Toward a Stable Global Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) Taxonomy

Abstract

Noctuidae are one of the world’s most diverse, ecologically successful, and economically important animal lineages with over 12,000 species in ~1,150 genera. We inferred a phylogeny using eight protein-coding genes for the global fauna, greatly expanding upon previous attempts to stabilize Noctuidae higher classification by sampling 341 genera (nearly half represented by their type species) representing 70/76 widely recognized family-group taxa: 20/21 subfamilies, 32/35 tribes, and 18/20 subtribes. We evaluated 17 subfamily-level taxa in detail, discussing adult and larval morphology, life histories, and taxonomic implications of our results. We significantly alter concepts of Acontiinae, Condicinae, Eustrotiinae, Metoponiinae, and Stiriinae. Our results supported recognition of two new subfamilies: Cobubathinae Wagner & Keegan, 2021 subf. nov. and Cropiinae Keegan & Wagner, 2021 subf. nov. Other nomenclatural changes we made are as follows. We moved: ‘Acontia’ viridifera (Hampson, 1910), ‘Azenia’ virida Barnes and McDunnough, 1916, Aleptinoides, Austrazenia, Chalcoecia, Megalodes, and Trogotorna to Chamaecleini in Acontiinae; Apaustis to, and reinstated Emmelia as a valid genus in Acontiinae; Allophyes and Meganephria to Cuculliinae; ‘Plagiomimicus’ navia (Harvey, 1875), Airamia, Alvaradoia, Hypoperigea, Neotarache, and Mesotrosta to Condicinae; Axenus, Azenia, Metaponpneumata, Sexserrata, and Tristyla to Metoponiinae; ‘Paramiana’ canoa (Barnes, 1907) to Noctuinae; Aucha, Cobubatha, and Tripudia to Cobubathinae; Anycteola and Supralathosea to Oncocnemidinae; Cropia to Cropiinae; Desmoloma to Dyopsinae; Eviridemas and Gloanna to Bryophilinae; Fota and Stilbia to Stiriinae; and Copibryophila, Homolagoa, and Tyta to Noctuidae incertae sedis. We conclude with discussion of instances where current understanding of noctuid biogeography and life histories were changed by our results.

Confirmed occurrence of the tribe Apameini (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae) in the Neotropical region: a new genus endemic to Costa Rican montane forests

“…Despite the limited diversity of Neotropical Noctuidae, their taxonomy and systematic composition remains poorly known, essentially unchanged from the time of Hampson's (1898Hampson's ( -1913 artificial classification (for a review of historic changes to noctuid classification, see Mitchell et al (2006) and references therein). Exceptions include recent molecular studies that have incorporated a limited number of Neotropical genera, nonetheless making significant inroads to clarifying the major Noctuidae lineages present in the Neotropics, such as the discovery of the basal subfamily Dyopsinae and its bizarre constituent genera (Zahiri et al 2013;Keegan et al 2021), the equally odd Vespola Walker group of genera related to Bagisarinae (Zahiri et al 2013), and the circumscription of entirely new subfamilies such as Cobubathinae and Cropiinae (Keegan et al 2021). As part of ongoing work to revise the genera of Nearctic Apameini and placing Neotropical genera into a systematic framework, examination of the genus Trachea Ochsenheimer revealed that few, if any, of the Neotropical species truly belong to this Holarctic genus, and led to the surprising find that "Trachea" altivolans belongs to the Apameini.…”

“…As part of ongoing work to revise the genera of Nearctic Apameini and placing Neotropical genera into a systematic framework, examination of the genus Trachea Ochsenheimer revealed that few, if any, of the Neotropical species truly belong to this Holarctic genus, and led to the surprising find that "Trachea" altivolans belongs to the Apameini. Trachea is currently placed in the tribe Dypterygiini (Lafontaine and Schmidt 2010;Keegan et al 2021). A new genus is herein described to accommodate "Trachea" altivolans and to facilitate future study of the taxonomy and biogeography of the New World Apameini.…”

Himalaea batanga, a new species from Southwest China (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Amphipyrinae: Psaphidini)

“…The genus Himalaea Hreblay & L. Ronkay, 1998 belongs to the subtribe Psaphidina of the tribe Psaphidini of the subfamily Amphipyrinae (Wagner et al 2008;Lafontaine & Schmidt 2010;Ronkay et al 2011;Zahiri et al 2011;Keegan et al 2019Keegan et al , 2021. It was erected to include the only species Himalaea unica Hreblay & L. Ronkay, 1998 described by a single male from south-eastern Xizang Autonomous Region of China (Hreblay et al 1998).…”

Taxonomic review of the subgenus Tatsipolia Benedek, Behounek, Floriani & Saldaitis of the genus Dasypolia Guenée with descriptions of two new species from southern Xizang, China (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)

“…Dasypolia Guenée, 1852 is a large noctuid genus distributed in the Palearctic region and reaching its greatest diversity in high mountain areas of Asia. The genus belongs to the subtribe Antitypina of the tribe Xylenini of the subfamily Noctuinae (Lafontaine and Schmidt 2010;Zahiri et al 2011;Keegan et al 2021). Many species of Dasypolia were described during the last two decades (Nupponen and Fibiger 2006;Ronkay et al 2010;Benedek et al 2011Volynkin 2012;Ronkay et al 2014).…”