First report of a Copitarsia species (Lepidoptera. Noctuidae) damaging soybean crops, with identification key to most common pest species.

The genus Copitarsia Hampson (Lepidoptera. Noctuidae) includes agricultural pests of at least 48 crop plants and they are distributed from Mexico to southern South America. In South America, from Venezuela to Chile and Argentina, Copitarsia incommoda (Walker) is one of the most economic important species of the genus. In this work, we record for the first time for Copitarsia, and specifically for C. incommoda, larvae feeding on soybean leaves and beans. Also, this species is recorded for the first time for Argentina, feeding on lucerne crops. Finally, we provide a larval identification key for most common noctuoids soybean pests of South America, including C. incommoda. This will be helpful for identify this species in soybean crops without the need of larvae rearing.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic assessment of agricultural-related noctuids (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) of South America

ABSTRACT Accurate identification of species is fundamental to every biological research. While morphological identification is a time-consuming and skilled technique, straightforward molecular techniques require the availability of a database of previously sequenced and identified specimens. For most countries of South America, species of noctuids with available sequences are scarce, mostly restricted to species of economic importance, making molecular identification untenable. Here we sequenced the mitochondrial DNA 'barcode' region of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene of 34 specimens pertaining to 26 species of South American noctuids, 20 of these for the first time. For all species, genetic distances were higher for interspecific than for intraspecific relations, supporting the utility of DNA 'barcodes' to identify species. Larger intraspecific divergences occurred in species of Agrotis and Anicla, and interspecific divergences lower than 2% occurred in about one fifth of the species, all in species of Agrotis, Feltia, and Anicla. These results will allow identifying these species using DNA 'barcodes', either for pest management or general biological studies. Furthermore, we carried out phylogenetic analyses with those sequences and 158 other sequences of 85 species of noctuids mined from GenBank. These analyses, in every case, grouped species of the same genus suggesting that the DNA 'barcodes' region alone can be useful for lower level phylogeny in this group, recovering as monophyletic groups such as Copitarsia, Agrotis and Austrandesiita. Conversely, groups such as Mythimna (Mythimna) and the subgenera of Feltia were not recovered as monophyletic, suggesting the need for further taxonomic studies in these groups.

Taxonomy of five neglected South American species of Dargida Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

The taxonomy of five South American species of Dargida Walker currently allocated in Leucania Ochsenheimer (four species) and in Lasionycta Aurivillius (one species) is revised. Leucania roseilinea (Köhler, 1947), Leucania phaeoneura Hampson, 1913, Leucania mocoides Dognin, 1897, Leucania alboradiata (Hampson, 1905) and Lasionycta radiata (Köhler, 1966), are here combined with the genus Dargida Walker for the first time (comb. nov.). Two new synonyms are proposed, Leucania roseilineoides Poole, 1989 is an objective junior synonym of Borolia roseilinea Köhler, 1947 (syn. nov.) (ICZN 51.4), and B. lilloana Köhler, 1947 is a subjective junior synonym of Leucania phaeoneura Hampson, 1913 (syn. nov.). Lectotype for Borolia lilloana is designated to ensure nomenclatural stability and recognizability of the taxon. All species are redescribed and discussed, and the habitus and male and female genitalia (when available) are given, as well as an updated geographical map.

The austral-most record of the genus Haemagogus Williston (Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The genus Haemagogus Williston is restricted to Central America and North and middle of South America and it includes numerous species of yellow fever virus vectors. METHODS: Adult female and larvae mosquitoes were collected using hand aspirators and dipper and pipette, respectively. RESULTS: The first record of a species of Haemagogus and particularly of Haemagogus spegazzinii was from La Pampa, Argentina. With this registry, the number of species found in La Pampa province rises to 18. CONCLUSIONS: New information on breeding sites for the species and implications of this new record suggest a possible extension of distribution in the near future.

The austral-most record of the genus Haemagogus Williston (Diptera: Culicidae).

INTRODUCTION: The genus Haemagogus Williston is restricted to Central America and North and middle of South America and it includes numerous species of yellow fever virus vectors. METHODS: Adult female and larvae mosquitoes were collected using hand aspirators and dipper and pipette, respectively. RESULTS: The first record of a species of Haemagogus and particularly of Haemagogus spegazzinii was from La Pampa, Argentina. With this registry, the number of species found in La Pampa province rises to 18. CONCLUSIONS: New information on breeding sites for the species and implications of this new record suggest a possible extension of distribution in the near future.

Resurgence of a forgotten Southern Brazil endemic species: taxonomic position, redescription, and spatio-temporal distribution of Porosagrotis carolia Schaus, 1929 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae).

The taxonomy of the hitherto unplaced taxon Porosagrotis carolia Schaus, 1929 is evaluated and the name is taken out of taxonomic limbo and combined with Feltia Walker, 1856. Feltia carolia comb. nov., described from a single female specimen, is redescribed, including the first description of the male. Head, thorax and its appendages, and male and female genitalia are illustrated through photographs and line drawings; photographs of the holotype and a distribution map for the species is provided. Additionally, the spatio-temporal occurrence of the species in Rio Grande do Sul was assessed by monthly standardized samplings with light traps from January of 1998 to December of 1999 in ten different physiographical zones of the state. Our results suggest that F. carolia comb. nov. is univoltine and goes through prepupal and pupal estival diapauses. The assessment of the distribution of the species, based on the standardized samplings and specimens deposited in entomological collections, suggests that F. carolia comb. nov. is restricted to the southern Brazilian Campos, a mostly neglected environment discontinuously distributed in mountainous plateaus of the southern Mata Atlântica biome.