Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5622 No. 1: 23 Apr. 2025
Type: Monograph
Published: 2025-04-23
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5622.1.1
Page range: 1-67
Abstract views: 21
PDF downloaded: 2

Nystaleinae moths (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae): A morphological review of the subfamily

Laboratorio de Entomología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, CO, USA / Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA / Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
Director, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, University of Nebraska State Museum, U.S.A
Laboratorio de Entomología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
Lepidoptera diagnostic characters New World prominent moths taxonomy

Abstract

Notodontidae, specifically the subfamily Nystaleinae, remains understudied despite its ecological and economic importance. This group, distributed exclusively in the Americas, was last revised almost 34 years ago. With a recent increase in the description of new genera and species, as well as a revised classification of the entire family, a revision of Nystaleinae is warranted. The traditional morphological classifications of notodontids have been challenged by recent phylogenomic evidence, that has revealed greater diversity within Nystaleinae than previously thought. Importantly, recent phylogenomic evidence suggests that the diverse subfamily of most diurnal species, the Dioptinae, is nested within Nystaleinae. And while Dioptinae has been fully revised recently, Nystaleinae sensu stricto has not. The need for an updated understanding of this diverse group is addressed in this work, which provides a morphological revision of the subfamily. Based on a literature review, curatorial work in biological collections, information available on online databases, and external and internal examination of specimens, the Nystaleinae s.s. is currently composed of 44 genera and 377 species, of which two are described herein: Falcicaputis St Laurent & Prada-Lara (with type species F. australis sp. nov., and further two species F. praxia (Schaus) comb. n. and F. modica (Dognin) comb. n.) and Pseudhippia St Laurent & Prada-Lara gen. n. for type species P. olivescens Schaus comb. n.). Based on our revised diagnoses, Lepasta brabilla Dognin, is recombined as Ankale brabilla comb, n., Gopha niveigutta Schaus is recombined as Poresta niveigutta comb. n., and Didugua albipuncta (Schaus) is recombined as Poresta albipuncta comb. n.. Descriptions, diagnoses, figures, distribution, valid species, and a pictorial/illustrated key to genus based on male terminalia is presented. Future research directions include unraveling the biogeography and evolutionary history of these moths in the New World, habitat preferences, phylogenetics analyses, and ecological studies. Avenues for further exploration, such as constructing phylogenetic trees, are outlined as vital steps toward confirming or refuting the morphological classification presented here.

References

  1. Becker, V. (2014) Checklist of New World Notodontidae (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea). Lepidoptera Novae, 7, 1–40.
  2. Becker, V. (2020) Notes and new species of the Neotropical genus Nycterotis Felder, 1874 (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae: Nystaleinae). SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología, 48 (192), 699–708. https://doi.org/10.57065/shilap.344
  3. Becker, V. (2021a) A review of the Neotropical moth genus Bardaxima (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae: Nystaleinae), with special reference to the species occurring in Brazil. Zoologia, 38, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3897/zoologia.38.e63526
  4. Becker, V. (2021b) Notes and synonymy on the Neotropical moth genus Xylodonta Becker (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae), with special reference to the species occurring in Brazil. Revista Brasilera de entomologia, 65 (2), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9665-rbent-2021-0006
  5. Becker, V. (2024) A review of the neotropical genus Trajectina Becker (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae: Nystaleinae) with descriptions of two new species. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 126 (3), 274–280. https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.126.3.274
  6. Chacón, I., Janzen, D. & Hallwachs, W. (2014) Four new species of Symmerista Hübner, 1816 (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) from Costa Rica. ZooKeys, 421, 39–63. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.421.6342
  7. Chacón, I., Janzen, D. & Hallwachs, W. (2022) Seventeen cryptic new species of Nystalea Guenée, 1852 (Notodontidae: Nystaleinae) from Costa Rica. Tropical Lepidoptera Research, 32 (Supplement 3), 1–104. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7418826
  8. Guerra-García, J., Espinosa, F. & García, J. (2008) Trends in taxonomy today. Zoologica Baetica, 19, 15–49.
  9. Janzen, D.H. & Hallwachs, W. (2009) Dynamic database for an inventory of the macrocaterpillar fauna, and its food plants and parasitoids, of Area de Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG), northwestern Costa Rica. Available from: http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu (accessed 10 March 2025)
  10. Jalpa Flores, T. (2023) Historia Tolteca Chichimeca. Parte 2 (edición facsimilar) Tercer relato. Migración de los tepilhuas chichimecas. Arqueología Mexicana, Edición especial, 108, 12–27.
  11. Miller, J.S. (1991) Cladistics and classification of the Notodontidae (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea) based on larval and adult morphology. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 204, 1–230.
  12. Miller, J.S., Wagner, D., Opler, P. & Lafontaine, D. (2018) The Moths of North America, Fascicle 22.1A. Drepanoidea, Doidae; Noctuoidea, Notodontidae: Pygaerinae, Notodontinae, Cereurinae, Phalerinae, Periergosinae, Dudusinae, Hemiceratinae. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, Vancouver, British Columbia, 348 pp.
  13. Miller, J.S., Wagner, D., Opler, P. & Lafontaine, D. (2021) The Moths of North America, Fascicle 22.1B. Heterocampinae, Nystaleinae, Dioptinae, Dicranurinae. The Wedge Entomological Research Foundation, Vancouver, British Columbia, 445 pp.
  14. Novoa, N.M., Fernández, A. D., Lozada, A., Nuñez, R., Ravelo, H.G., Velázquez, D.R., Merino, R., González, M., García, I., Velázquez, E. & Oliver, P. (2009). Insectos de interés agrícola presentes en Topes de Collantes, Sancti Spíritus, Cuba. Centro Agrícola, 36 (1), 53–65.
  15. Prada-Lara, L., Jiménez-Bolívar, A & St Laurent, R. (2023) Prominent moths (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) of Colombia. Zootaxa, 5284 (3), 401–444. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5284.3.1
  16. Schintlmeister, A. (2019) Neotropical Notodontidae I (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae). Proceedings of the Museum, Witt Munich, 8, 1–369.
  17. St Laurent, R., Goldstein, P., Prada-Lara, L., Schintlmeister, A., Miller, S., Miller, J. & Robbins, R. (2025) Phylogenomics of Prominent Moths (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) with a subfamily-level reclassification. [In press]
  18. Thiaucourt, P. (1987). Notodontidae nouveaux de Guyane française (Lépidoptères. Heterocera). Lambillionea, 87 (5–6), 50–61.
  19. Thiaucourt, P. (1992). Autocritiques: synonymies et erreurs (Lepidoptera Notodontidae). Lambillionea, 92 (3), 229.
  20. Thiaucourt, P. (2004) Haxairella n. gen. (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae). Bulletin de la Société entomologique de Mulhouse, 60 (3), 41–45.
  21. Thiaucourt, P. (2008) Notes sur les genres Pentobesa Schaus, 1901 et Bahaia Dyar, 1924 (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae). Nouvelle Revue d’Entomologie, 24 (4), 291–319.
  22. Thiaucourt, P. (2015) Hermierella n. gen. boyaca n. sp. (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae). Bulletin de la Société entomologique de Mulhouse, 71 (4), 65–67.
  23. Thiaucourt, P. & Chacón, I. (2014) Notes sur le genre Didugua Druce, 1891 (Lepidoptera Notodontidae Nystaleinae). Antenor, 1 (1), 83–98.
  24. Watson, A., Fletcher, D.S. & Nye, I.W.B. (1980) Superfamily Noctuoidea (part). In: Nye, I.W.B., The Generic Names of Moths of the World. Vol. 2. British Museum (Natural History), London, 14 + 228 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.119421
  25. Weller, S.J. (1989) Phylogeny of the Nystaleini (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea: Notodontidae). Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, 396 pp.
  26. Weller, S.J. ([1992] 1996) Survey of adult morphology in Nystaleinae and related Neotropical subfamilies. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera, 31, 233–277. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.266593
  27. Wheeler, G. (2013) A Florida Defoliator, Nystalea ebalea (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae), Found Feeding on Brazilian Peppertree. Florida Entomologist, 96 (3), 1228–1230. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.096.0375

How to Cite

Prada-Lara, L., Laurent, R.A.S., Weller, S. & Fagua, G. (2025) Nystaleinae moths (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae): A morphological review of the subfamily. Zootaxa, 5622 (1), 1–67. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5622.1.1