± 0.06 mm, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed distinct species-groups formed by C. sinensis with other fruit borer species considered ( C. cramerella , C. litchiella Bradley, and Thaumatotibia batrachopa (Meyrick)). Understanding the life cycle of C. sinensis and its correct identification is crucial for targeted pest control strategies. Traditional and molecular taxonomy assist in rapid and accurate species identification and understanding of the evolutionary relationships among Conopomorpha species.
... Tanto mariposas como polillas son conocidos como lepidópteros, esto debido a las escamas que poseen en sus alas o algunas partes de su cuerpo. La gran diversidad de coloraciones, comportamientos, nichos ecológicos y morfologías son el reflejo de la gran cantidad de especies presentes en esta taxa, conteniendo al menos 155,000 especies descritas según Pogue (2009) y van Nieurkerken et al. (2001, logrando ser con seguridad el orden con mayor número de especies de insectos fitófagos (Scoble, 1992;Zahari et al., 2012), y situado como las criaturas con mayor éxito evolutivo por Carter (1992). ...
Los lepidópteros a pesar de no ser ampliamente cazados como los mamíferos o aves estos dependen totalmente de la vegetación de su entorno, y la vegetación de los diferentes factores climáticos que determinan sus adaptaciones, pero el cambio climático como consecuencia de las actividades antropogénicas modifica drásticamente la vegetación, y por ende la distribución de los lepidópteros. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron reportar 2 especies de polillas brujas para Nicaragua, describir morfológicamente, conocer su distribución actual y modelar su distribución potencial a través de MaxEnt; determinando las variables bioclimáticas que influyen en su distribución y establecer un perfil bio-climático para cada una. Cómo resultado se realizaron modelos confiables para cada especie, el modelo de
Syrnia hypnois posee un AUC de 0.981, dando a conocer que la especie está influenciada principalmente por Bio 12 (Precipitación anual), Bio 11 (Temperatura media del trimestre más frío) y Bio 19 (Precipitación del trimestre más frío), lo que evidencia distribución por pluviselvas el Caribe y parte de los bosques nubosos de montañas. En cambio, Feigeria magna posee un AUC de 0.969 y su distribución está influenciada principalmente por Bio 2 (Rango diurno de temperatura), Bio 12 (Precipitación anual) y la elevación (Altura), lo que evidencia una preferencia por distribuirse en los bosques nubosos de las montañas, cordilleras y sierras de Mesoamérica.
... Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) are one of the most widespread and species-rich insect orders that exhibits such tight relationships (Scoble, 1995). Most Lepidoptera are exclusive plant feeders and rely two-fold on plants across their life stages: their larvae are key herbivorous consumers to their host plants, whereas feeding adults pollinate their nectar plants (Boggs, 1987). ...
Plant–insect trophic systems should be particularly sensitive to processes altering species spatial co‐occurrences, as impacts on one level can cascade effectively through the strong trophic reliance to the other level. Here, we predicted the biogeography of Lepidoptera–plant communities under global‐change scenarios, exploiting spatially resolved data on 423 Lepidoptera species and their 848 food plants across the German state of Baden‐Württemberg (ca. 36,000 km²). We performed simulations of plant extinction and Lepidoptera expansion, and respectively assessed their cascading consequences—namely secondary extinction of Lepidoptera and change in functional distance of plants—on the interaction networks. Importantly, the simulations were spatially explicit, as we accounted for realistic landscape contexts of both processes: Plant extinctions were simulated as “regional” (a species goes extinct in the whole region at once) vs. “isolation‐driven” (a species gradually goes extinct from the peripheral or isolated localities according to its real regional distribution); Lepidoptera expansions were simulated with random, northward, and upward directions according to real topography. The consequences were assessed based on empirical community composition and trophic relationships. When evaluated by regional richness, the robustness of Lepidoptera assemblages against secondary extinctions was higher under isolation‐driven plant extinctions than regional plant extinction; however, this relationship was reversed when evaluated by averaged local richness. Also, with isolation‐driven plant extinctions, Lepidoptera at the central sub‐region of Baden‐Württemberg appeared to be especially vulnerable. With Lepidoptera expansions, plants' functional distances in local communities dropped, indicating a possible increase of competition among plants, yet to a lesser extent particularly with upward movements. Together, our results suggested that the communities' composition context at the landscape scale (i.e., how communities, with respective species composition, are arranged within the landscape) matters when assessing global‐change influences on interaction systems; spatially explicit consideration of such context can reveal localised consequences that are not necessarily captured via a spatially implicit, regional perspective.
... The terminology of the adult, including the male and female genitalia, refers to Scoble (1992 basally with black tufts; frons yellowish white, bottom with projected hairs; labial palpi porrect, basally black, distally whitish, very long more than five times the eye diameter. Body blackish; legs grayish. ...
This paper reports four species of Erebidae from the southern part of Korea: two Boletobiinae, Honeyania ragusana (Freyer, 1845), Enispa masuii Sugi, 1982, one Hermininae, Adrapsa ablualis Walker, 1859, and one Arctiinae, Stictane rectilinea (Snellen, 1879). Honeyania ragusana can be distinguished by the following: a blackish dot on the apex of the forewing with strongly curved medial lines, a long slender uncus and a strongly distally bifurcated valva with a large distally expanded costa and a thumb-shaped process of sacculus on the male genitalia as well as a
sclerotized antrum, strongly tapered ductus bursae, and large corpus bursae on the female genitalia. Enispa masuii, a lichen feeder, can be distinguished by the whitish medial lines of the grayish fore- and hindwings, and a pair of rounded ball-shaped lamella antevaginalis, long, sclerotized ductus bursae, and pear-shaped corpus bursae without signum of the female genitalia. Adrapsa ablualis can be distinguished by the whitish medial lines of the fore- and hindwings and large medial process of the costa and dentate distal margin of the valva of the male genitalia. Stictane
rectilinea can be distinguished by the broad dark grayish medial band of the forewing and the long knife-shaped valva with a strongly hooked process on the distal part of the sacculus of the male genitalia.
... Efetov and Tarmann (2017) proposed three family-level apomorphies: (1) cyanogenesis and resistance to cyanids; (2) the presence of ocelli and chaetosemata; and (3) the development of Petersen's gland, a paired, specialized secondary accessory gland in the internal female genitalia. Although considered to be a zygaenid apomorphy, a similar chemical defence is found within Heterogynidae, which is suggestive that the two families are closely related (Epstein et al., 1998;Minet, 1991;Naumann et al., 1999;Scoble, 1992;Yen et al., 1998;Yen et al., 2005). ...
Zygaenidae, also known as burnet, forester, smoky, or leaf skeletonizer moths, are a family of mainly diurnal moths well known for their aposematic colouration and the ability to release hydrogen cyanide as a defence mechanism. So far, few attempts have been made to understand the evolutionary history of the global zygaenid fauna. Here, we inferred the most comprehensive molecular phylogeny for Zygaenidae to date and estimated the lineage timing‐of‐divergence with a Bayesian approach. Building on earlier work, we significantly increased the taxon and gene sampling for the family, which here included data from 30 gene fragments, recovered from public databases or newly sequenced, for almost 30% of the species representing 92 genera (49%) and all five subfamilies. We recovered strong support for the monophyly of Zygaenidae, Chalcosiinae, and Zygaeninae. Procridinae were recovered as monophyletic with low support, whereas the monophyly of Callizygaeninae remains untested as we sampled only one of the two genera. In the core dataset, we recovered Procridinae as sister to Callizygaeninae + Chalcosiinae. This large clade is the sister lineage to Zygaeninae. The position of Inouelinae could not be resolved. The lineage leading to the extant Zygaenidae appears to have diverged in Late Cretaceous (ca. 86 Ma), while the divergence among the subfamilies occurred several million years before the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction event (ca. 66 Ma). Additionally, we provide a review of known fossil Zygaenidae as Appendix S1. Our results form a strong basis for future studies of zygaenid biosystematics, including their ecology, evolution, and behaviour.
... The eggshell of an insect serves as a protective barrier against environmental factors such as desiccation, water loss, bacterial infection, and physical damage. It also enables gas exchange and maintains proper humidity through structurally specified regions (Scoble, 1995;Chapman, 1998). ...
This study examines the egg-laying behavior and egg morphology of Hydrometra stagnorum (Linnaeus, 1753) (Gerromorpha: Heteroptera) to provide ecofaunistic information about the species. Newly recorded H. stagnorum samples were collected from the Karabük province of Western Black Sea region of Türkiye. Physicochemical parameters of the water were also recorded. The morphology and egg-laying behavior of H. stagnorum eggs were identified using a stereo, light and electron microscopy. Mature eggs were observed to be blackish dark brown in color. The study reveals distinctive characteristics of the egg structure and micropyle areas, which may contribute to the classification of the species at the subfamily level. Additionally, it was found that H. stagnorum inhabits high-quality waters.
... Most female Lymantriins have a scale tuft (corethrogyne) at the apex of the abdomen, which is used to cover the egg mass for protection. The males have tympanal organs (Scoble, 1995). This family includes mostly nocturnal species (based on reduced eye size), but Schaefer (1989) listed twenty confirmed diurnal species. ...
Plant diseases and pests are important factors determining plant yield production, including mango. Mango fruit rot caused by insects and microbes has become a significant threat to mango production in Southeast Asia and worldwide. Insect plant pathogens affect crop yields' profitability, quality, and quantity. Some infections could occur before harvest and remain dormant until the favourable condition is achieved, and the disease will break out after harvest, reducing mango production. They act as a threat to the crops through various mechanisms of pathogenesis that compromise the immune system of the plants, such as developing any ways to attack the plants, seeking entry via open pores or exposed surface or wound, and sourcing nutrients forcefully for their growth and development. Depending on the environmental factors, the insect contracts the host through primary or secondary infection. This paper summarizes mango fruit rot disease caused by insects groups such as fruit borers (Autocharis albizonalis and Citripestis eutraphera), fruit flies (Bactrocera dorsalis), and mango seed weevils (Sternochetus mangiferae). This review will provide information about fruit rot diseases on mangoes caused by insects, the mechanism of infection, the interaction between insect damage and fungal infections, effective control methods, and related integrated pest management approaches.
... Morphological terminology follows Scoble (1992). Distribution map was made with Google My Maps service (https://www.google.com/maps/). ...
African golden-spotted lappet moths from the genera Haplopacha Aurivillius, 1905 and Dasychirinula Hering, 1926 are reviewed. Antennae, heads and legs are investigated in addition to the traditional comparison of habitus, genitalia, and distribution areas. Two new genera are established and four new species are described as a result: Eudoumbia gen. n. with the type-species Eudoumbia thorogood sp. n. from Angola, Namibia, and Botswana; Auripluvia gen. n. with the type species Auripluvia sophia sp. n. from Ethiopia; Haplopacha mason sp. n. from Tanzania; and Dasychirinula julia sp. n. from Ethiopia. One species is reattributed to the new genus as Eudoumbia ndoumoi (Dupont, Simonsen & Zilli, 2016) stat. n. One new synonymy is established for two Tanzanian species: Dasychirinula chrysogramma Hering, 1926 = Haplopacha lunata Dupont, Simonsen & Zilli, 2016 syn. n.; and one potential synonymy is remarked between Haplopacha tangani Dupont, Simonsen & Zilli, 2016 from Tanzania and Malawi and Haplopacha riftensis Dupont, Simonsen & Zilli, 2016 from Malawi. Photos of the related material stored in the main collections of Ditsong National Museum of Natural History (Pretoria, RSA) and Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) are showed.
... Cyclophora nanaria (Walker, 1861) on Olea europaea L.; Sabulodes sp. on Persea americana Mill.; Oxydia vesulia (Cramer, 1779) on Persea americana, Eucaliptus sp. and Vitis vinifera L.; Disclisioprocta edmondsii Butler, 1882 on Bougainvillea glabra Choisy), the majority of Geometridae species would represent taxa with association to native or endemic vegetation. Geometrid moths would have great potential as bioindicators due to their extensive distribution, limited mobility, high diversity, ease of sampling, and close association with the vegetation they inhabit (Scoble 1995, Minet & Scoble 1999. They also exhibit remarkable sensitivity, evident through morphological, genetic, and phenological changes in response to external disturbances such as global warming or alterations in their host plants (Virtanen et al. 2002, Benítez et al. 2015, Hill et al. 2021. ...
The Andean Region, spanning from 23° S to 55° S, including the South American Transition Zone, harbours many unique species but faces significant human-induced pressures. It encompasses two biodiversity hotspots, underscoring the importance of understanding its biota for effective conservation. Notably, the Andean Region boasts one of the world's largest concentrations of endemic geometrid moths, vital for ecosystem services and potential as bioindicators. However, limited expertise and comprehensive knowledge hinder their applications. No synthesis of this region's Geometridae exists, unlike well-documented Palearctic and Nearctic regions. Geometridae information in the Andean Region is fragmented, mostly from small-scale studies. Consequently, we conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA protocol, analyzing 151 scientific articles. We assessed topics in five categories: studied taxa, methodologies, evolution, biogeography, and ecology. While evolution and ecology were well-studied, there was a bias towards taxonomic and immature state studies, neglecting other ecological and evolutionary questions. Biogeographic studies were infrequent, often local. Catching methods, morphological analysis, and museological studies were predominant, being cost-effective. Emerging methodologies include genetics, population studies, phylogenetic comparisons, and geometric morphometrics. Keyword analysis revealed common concepts such as taxonomy, Geometridae, immature stages, Chile, Lepidoptera, herbivory, Ecuador, Neotropical Region, Systematics, and Ennominae. In conclusion, we urge prioritizing ecological research on geometrid moths' interactions with other taxa, especially mutualistic and predation interactions. Enhanced efforts are needed for biogeographic patterns, phylogenetic studies, and systematic assessments of incertae sedis taxa and those assigned to Palearctic genera.
... The monophyly of the superfamily Tineoidea has faced challenges in previous research Regier et al., 2015), particularly concerning the taxonomic status of the family Gracillariidae within this superfamily. Stainton (1854) initially proposed the taxonomic classi cation of Gracillariidae, elevating it to superfamily status (Scoble, 1992). However, in 1996, Gracillariidae was reassigned from Microlepidoptera to Tineoidea (Nielsen & Rangsi, 1996). ...
Background
Moths constitute the largest group within Lepidoptera and play a crucial role in natural ecosystems. However, the current high-level classification system of Lepidopteran insects necessitates systematic research supported by comprehensive data.
Results
In this study, we determined the complete mitochondrial genomes of 80 lepidopteran moth species, spanning 68 genera across 13 families. Through a synthesis of published data, we conducted a comparative analysis encompassing 211 moth species from 12 superfamilies. Our analysis unveiled a mitochondrial genome length range of 15,027 to 17,049 bp, with an AT content varying between 77.02% and 83.52%. While gene composition and arrangement were largely conserved, we observed tRNA rearrangement (trnS1-trnE inversion) in Zygaenidae and Gelechiidae families. Phylogenetic analyses highlighted the monophyly of 9 superfamilies, with exceptions for Tineoidea, Pyraloidea, and Drepanoidea. Divergence time estimations suggest an origin of the 12 Lepidopteran superfamilies in the mid-Cretaceous period, approximately 122.27 million years ago (95% CI: 102.43-153.23 Mya). Furthermore, we propose reclassifications to refine the taxonomic status of certain families. This includes reclassifying Gracillariidae and Thyrididae as independent from the Tineoidea and Pyraloidea superfamilies, respectively, and relocating the family Epicopeiidae to the Geometroidea superfamily from Drepanoidea.
Conclusion
We performed a comprehensive comparative analysis of mitochondrial genomes from 211 moth species. Using various tree-building methods and datasets, we reconstructed the higher-level phylogeny of moths across 12 superfamilies of Lepidoptera and further proposed taxonomic revisions for several groups. Our study significantly enriches the molecular dataset for moth systematics and offers new insights into the evolutionary history and phylogeny of Lepidoptera.
... By essentially aligning all specimens in a common coordinate system, GPA allows researchers to focus solely on the true variations in shape between individuals or groups (Rohlf, 1999;Slice, 2001). This becomes especially important when studying intricate structures like Lepidoptera genitalia, which hold significant value in the process of identification (Scoble, 1995). Male genitalia are paramount in differentiating species, defining families and genera, and characterizing superfamilies and suborders within Microlepidoptera, highlighting their taxonomic importance (Ever, 1926) Geometric morphometrics has proven to be a valuable tool in revealing subtle differences in genital structures, which can aid in species identification and taxonomic clarification. ...
Geometric morphometrics, a well-established tool in taxonomic and systematic studies, offers a robust statistical approach to analyzing shape variation and covariation. It can be utilized to extract supplementary characteristics concerning the morphology of specific structures. The primary objective of this work was to assess the efficacy of geometric morphometrics in complementing conventional taxonomic approaches by evaluating some selected lepidopteran species with particular emphasis on comparing male genital morphology. Analysis was conducted on ten species within the Crambidae family of superfamily Pyraloidea, each distinguished by its distinct wing patterns and other external characters. Despite noticeable external morphological variations, precise taxonomy within this superfamily remains challenging due to subtle differences among very closely related species. All morphological comparisons and exploratory statistical analyses of geometric data in a taxonomic context involved utilizing the male valva. This study employed thin-plate spline deformation grids or vector plots, utilizing average landmark configurations of each species to visually represent differences between species. These graphical representations offer insightful illustrations of shape variations, aiding in the elucidation of morphological distinctions among the studied species.
... The photographs of eggs, larvae along with their feeding pattern, damaged host plants, pupae and adults were taken with digital camera in the field as well as in the laboratory. The nomenclature proposed by Scoble (1992) for eggs; Hinton (1946), Peterson (1962), Stehr (1987) and Huertas-Dionisio (2006) for larval morphology and chaetotaxy; Mosher (1916) and Casagrande (1979) for pupal morphology was followed. ...
This study explores the chaetotaxy, and biology of immature stages of the tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura (F) which is a major pest of crops. From Himachal Pradesh, apricot (Prunus armeniaca), curly dock weed (Rumex crispus), apple (Malus domestica) and plum (Prunus salicina) are reported as its new hosts. It takes 29-39.32 days to complete its lifecycle with six larval instars. The chaetotaxy of final instar and pupal morphology are described and illustrated.
... The photographs of eggs, larvae along with their feeding pattern, damaged host plants, pupae and adults were taken with digital camera in the field as well as in the laboratory. The nomenclature proposed by Scoble (1992) for eggs; Hinton (1946), Peterson (1962), Stehr (1987) and Huertas-Dionisio (2006) for larval morphology and chaetotaxy; Mosher (1916) and Casagrande (1979) for pupal morphology was followed. ...
This study explores the chaetotaxy, and biology of immature stages of the tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura (F) which is a major pest of crops. From Himachal Pradesh, apricot (Prunus armeniaca), curly dock weed (Rumex crispus), apple (Malus domestica) and plum (Prunus salicina) are reported as its new hosts. It takes 29-39.32 days to complete its lifecycle with six larval instars. The chaetotaxy of final instar and pupal morphology are described and illustrated.
... The photographs of eggs, larvae along with their feeding pattern, damaged host plants, pupae and adults were taken with digital camera in the field as well as in the laboratory. The nomenclature proposed by Scoble (1992) for eggs; Hinton (1946), Peterson (1962), Stehr (1987) and Huertas-Dionisio (2006) for larval morphology and chaetotaxy; Mosher (1916) and Casagrande (1979) for pupal morphology was followed. ...
This study explores the chaetotaxy, and biology of immature stages of the tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura (F) which is a major pest of crops. From Himachal Pradesh, apricot (Prunus armeniaca), curly dock weed (Rumex crispus), apple (Malus domestica) and plum (Prunus salicina) are reported as its new hosts. It takes 29-39.32 days to complete its lifecycle with six larval instars. The chaetotaxy of final instar and pupal morphology are described and illustrated.
... The superfamily Zygaenoidea consists of approximately 3300 species with no clearly defined unique characteristics, which is also the case for other families within the suborder Ditrysia (Heikkila et al., 2015;Mitter et al., 2017;van Nieukerken et al., 2011). For this reason, no uniform classification standards have been used in previous studies, with different researchers having used varying criteria to divide the superfamily Zygaenoidea into 7-13 families (Niehuis et al., 2006;Scoble, 1992;van Nieukerken et al., 2011;. Alberti (1954) first divided the zygaenid moths into seven subfamilies based on morphological characteristics, namely Anomoeotinae, Chalcosiinae, Charideinae, Himantopterinae, Phaudinae, Procridinae, and Zygaeninae. ...
The family Limacodidae belongs to the superfamily Zygaenoidea, which includes 1672 species commonly referred to as slug moths. Limacodidae larvae are major pests for many economically important plant species and can cause human dermatitis. At present, the structure of the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome), phylogenetic position, and adaptive evolution of slug moths are poorly understood. Herein, the mitogenomes of Parasa lepida, Phlossa conjuncta, Thosea sinensis, and Setora sinensis were sequenced and compared with other available mitogenome sequences to better characterize the mitogenomic diversity and evolution of this moth family. The mitogenomes of P. lepida, P. conjuncta, T. sinensis, and S. sinensis were confirmed to be circular in structure with lengths of 15,575 bp, 15,553 bp, 15,535 bp, and 15,529 bp, respectively. The Limacodidae mitogenomes exhibited similar nucleotide composition, codon usage, RNA structure, and control region patterns, indicating the conservation of the mitogenome in the family Limacodidae. A sliding window, Ka/Ks, and genetic distance analyses revealed that the atp8 and nad6 genes exhibited the highest levels of variability and the most rapid evolutionary rates among the 13 protein‐coding genes (PCGs) encoded in these Limacodidae mitogenomes, suggesting that they may offer value as candidate DNA markers. The phylogenetic analysis recovered the overall relationship as Tortricoidea + (Sesiidae + (Zygaenoidea + (Cossoidea/+Choreutoidea + (others)))). Within Zygaenoidea, Limacodidae was recovered as monophyletic, and the phylogenetic relationships were recovered as (Phaudidae + Zyganidae) + Limacodidae in all six phylogenetic trees. The analysis indicated that P. lepida, P. conjuncta, T. sinensis, and S. sinensis are members of the Limacodidae.
... The species' identities are discussed, and they are compared with similar taxa and their known global distributions. We follow the terminology used by Scoble (1992), Kristensen (2003) and Kunte et al. (2019) for all genitalia descriptions and notes. An additional three species, which have only a few published records from India, are also discussed. ...
Ten moth species, Monema coralina Dudgeon, 1895, Paralbara watsoni (Holloway, 1976), Phalera eminens Schintlmeister, 1997, Phalera argenteolepis Schintlmeister, 1997, Striatella nigralba (Hampson, 1894), Stigmatophora roseivena (Hampson, 1894), Tamba lala (Swinhoe, 1900), Mosopia kononenkoi Holloway, 2008, Chloroplaga pallida Warren, 1916 and Somatina densifasciaria Inoue, 1992 are reported here as new species records for India from the eastern Himalaya and northeastern region based on museum specimens and genitalia dissections. Recent records of an additional three species, Chalcosiopsis variata Swinhoe, 1894, Macrobrochis flavicincta Hampson, 1905 and Striatella pluma (Černý, 2009) that have only a few published records from India, are also presented. These discoveries showcase the unexplored biodiversity of the eastern Himalaya and northeastern India, highlighting urgent need to undertake extensive biodiversity surveys and to protect habitats facing numerous anthropogenic threats.
... Despite their economic importance, the higher level classification of Limacodidae is poorly studied, and their placement within Lepidoptera has only recently been recognized. Based on the morphological criteria, the family has previously been placed in various superfamilies including Psychoidea (Imms, 1934;Tillyard, 1924), Tineoidea (Handlirsch, 1925), Cossoidea (Brock, 1971;Heppner, 1998;Holloway, 1986) and Zygaenoidea (Common, 1975;Epstein, 1996;Minet, 1986Minet, , 1991Scoble, 1992). Evidence from molecular studies support placement of the family within Zygaenoidea Kawahara et al., 2019;Mutanen et al., 2010;Regier et al., 2009Regier et al., , 2013, which is now widely accepted (Bian et al., 2020;Mitter et al., 2017;Solovyev, 2014a;Wu & Fang, 2023). ...
The slug moth family Limacodidae is a cosmopolitan group of economic importance, but its higher level systematics remains poorly understood. Here, we present a robust, higher level phylogenetic framework for Palaearctic and Indomalayan members of the family using sequence capture data of 148 nuclear protein‐coding and 13 mitochondrial markers from 145 samples of 126 species in 67 genera representing all five morphologically delineated limacodid lineages. Our results strongly support the monophyly of Limacodidae in which six major clades are recognized. The relationships among these clades are revealed, with Phrixolepia ‐clade being the most basal group followed by Apoda‐ clade, Euphlyctinides‐ clade, Cania‐ clade and Phlossa ‐clade + Parasa‐ clade, respectively. We also add publicly available DNA barcode sequences from additional species worldwide to this phylogenetic framework to infer the most completely sampled phylogeny of Limacodidae to date. Our work provides a major step towards understanding the systematics and evolution of slug moths.
... Tympanal organs were only used in the studies of Marion (1954) and Munroe (1972Munroe ( , 1973 as a diagnostic feature for the Pyralidae. It is found in the abdomen in the Pyraloidea family (Hasenfuss, 2000;Scoble, 1995;Yack and Fullard, 2000). The Pyraloidea is characterized by a pair of tympanal organs located on sternite two, each with a tympanum and a conjunctivum, a maxillary palpus that is usually present, a proboscis that is basally scaled, and forewing venation (Minet and Surlykke, 2003;Yack, 2004;Faure et al., 2009;Hasenfuss, 2000;Solis, 2007). ...
Insects communicate with each other and the environment in different ways such as sound, smell and taste. One of the ways to communicate is through the sense of sound. In insects, sound is received through the tympanal organ. It is known that the tympanal organ structure and placements can be used in the classification of higher categories. In this study, hypothesis regarding to the usage of the tympanal organ features can also be used in the classification of was tested. For this purpose, tympanal morphology of the four taxa (Evergestis frumentalis (Linnaeus, 1761) E. flavifuscalis Rebel, 1903, E. mundalis (Guenée, 1854) and E. umbrosalis (Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1841)) belonging to the Evergestis genus in the Evergestinae subfamily were examined, analyzed and photographed.
Feltia repleta (Walker, 1857), popularly known as "greater cutworm" in the USA and Canada and "cortador grande" in Latin America, is an important pest species occurring throughout the Americas. The popular name refers to its size and the habits of the larvae, which frequently cut shoots of seedlings, causing severe injuries or death of the host plant. Despite its importance to crops management, the immature stages of this species were never described in detail; moreover, they are frequently confused with many other agrotines, specially with species of Feltia Walker, 1856 and Agrotis Oschenheimer, 1816. Therefore, this study aims to describe the external morphology and the tegument ultra-structure of the immature stages of Feltia repleta based on exemplars obtained from a female collected in Planaltina, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil, whose larvae were fed with artificial diet. Descriptions of the morphology with illustrations are presented, based upon observations through scanning electron microscopy and stereoscopic and optic microscopes attached to a camera lucida. Descriptions and illustrations of the eggs, first and last instars head capsule, chaetotaxy, tegument, and setae, and both sexes pupae are presented and the morphological characters are discussed and compared with immature stages of other species of agrotines. Additionally, a comprehensive list of host plants and a geographic distribution map based both on literature and new data based on studied specimens are provided.
Four new species of Acronyctodes are described and illustrated: A. gabrieli Matson sp. nov., A. asignum Matson sp. nov., A. bisbili Murillo-Vázquez sp. nov., and A. corrugata Matson & Garzón-Orduña sp. nov. Each species is distinguished by unique genitalic features, different DNA barcode data, and in some cases, interspecific larval color patterns. With the addition of these new species and the exclusion of Acronyctodes thinballa from the genus, the total number of species in Acronyctodes has doubled to eight.
The paper presents a new species of geometrid moth of the genus Catarhoe Herbulot, 1951 from Kyrgyzstan, and offers a concise taxonomic review of the genus based on existing literature and on an analysis of COI barcode mitochondrial DNA fragment in Epirrhoini. A new species and new monotypic subgenus are described: Catarhoe (Hyporhoe subgen. nov.) narynensis sp. nov. The species is distinguished by a unique set of characters in the male genitalia, which markedly differs from those of other congeneric species, and has significant genetic distances from the rest of the Catarhoe spp. but not exceeding genetic distances into the genus at whole. The current species composition of the genus Catarhoe has been clarified and includes 13 species. Taxonomic status of Catarhoe nyctichroa (Hampson, 1912), Catarhoe arachne hissarica Viidalepp, 1988, and “Catarhoe semnana” sensu Kemal et al. (2020) requires clarification. A high level of morphological and genetic diversity of the genus Catarhoe was revealed. The genetic distances between the morphological groups of Catarhoe spp. are comparable to those between the genera of Epirrhoini. The generic name Microcalcarifera Inoue, 1982, is revived from its synonymy with Catarhoe. The genus includes type species Microcalcarifera obscura (Butler, 1878: 450) (Cidaria), comb. rev., and two subspecies: Microcalcarifera obscura fecunda (Swinhoe, 1891), comb. rev. and Microcalcarifera obscura multilinea (Hampson, 1891), comb. rev.
The genus Sundagrapha Holloway, 1982 is reported from China for the first time. A new species, Sundagrapha recta sp. nov., is described from Hainan Province. Adults of both sexes and their genitalia are illustrated and compared with those of closely related species. Additionally, a comprehensive identification key for all currently known species of Sundagrapha is provided.
The conservation status of the species collected and observed in the Vesuvius Na-tional Park (VNP) and included in the Red List of Italian butterflies has not been monitored for 17 years; therefore, there is currently no knowledge of how the bio-diversity and populations of Rhopalocera have changed over these years. A list of 72 species of Lepidoptera with diurnal behaviour is reported. Five species are men-tioned for the first time for the Park. Catocala puerpera (Giorna, 1791) is men-tioned in Campania for the first time. Of particular interest are the findings of: Eu-plagia quadripunctaria (Poda, 1761), this specie is included in European Com-munity Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC); Cacyreus marshalli Butler, 1898, alien specie of South Africa origin; Glaucopsyche iolas (Ochsenheimer, 1816), that is considered "almost threatened" following IUNC Red List.
A new genus Esexalata gen. n. and two new species (E. beljaevi sp. n., type species, and E. natalyae sp. n.) are described and illustrated from East Malaysia. Males of the new taxa possess unique metathoracic and abdominal androconial structures and wing-like structures on the metascutum. The taxonomic position of the new genus within the family Gelechiidae is discussed.
Worldwide, the number of insects, including butterflies, is dropping, and in many places, their
conservation is now of utmost importance. Planning for the protection of butterfly species
requires an understanding of which species migrate since management efforts for migratory
species must be coordinated across time and geography. Although butterfly migration seems
to be common, little is known about its frequency, taxonomic makeup, and geographic range.
Because insects are tiny and hard to track over large distances, research on insect migration is
impeded. In this article, we examine the research on butterfly migration, one of the most well-studied insect taxa. Approximately 600 species of butterflies exhibit signs of migration. In fact,
the rate at which migratory movements in butterflies are "discovered" raises the possibility that
many more species may be migratory. All families of butterflies migrate, be it tropical or
temperate regions; the Nymphalidae family has the greatest number of migratory species (275),
while the Pieridae family has the largest percentage of migrants (13%; 133 species). Butterfly
migration is far more common than previously thought, going well beyond the well-known
cases of the painted lady Vanessa cardui and the monarch Danaus plexippus. As such,
measures to conserve butterflies and insects in general must take into consideration the spatial
dependencies brought about by migratory movements.
Key words: butterfly, butterfly migration ecology, conservation, insect
The present study was conducted in the Mahamaya Reserve Forest area of Kokrajhar, Assam for one year from 2021 to 2022 to record the moths found in the area. A total of 129 species were identified, belonging to 20 families and 114 genera. The most predominant are the Erebidae and Crambidae, with 13 species being identified as new records from this region of Assam. The diversity indices revealed moderate dominance (D 0.19) of moths in the study sites. Simpson diversity with 0.8, Shannon diversity presented 2.1 moderate diversity. Margalef index value with 4.012 at par and Berger-Parker index 0.3 indicated a good diversity of moths in the region.
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