Moths of the Neotropical genera<i>Ischnopteris, Stegotheca</i>and<i>Rucana</i>(Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae)

Pitkin, Linda M.

doi:10.1017/s1477200004001616

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…It is likely that about one‐third of all species sampled are new to science. Indeed, six species on the list have recently been described as new (Brehm, 2004, 2005; Pitkin, 2005). Compared with well known groups such as birds or vascular plants, several hundred new species sampled in the course of a single study is very high.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Montane Andean rain forests are a global diversity hotspot of geometrid moths

Brehm

Pitkin

Hilt

et al. 2005

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim Andean forests are known to be a major diversity hotspot for vascular plants and vertebrates, but virtually nothing is known about the diversity of arthropods. We examined whether montane rain forests in southern Ecuador are also a diversity hotspot for arthropods, and chose geometrid moths as a model group. Location The study area in southern Ecuador (Province Zamora‐Chinchipe, 79° W, 04° S) covers c. 40 km2, with 39 collecting sites within an elevational range of 1040–2677 m a.s.l. Thirty‐five of the sites were situated in an area c. 2.5 km2. Additional qualitative sampling was carried out in the same area and up to an elevation of 3100 m. Methods Nocturnal moths were collected quantitatively and qualitatively using portable light towers consisting of two 15 W fluorescent tubes, and diurnal moths were collected qualitatively using an insect net. Insects were sampled in six fieldwork periods in the years 1999–2003. As diversity measures, Fisher's alpha of the log‐series distribution as well as eight estimators of total species richness were applied. Results A total of 1266 species were recorded, 63% of which were identified to named species, whereas the remainder are likely to include many undescribed species. Quantitative samples at light towers collected 35,238 specimens representing 1223 species. The extrapolated species number for these data is 1420 (incidence coverage estimator). Twenty‐one additional nocturnal species and 22 exclusively diurnal species were sampled qualitatively at elevations between 1040 and 3100 m. The pooled value of Fisher's alpha for all quantitative samples is 246 ± 3. Main conclusions The diversity of Geometridae documented here is much higher than anywhere else in the world, even without the inclusion of additional species from adjacent lowland rain forests. The number of recorded species in this small area corresponds to more than 6% of the known world fauna of geometrid moths. Our study emphasizes the importance of protecting the remaining montane Andean rain forests. For setting priorities in conservation, more studies on insect diversity are urgently required in other regions of the Andes, since montane forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Montane Andean rain forests are a global diversity hotspot of geometrid moths

Brehm

Pitkin

Hilt

et al. 2005

Journal of Biogeography

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“…In the third reared Nacophorini, Cargolia arana (Figure 18), the antenna and trunk sheaths extended only beyond the wing sheaths. This feature was not mentioned by Rindge (1983) in his revision of the Nacophorini or by Pitkin (2002, 2005), but may be a synapomorphy for the tribe. On the other hand, Parra and Henriquez-Rodriguez (1993) showed the pupae of two Nacophorini ( Mallomus falcatus and M. tumidus ) that lacked this feature, possibly suggesting that this character state is restricted to a smaller clade within the Nacophorini.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Caterpillars that failed to develop into adults were preserved in 70% ethanol, as were pupal exuviae and parasitoids that emerged in captivity. Nomenclature follows Pitkin (2002, 2005) for members of the subfamily Ennominae and Scoble (1999) for all remaining species. Morphospecies ID codes of Brehm et al (2005) were used.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caterpillars and Host Plant Records for 59 Species of Geometridae (Lepidoptera) from a Montane Rainforest in Southern Ecuador

Bodner

Brehm

Homeier

et al. 2010

Journal of Insect Science

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During four months of field surveys at the Reserva Biológica San Francisco in the south Ecuadorian Andes, caterpillars of 59 Geometridae species were collected in a montane rainforest between 1800 and 2800m altitude and reared to adults. The resulting data on host plant affiliations of these species was collated. The preimaginal stages of 58 and adult stages of all 59 species are depicted in colour plates. Observations on morphology and behaviour are briefly described. Five species, documented for the first time in the study area by means of larval collections, had not been previously collected by intensive light-trap surveys. Together with published literature records, life-history data covers 8.6% of the 1271 geometrid species observed so far in the study area. For 50 species these are the first records of their early stages, and for another 7 the data significantly extend known host plant ranges. Most larvae were collected on shrubs or trees, but more unusual host plant affiliations, such as ferns (6 geometrid species) and lichens (3 geometrid species), were also recorded. Thirty-four percent of the caterpillars were infested by wasp or tachinid parasitoids.

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A New Genus ofNacophorini(Geometridae) from Chile

Parra

2018

Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society

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Moths of the Neotropical generaIschnopteris, StegothecaandRucana(Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae)

Cited by 3 publications

References 12 publications

Montane Andean rain forests are a global diversity hotspot of geometrid moths

Montane Andean rain forests are a global diversity hotspot of geometrid moths

Caterpillars and Host Plant Records for 59 Species of Geometridae (Lepidoptera) from a Montane Rainforest in Southern Ecuador

A New Genus ofNacophorini(Geometridae) from Chile

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