A new genus and species for Dysgonia (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Erebinae) from Southeastern United States

Abstract

Th ree North American species currently placed in the genus Dysgonia Hübner are moved to Neadysgonia gen. n. A fourth species, N. telma, is described from southeastern United States and a neotype is designated for closely related species N. smithii. Th e generic placement of the new genus is discussed.

Gondysia preceded Neadysgonia (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Erebinae), a new generic synonymy from southeastern United States

“…Figures 6, 12 in Berio (1955) are line drawings of the uncus and tegumen of Gondysia pertorrida and are based on the genitalic preparation from the holotype in the BMNH. These closely resemble Figure 8a in Sullivan (2010) and examination of the slide in the BMNH ( Agrotis 1126; E. Berio 1339) leaves no doubt that the type specimen of Gondysia pertorrida Berio is conspecific with our concept of Neadysgonia consobrina (Guenée). All of the key characters are present.…”

“…A. Guenée described most of the species currently in Neadysgonia but the types of all four of Guenée’s species are missing. There is no indication of a collecting locality on the labels of the two types of Gondysia pertorrida , but if these are the missing types for Neadysgonia consobrina as discussed in Sullivan (2010) , the location was probably near Savanna, Georgia, USA.…”

“… Ophiusa consobrina Guenée was described from an unknown number of specimens from an unknown locality. No type material was found in the BMNH collections or those of the Paris Museum ( Sullivan 2010 ). Neadysgonia consobrina is a very uncommon species throughout most of its range and it is not unlikely that Gondysia pertorrida was described from the lost Guenée types.…”

“…Recently, the genus Neadysgonia Sullivan was proposed for the North American species formerly placed in Dysgonia Hübner ( Sullivan 2010 ). Berio (1955) described the monotypic genus Gondysia based on material presumed to be from Madagascar.…”