Anurocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae): two new species, systematics and immature stages.

Notodontidae (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea) comprise over 4,000 described species distributed worldwide, among which nearly half are restricted to the Neotropics. Morphology of adults and immatures of Notodontidae have been broadly investigated and many larval, pupal, and adult characters were found to be synapomorphies of subfamilies and tribes. Despite this, the current classification of Notodontidae remains unsettled as most recent classification systems are contradictory due to reliance on incomplete global sampling and, many taxa, especially in the Neotropics, are still informally classified as incertae sedis. Anurocampa Herrich-Shäffer was recently treated as an incertae sedis genus, and immature and adult characters may provide further evidence for its systematic position among the Notodontidae. With this goal in mind, the present study describes the immature stages of Anurocampa mingens Herrich-Shäffer from Brazil and describes two new species in the genus from Costa Rica based on morphology and mitochondrial DNA: Anurocampa markhastingsi Chacón and St Laurent sp. nov. and Anurocampa abelardochaconi Chacón and St Laurent sp. nov. and discusses the systematic position of Anurocampa.

Natural history and morphology of immature stages of Tolype medialis (Jones, 1912) (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae: Macromphaliinae).

Lasiocampidae belongs to superfamily Lasiocampoidea and contains more than a thousand species nearly distributed worldwide. Despite the great species richness and wide distribution, this group has internal phylogenetic relationships still little explored and with few studies on the morphology and biology of its immatures. This study describes the immature stages of the neotropical species Tolype medialis (Jones, 1912), focusing on the morphology and natural history. The eggs of T. medialis are oviposited freely inside a conical structure, and the larvae showed gregarious behavior in all instars. The seventh and eighth instar bear a pair of abdominal rounded flattened reddish brown glands on the segments A1, A2, A7, and A8 that produce a wax-like secretion that covers the pupae and the internal walls of the cocoon. In order to add information to the Lasiocampidae family, we compare and discuss these and other traits from the morphology and natural history of T. medialis immatures.

Immature Stages, Description of Female, and Redescription of Male of Apatelodes kotzschi Draudt, 1929 (Lepidoptera: Bombycoidea: Apatelodidae).

The genus Apatelodes Packard, 1864 comprise more than half of the known Apatelodidae species, but most of its species are placed in the genus without precise justification. The result is a heterogeneous group of species, probably forming a polyphyletic arrangement. Despite being relatively large moths and relatively abundant in light traps, only little information on the natural history and morphology of the Apatelodes immature stages has been published, and only one species is fully described including its immature stages. Aiming to increase the knowledge and provide information towards the definition of the identity of this genus, the present study describes the immature stages, provides a redescription of the male, the first description of the female of Apatelodes kotzschi Draudt, 1929, and we compare and discuss the morphological similarities among Apatelodes species. In general, the immatures of Apatelodes exhibits apparently well-conserved morphological characters, including the gross chaetotaxy configuration. Most differences are found in larval coloration patterns (mainly in the last instar larvae), pupa texture, and cremaster morphology. In contrast, imagos wings and genitalia are rich sources of diagnostic characters which can be used to identify species. However, there are still large gaps in the knowledge of the morphological characters and natural history of most species in the genus that hampers a more robust delimitation of the genus Apatelodes.

Systematics of Opsiphanes Doubleday, [1849] (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae, Brassolini): an integrative approach.

Opsiphanes Doubleday, [1849] (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Brassolini) is an exclusively Neotropical genus, occurring from Argentina to Mexico. Until the present study, Opsiphanes was considered to contain 14 species, 60 subspecies, and 38 synonyms. The considerable phenotypic variation of species and subspecies of the genus has affected the taxonomy of the group by causing the proliferation of several names that have been proposed to represent their diversity, taxa that have often not been adequately described and/or delimited. The present study analyzed information on the immature stages and morphology, with molecular data and distribution data, in order to provide revised taxonomic hypotheses for Opsiphanes species and subspecies. These analyses of approximately 5,500 specimens and all species known for the genus made it possible to define two groups: "cassiae" and "quiteria". The "quiteria" group was subdivided into seven subgroups: "boisduvallii", "camena", "zelotes", "sallei", "quiteria", "fabricii", and "invirae". The statuses of three species and two subespecies are reinstated: Opsiphanes badius Stichel, 1902 stat. rest., Opsiphanes quirinus Godman & Salvin, 1881 stat. rest., Opsiphanes merianae Stichel, 1902 stat. rest., Opsiphanes bogotanus castaneus Stichel, 1904 stat. rest. and Opsiphanes badius cauca Röber, 1906 stat. rest. Six subspecies are here treated as species: Opsiphanes mexicana Bristow, 1991 stat. nov., Opsiphanes zelus Stichel, 1908 stat. nov., Opsiphanes farrago Stichel, 1904 stat. nov., Opsiphanes barkeri Bristow, 1991 stat. nov., Opsiphanes caliensis Bristow, 1991 stat. nov., and Opsiphanes cuspidatus Stichel, 1904 stat. nov. One subjective synonym is treated as a valid subspecies: Opsiphanes invirae pernambucoensis Bristow, 1991 stat. rev. One species is treated as a subspecies: Opsiphanes cassiae tamarindi C. Felder & R. Felder, 1861 stat. nov. Eight new statuses are proposed: Opsiphanes cassiae incolumis Stichel, 1904 stat. nov., Opsiphanes cassiae tamarindi C. Felder & R. Felder, 1861 stat. nov., Opsiphanes badius angostura Bristow, 1979 stat. nov., Opsiphanes fabricii camposi Bristow, 1991 stat. nov., Opsiphanes fabricii numatius Fruhstorfer, 1912 stat. nov., Opsiphanes merianae notanda Stichel, 1904 stat. nov., Opsiphanes periphetes Fruhstorfer, 1912 stat. nov., and Opsiphanes cuspidatus relucens Fruhstorfer, 1907 stat. nov. Seven subjective synonyms are reinstated: Opsiphanes crameri C. Felder & R. Felder, 1862 syn. rest. of Opsiphanes cassiae cassiae (Linnaeus, 1758); Opsiphanes tamarindi latifascia Rothschild, 1916 syn. rest. of Opsiphanes cassiae incolumis Stichel, 1904 stat. nov.; Opsiphanes erebus Röber, 1927 syn. rest. of Opsiphanes quiteria quirinalis Staudinger, 1887; Opsiphanes cassina aequatorialis Stichel, 1902 syn. rest., Opsiphanes invirae pseudophilon Fruhstorfer, 1907 syn. rest., Opsiphanes invirae remoliatus Fruhstorfer, 1907 syn. rest., and Opsiphanes invirae agasthenes Fruhstorfer, 1907 syn. rest. of Opsiphanes invirae invirae (Hübner, [1808]). Twenty-five new synonyms are proposed: Pavonia Godart [1824] syn. nov. of Bia Hübner, [1819]; Opsiphanes bogotanus phrataphernes Fruhstorfer, 1912 syn. nov., and Opsiphanes bogotanus blandini Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes bogotanus bogotanus Distant, 1875; Opsiphanes cassiae alajuela Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes bogotanus castaneus Stichel, 1904 stat. rest.; Opsiphanes cassiae rubigatus Stichel, 1904 syn. nov., Opsiphanes cassiae strophios Fruhstorfer, 1907 syn. nov., and Opsiphanes tamarindi xiphos Fruhstorfer, 1907 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes cassiae cassiae (Linnaeus, 1758); Opsiphanes tamarindi corrosus Stichel, 1904 syn. nov., and Opsiphanes tamarindi kleisthenes Fruhstorfer, 1912 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes cassiae tamarindi C. Felder & R. Felder, 1861 stat. nov.; Opsiphanes mutatus parodizi Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes farrago Stichel, 1904 stat. nov.; Opsiphanes sallei kennerleyi Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes sallei colombiana Bristow, 1991; Opsiphanes quiteria talamancensis Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes quirinus Godman & Salvin, 1881 stat. rest.; Opsiphanes quiteria quaestor Stichel, 1902 syn. nov., Opsiphanes quiteria bolivianus Stichel, 1902 syn. nov., and Opsiphanes quiteria cardenasi Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes quiteria quiteria (Stoll, 1780); Opsiphanes quiteria phylas Fruhstorfer, 1912 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes quiteria quirinalis Staudinger, 1887; Opsiphanes cassina chiriquensis Stichel, 1902 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes fabricii fabricii (Boisduval, 1870); Opsiphanes cassina milesi Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes merianae notanda Stichel, 1904 stat. nov.; Opsiphanes cassina aucotti Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes periphetes Fruhstorfer, 1912 stat. nov.; Opsiphanes cassina C. Felder & R. Felder, 1862 syn. nov., Opsiphanes invirae intermedius Stichel, 1902 syn. nov., Opsiphanes invirae amplificatus Stichel, 1904 syn. nov., Opsiphanes sticheli Röber, 1906 syn. nov., Opsiphanes invirae roraimaensis Bristow, 1991 syn. nov., and Opsiphanes invirae sieberti Bristow, 1991 syn. nov. of Opsiphanes invirae invirae (Hübner, [1808]). To ensure unambiguous identification of names, nine neotypes were designated for: Opsiphanes bogotanus Distant, 1875, Opsiphanes aurivillii Röber, 1906, Papilio glycerie Fabricius, 1787, Opsiphanes zelotes zelus Stichel, 1908, Opsiphanes badius var. cauca Röber, 1906, Opsiphanes erebus Röber, 1927, Potamis invirae Hübner, [1808], Opsiphanes sticheli Röber, 1906, and Opsiphanes invirae ledon Fruhstorfer, 1912; and nine lectotypes for: Opsiphanes bogotanus phrataphernes Fruhstorfer, 1912, Opsiphanes tamarindi cherocles Fruhstorfer, 1912, Caligo tamarindi Boisduval, 1870, Opsiphanes sallei nicandrus Fruhstorfer, 1912, Opsiphanes quiteria augeias Fruhstorfer, 1912, Opsiphanes quirinus Godman & Salvin, 1881, Opsiphanes quiteria var. meridionalis Staudinger, 1887, Opsiphanes quiteria oresbios Fruhstorfer, 1912, and Opsiphanes quiteria phylas Fruhstorfer, 1912, . The present taxonomic scheme proposed for Opsiphanes includes 23 species, 23 subspecies, and 69 synonyms.

Phenological patterns of Spodoptera Guenée, 1852 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is more affected by ENSO than seasonal factors and host plant availability in a Brazilian Savanna.

The identification of factors responsible for the population dynamics is fundamental for pest management, since losses can reach 18% of annual production. Besides regular seasonal environmental factors and crop managements, additional supra-annual meteorological phenomena can also affect population dynamics, although its relevance has been rarely investigated. Among crop pests, Spodoptera stands out due to its worldwide distribution, high degree of polyphagy, thus causing damages in several crops in the world. Aiming to distinguish the relevance of different factors shaping population dynamics of Spodoptera in an ecosystem constituted of dry and rainy seasons, the current study used circular statistics to identify phenological patterns and test if its population fluctuation is driven by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) effect, seasonal meteorological parameters, and/or host plant availability. Samplings were done in an intercropping system, in the Brazilian Savanna, during the new moon cycles between July/2013 and June/2016. Species were recorded all year round, but demonstrated differently non-uniform distribution, being concentrated in different seasons of the year. Population fluctuations were mostly affected by the ENSO intensity, despite the contrasting seasonal meteorological variation or host plant availability in a 400-m radius. Studies involving the observation of supra-annual phenomena, although rare, reach similar conclusions in relation to Neotropical insect fauna. Therefore, it is paramount to have long-term sampling studies to obtain a more precise response of the pest populations towards the agroecosystem conditions.