(C) 2013 J. Donald Lafontaine. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0 (CC-BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
For reference, use of the paginated PDF or printed version of this article is recommended.
A total of 64 additions and corrections are listed and discussed for the check list of the Noctuoidea of North America north of Mexico published in 2010. One family-group name is inserted, four are changed in rank, one is deleted, one is changed in name, and three are changed in authorship. Taxonomic changes to species are six new or revised synonymies, one new combination, and one revision in status from species to subspecies.
Canada, United States, Erebidae, Noctuidae, Nolidae, Boletobiinae, Eligminae, Diphtherinae, Eulepidotinae, Omopterinae, Toxocampinae, Boletobiini, Aventiini, Eublemmini, Phytometrini
Continuing work on the taxonomy and systematics of New World Noctuoidea has resulted in an additional 64 changes to the check list North American Noctuoidea (
Taxonomic changes are based on examination of material, especially type specimens, in the following collections:
BMNH The Natural History Museum [statutorialy: British Museum (Natural History)], London, UK
CNC Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids, and Nematodes, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
DFC David Fine Collection, Coconut Creek, Florida, USA
JKAC James K. Adams Collection, Calhoun, Georgia, USA
JTTC James T. Troubridge Collection, Selkirk, Ontario, Canada
MNHN Muséum National d’ Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
TLSRC Texas Lepidoptera Survey Research Collection, Houston, Texas, USA
TSDC Terhune S. Dickel Collection, Anthony, Florida, USA
USNM National Museum of Natural History [formerly, United States National Museum], Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Corrections, additions, and changes (highlighted in bold)
p. 3 Tribe Boletobiini [insert after Subfamily Boletobiinae]
p. 3 Subfamily Eligminae Mell, 1943 [insert before subfamily Risobinae]
p. 3 Subfamily Diphtherinae [insert before subfamily Nolinae]
p. 3 & p. 28 Tribe Aventiini [lower subfamily name to tribal name]
p. 3 & p. 28 Tribe Eublemmini [lower subfamily name to tribal name]
p. 3 & p. 29 Tribe Phytometrini [lower subfamily name to tribal name]
p. 3 & p. 30 Subfamily Toxocampinae [raise tribal name to subfamily name]
p. 3 & p. 37 Tribe Omopterini Boisduval, 1833 [change Tribe Ophiusini Guenée, 1837 to Omopterini]
p. 3 & p. 39 Tribe Eulepidotini and Tribe Panopodini [delete tribal names]
p. 3 & p. 42 Collomeninae Zahiri, Lafontaine, & Schmidt, 2012 [correct authorship from
p. 3 & p. 49 Subfamily Raphiinae Beck, 1996 [change Subfamily Dilobinae to Subfamily Raphiinae]
p. 4 & p. 50 Acronictinae Harris, 1841 [correct authorship from Heinemann, 1859]
p. 5 & p. 99 Agrotina Harris, 1841 [correct authorship from Rambur, 1848]
p. 28 Tribe Boletobiini [insert to include species 930673 to 930692]
p. 41 Subfamily Diphtherinae and 931410 Diphthera festiva (Fabricius, 1775) [insert before Subfamily Nolinae and renumber species as 931120.1]
p. 42 Subfamily Eligminae Mell, 1943 [insert before 931147 Iscadia aperta Walker]
p. 49 Delete Subfamily Diphtherinae and 931410 Diphthera festiva (Fabricius, 1775)
930356.1 Xenosoma flaviceps (Walker, 1865)
930405 Cycnia oregonensis (Stretch [1874])
ssp. Cycnia oregonensis oregonensis (Stretch [1874])
ssp. Cycnia oregonensis tristis Crabo, 2013
930447.1 Aclytia heber (Cramer, [1780])
930500 Zanclognatha jacchusalis (Walker, 1859)
ssp. Zanclognatha jacchusalis jacchusalis (Walker, 1859)
syn. Zanclognatha ochreipennis (Grote, 1872)
ssp. Zanclognatha jacchusalis lutalba (Smith, 1906)
ssp. Zanclognatha jacchusalis bryanti Barnes, 1928
930501 Delete. Moved to synonymy of 930500
930502 Chytolita morbidalis (Guenée, 1854)
syn. Chytolita petrealis Grote, 1880
syn. Chytolita punctiformis (Smith, 1895)
syn. Chytolita fulicalis Smith, 1907
930503 Delete. Moved to synonymy of 930502
930579Hypena lividalis (Hübner, 1796)
syn. Hypena abjuralis Walker, [1859]
930608 Anomis illita Guenée, 1852
syn. Anomis conducta Walker, [1858]
syn. Anomis hostia (Harvey, 1876)
930609 Anomis gentilis Schaus, 1912
syn. Anomis exacta of authors, not Hübner, 1822
930611.1 Dinumma deponens Walker, 1858
930621.1 Gonodontodes dispar Hampson, 1913
930702 Delete. Moved to synonymy of 930705
930705 Hemeroplanis historialis (Grote, 1882)
syn. Hemeroplanis finitima (Smith, 1893)
syn. Hemeroplanis secundalis (Smith, 1907)
930706 Delete. Moved to synonymy of 930705
930755.1 Hemeroblemma mexicana (Guenée, 1852)
930884 Forsebia cinis (Guenée, 1852)
syn. Forsebia perlaeta (H. Edwards, 1882)
930903.1 Drasteria parallela Crabo & Mustelin, 2013
930968.1 Ophisma tropicalis (Guenée, 1852)
930968.2 Mimophisma delunaris (Guenée, 1852)
930968.3 Achaea ablunaris (Guenée, 1852)
931057Delete. Moved to 930968.1
931058 Delete. Moved to 930968.2
931059 Delete. Moved to 930968.3
931109 Delete. Moved to synonymy of 931117
931113.1 Paectes fuscescens (Walker, 1855)
931116 Delete. North American concept moved to synonymy of 931117.1
931117 Delete. North American concept moved to synonymy of 931117
931117 Paectes nana (Walker, 1865)
syn. Paectes arcigera of authors, not (Guenée, 1852)
syn. Paectes burserae (Dyar, 1901)
931117.1 Paectes asper Pogue, 2013
syn. Paectes obrotunda of authors, not (Guenée, 1852)
931167.1 Enigmogramma antillea Becker, 2001
931171.1 Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper, 1789)
syn. Chrysodeixis eriosoma of Lafontaine & Schmidt (2010), not (Doubleday, 1843)
931253.1 Amyna amplificans (Walker, 1858)
931260.1 Tripudia paraplesia Pogue, 2009
931931 Sympistis zetterstedtii (Staudinger, 1857)
ssp. Sympistis zetterstedtii kolthoffi (Aurivillius, 1890)
931965 Eudryas brevipennis bonneville Shepard & Crabo, 2013
931988.1 Perigea bahamica Hampson, 1908
932006 Condica charada (Schaus, 1906)
932021.1 Ogdoconta satana Metzler, Knudson & Poole, 2013
932023 Ogdoconta rufipenna Metzler, Knudson & Poole, 2013
syn. Ogdoconta sp. not Ogdoconta lilacina (Druce, 1890) (
932023.1 Ogdoconta fergusoni Metzler & Lafontaine, 2013
932061 Protoschinia nuchalis (Grote, 1878)
932368.1 Resapamea diluvius Crabo, 2013
932368.2 Resapamea angelika Crabo, 2013
932368.3 Resapamea mammuthus Crabo, 2013
932454 Delete. Moved to synonymy of 932455
932455 Hydraecia medialis Smith, 1892
syn. Hydraecia pallescens Smith, 1899
932456 Hydraecia obliqua (Harvey), 1876
syn. Hydraecia ximena (Barnes & Benjamin, 1924)
syn. Hydraecia columbia (Barnes & Benjamin, 1924)
932462 Delete. Moved to synonymy of 932456
932463 Delete. Moved to synonymy of 932456
932631 Aseptis fanatica Mustelin, 2006
932693.1 Fishia nigrescens Hammond & Crabo, 2013
932711.1 Ufeus felsensteini Lafontaine & Walsh, 2013
933606 Xestia perquiritata orca Crabo & Hammond, 2013
p. 3 & p. 28–29 subfamily Boletobiinae – The phylogenetic studies of the Erebidae by
p. 3 & p. 30 Subfamily Toxocampinae – phylogenetic studies of the Erebidae by
p. 3 & p. 37 Tribe Omopterini – phylogenetic studies of the Erebidae by
p. 3 & p. 39 Subfamily Eulepidotinae – The nuclear DNA results in
p. 3 & p. 41 Subfamily Diphtherinae – The molecular results of
p. 3 & p. 42 Subfamily Eligminae – The molecular results of
p. 3 & p. 49 Subfamily Raphiinae – Change subfamily name from Dilobinae (see
p. 4 & p. 50 Acronictinae – Change in authorship from
p. 5 & p. 99 Agrotina – Change in authorship from
p. 42 Subfamily Collomeninae – The subfamily name was first used in a North American check list (
p. 49 Subfamily Diphtherinae – Moved to Nolidae.
930356.1 Xenosoma flaviceps– This species occurs in northern Mexico (State of San Luis Potosi), and in southern Mexico from at least Chiapas to Guatemala and Costa Rica. A single specimen was collected at Alamo, Texas on 5 December 2012. Contributed by E. Knudson and C. Bordelon. Voucher in TLSRC, photograph examined.
930405 Cycnia oregonensis tristis – New subspecies (see
930447.1 Aclytia heber – A single specimen was collected at Alamo, Texas in November of 2012. Contributed by E. Knudson and C. Bordelon. Voucher in TLSRC, photograph examined.
930500 Zanclognatha jacchusalis– The species is widely distributed in eastern United States and occurs as far west as Arizona. It is characterized by the burnt-orange forewing ground color that is heavily speckled with black scales. It is replaced in Canada by a form that has paler buffy-brown or gray-brown forewings with little black speckling. This northern form is currently treated as Zanclognatha lutalba (Smith), occurring from Nova Scotia to Alberta, and as Zanclognatha lutalba ssp. bryanti Barnes in British Columbia and Washington. However, there is a broad area in southern Ontario and Quebec, northern New York, and New England, where most specimens are intermediate between typical Zanclognatha jacchusalis and Zanclognatha lutalba and occasionally Zanclognatha lutalba-like forms are found as far south as the Appalachians of North Carolina. There are no external structural or genital characters to distinguish the two taxa and barcodes do not separate them either, so we synonymize Zanclognatha lutalba, syn. n., but retain the name as a northern subspecies as Zanclognatha jaccusalis ssp. lutalba, stat. n., and move subspecies bryanti to Zanclognatha jaccusalis ssp. bryanti, stat. rev.
930502 Chytolita morbidalis– New and revised synonymy from
930579 Hypena lividalis– The species, which occurs in Africa and southern Europe, is now believed to be a Pan-tropical species with Hypena abjuralis (Walker, [1859]), syn. rev., as a synonym. The external characters, genitalia, and barcodes are the same from each region. It is possible that the spread of the species to the New World was aided by man.
930608 Anomis illita – Examination of type material and barcodes shows that Anomis conducta Walker, [1858], syn. n., and Aletia hostia Harvey, 1876, syn. n., are synonyms of Anomis illita, and not synonymsof Anomis exacta Hübner, 1822. The barcodes also show that Anomis illita is widely distributed from Florida and Texas southward through the Caribbean and Central and South America to Brazil, the latter being the type locality.
930608 Anomis gentilis – Examination of the type material associated with the name Anomis exacta and Anomis gentilis Schaus, shows that the species that occurs in Texas is Anomis gentilis. The type material of Anomis exacta is lost, but the illustration in
930611.1 Dinumma deponens – A fresh female specimen of Dinumma deponens Walker, 1858 was taken at gas station lights in Morganton, Fannin Co., in north Georgia on June 15, 2012 by Paul Dennehy and James Adams. This location is quite rural, along a state highway about 100 miles north of Atlanta. The species’ home range is “from India across E China to Japan, Korea and to Thailand” (Alberto Zilli, pers. comm.), though not Borneo. The larval food plants of Dinumma Walker, and the species Dinumma deponens, are members of the genus Albizia Durazz. (Mimosa). Mimosa is extensively planted and naturalized throughout north Georgia. As such, it is certainly plausible that this single specimen represents a member of an established population of the moth in the U.S. It is tentatively included in the Anomini following
930621.1 Gonodontodes dispar– A male of this species was collected at Mile Marker 36, US A1A, Key Largo, Monroe Co., Florida, 2 May 2009 by David Fine. The specimen is in DFC. Contributed by Leroy Koehn.
930705 Hemeroplanis historialis – Examination of genitalia and barcodes shows that the names Hemeroplanis finitima, syn. n., and Hemeroplanis secundalis, syn. n., are color forms of Hemeroplanis historialis. The species is mainly distinguished from Hemeroplanis incusalis, which occurs with it in parts of Arizona and California, by the more parallel transverse lines on the forewing with black wedge-shaped spots on the costa in Hemeroplanis historialis, and usually the reniform spot is black.
930755.1 Hemeroblemma mexicana – A female of this species was collected 6 June 2012 at Falcon Heights, Starr Co., Texas by Barry Nall. The specimen is in the TLSRC.
930884 Forsebia cinis – The male lectotype of Bolina cinis Guenée, 1852, in the MNHN, Paris, is a senior synonym of Forsebia perlaeta (H. Edwards, 1882), syn. n., and not a synonym of Melipotis jucunda Hübner, 1818, as previously supposed. Forsebia cinis is a new combination. Contributed by Robert Poole.
930903.1 Drasteria parallela – Addition (see
930961.1 Ophisma tropicalis – The molecular results in
930961.2 Mimophisma delunaris – moved from 931058.
930961.3 Achaea ablunaris – moved from 931059.
931113.1 Paectes fuscescens– A single specimen from Florida was found in unidentified material in the USNM by Mike Pogue while sorting specimens for a revision of the Paectes arcigera group. The specimen was reared but the data do not include host plant information. Terhune Dickel and Jim Troubridge have both collected this species in southern Florida (Homestead and Key Largo). Some specimens have previously been identified as Paectes burserae. Vouchers in CNC, JTTC, TSDC, and USNM.
931117 Paectes nana– This taxon, formerly considered to be a synonym of Paectes arcigera, is widely distributed in Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. The taxonomic status and distribution are based on
931117.1 Paectes asper– Addition (see
931167.1 Enigmogramma antillea – This species was described by
931171.1 Chrysodeixis chalcites – This species occurs mainly in Africa and western Eurasia with Chrysodeixis eriosoma mainly in eastern Asia, but occasionally found in Europe in greenhouses. The two species are very difficult to identify other than by geographic range, DNA, and pheromones. When populations of this complex were discovered in greenhouses in British Columbia in 2006, it was assumed they would have an eastern Eurasian origin, like most recent introductions into the Vancouver area. More recently, barcode results show that these populations, and recently discovered populations in southern Ontario and Michigan, are referable Chrysodeixis chalcites and not to Chrysodeixis eriosoma (
931253.1 Amyna amplificans – A single specimen of this species was collectedby Bruce Walsh in the Huachuca Mountains in southeastern Arizona. Voucher in JBWC.
931260.1 Tripudia paraplesia – A single specimen of this species was collected by Vernon Brou in Louisiana in 1994. Previously, the species was recorded only as far north as northeastern Mexico (
931931 Sympistis zetterstedtii – Reinstated as a full species, not a subspecies of Sympistis nigrita (Boisduval, 1840) from the Alps, following
931965 Eudryas brevipennis bonneville – New subspecies (see
931988.1 Perigea bahamica – The species was collected in Monroe County, Florida, in 2012 by Jim Troubridge. Voucher in CNC.
932006 Condica charada – The species name was misspelled as chardra in Lafontaine & Schmidt (2011).
932021.1 Ogdoconta satana – Addition (see
932023 Ogdoconta rufipenna – Addition (see
932023.1 Ogdoconta fergusoni – Addition (see
932061 Protoschinia nuchalis – Change in combination from
932368.1 Resapamea diluvius – Addition (see
932368.2 Resapamea angelika – Addition (see
932368.3 Resapamea mammuthus – Addition (see
932455 Hydraecia medialis –New synonymy from
932456 Hydraecia obliqua – The author’s name, Harvey, should be in parentheses because the original combination was Gortyna obliqua Harvey. New synonymy from
932631 Aseptis fanatica– The species name was misspelled as fannatica in Lafontaine & Schmidt (2010).
932693.1 Fishia nigrescens – Addition (see
932711.1 Ufeus felsensteini – Addition (see
933606 Xestia perquiritata orca – New subspecies (see
Many friends and colleagues sent us suggestions for additions and corrections to this list and gave us access to material in their care. We appreciate the help of James Adams, Gary Anweiler, Jérôme Barbut, Charles Bordelon, Lars Crabo, Terhune Dickel, Cliff Ferris, Jeremy Holloway, Louis Handfield, Martin Honey, Ed Knudson, Leroy Koehn, Eric Metzler, Paul Opler, Bob Patterson, Mike Pogue, Greg Pohl, Bob Poole, Bo Sullivan, Jim Troubridge, Jim Vargo, Dave Wagner, Bruce Walsh, Dave Wikle and Alberto Zilli.
James Adams served as Academic Editor and he, along with Eric Metzler, Bo Sullivan, and an anonymous reviewer, found numerous errors that we had overlooked and we thank them for their careful reading of the manuscript.