Gary G. Anweiler’s research while affiliated with University of Alberta and other places

The New World Noctuidae of the subfamilies Pantheinae (10 genera, 34 species), Raphiinae (1 genus, 1 species), Balsinae (1 genus, 3 species), and Acronictinae (5 genera, 92 species) are revised. With the exception of the Neotropical Pantheinae genera Lichnoptera Herrich-Schäffer, Gaujonia Dognin, and Bathyra Walker, 130 species are treated, 102 of which occur in the United States and/or Canada; 26 are restricted to Mexico and/or Central America; one Eurasian species that could occur in Alaska/Yukon, and one European species that has been introduced as a biological control agent. Four new genera are described, Arctioptera (Type species: Charadra cavillator Morrison), Neopanthea (Type species: Panthea apanthea Anweiler), Characasia (type species: Charadra nigracreta Edwards), and Semixanthia (type species: Charadra franclemonti Anweiler and Schmidt). Two new subgenera of the genus Acronicta Ochsenheimer are proposed: Magnicosta (type species: Anytus atristrigatus Smith) and Dossena (type species: Microcelia retardata Walker). Sixteen new species are described: Panthea grande Anweiler and Schmidt, Semixanthia baja Anweiler and Schmidt, Charadra sonorensis Anweiler and Schmidt, Charadra insperata Anweiler and Schmidt, Charadra landolti Anweiler and Schmidt, Charadra ochrea Anweiler and Schmidt, Chloronycta vulcanica Schmidt and Anweiler, Acronicta nigrosuffusa Schmidt and Anweiler, Acronicta vermiforma Schmidt and Anweiler, Acronicta wiklei Schmidt and Anweiler, Acronicta immodica Schmidt and Anweiler, Acronicta cryptica Schmidt and Anweiler, Acronicta magnirena Schmidt and Anweiler, Acronicta texana Schmidt and Anweiler, Acronicta mexicana Schmidt and Anweiler, and Acronicta maya Schmidt and Anweiler. Acronicta vinnula floridensis Schmidt and Anweiler is described as a new subspecies. Six neotypes and 18 lectotypes are designated, and eleven species are subsumed into synonymy. Two species are raised from synonymy. Genitalia, dot range maps, and adults are illustrated, the latter in color. Color larval photographs for 77 species are also provided.

Citation: Schmidt BC, Anweiler GG (2014) Taxonomy and biogeography of the Nearctic Raphia Hübner (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Raphiinae). In: Schmidt BC, Lafontaine JD (Eds) Contributions to the systematics of New World macro-moths V. ZooKeys 421: 91–113. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.421.7517 Abstract The taxonomic status and biogeography of the North American Raphia species is reviewed using adult morphology, larval host plants, geographic phenotypic variation, and variation of mtDNA COI barcode sequences. Lack of diagnostic morphological differences, combined with relatively low mtDNA barcode divergences and clinal phenotypic variation in key geographic regions indicate that the six previously recognized species of North American Raphia are best interpreted as parapatric subspecies. Raphia frater abrupta Grote, stat. n., R. f. coloradensis Putnam-Cramer, stat. r., R. f. piazzi Hill, stat. n., and R. f. elbea Smith, stat. n., are accordingly revised to subspecies of R. frater Grote. Type locality restrictions are pro-vided for Raphia abrupta and Raphia frater and a neotype is designated for Raphia frater var. coloradensis.