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Title: THE CERACANTHIA COMPLEX (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE: PHYCITINAE) IN COSTA RICA.I. CERACANTHIA

Author
item NENUNZIG, H - NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
item Solis, M Alma

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/16/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The classification of the Ceracanthia complex is clarified and 5 species new to science of Ceracanthia are described from Costa Rica. The caterpillar of one species of this complex feeds on the leaves of Maytenus, a genus with known medicinal properties. Identification keys are provided for the genera in the complex and Ceracanthia species so that they can be readily identified by quarantine identifiers. This information will be useful to both action agency identifiers and to forest pest managers and other scientists. action agency identifiers and to forest pest managers and other scientists.

Technical Abstract: The mostly Neotropical Ceracanthia complex (Ceracanthia Ragonot, Megarthria Ragonot, Drescoma Dyar, Lascelina Heinrich) is defined. The genus Ceracanthia is redescribed and Drescomopsis is newly synonymized with Ceracanthia. Ten species of Ceracanthia are recognized in Costa Rica, five of which are described as new: Ceracanthia alturasiana, Ceracanthia cornuta, Ceracanthia eugenieae, Ceracanthia pseudopetersoni, and Ceracanthia squanimagna. Three of the remaining species are transferred from Megarthria and given the new combinations: Ceracanthia frustrator (Heinrich), Ceracanthia schausi (Heinrich), and Ceracanthia squamifera (Heinrich), and one species is referred from Drescomopsis to form the new combination Ceracanthia soraella (Druce). Keys are provided to separate the genera belonging to the Ceracanthia complex, and for males of the species belonging to Ceracanthia. Habitus photographs of male adults, and line drawings of male antennae and male genitalia of all species are included. Also figured are the female genitalia of six of the ten species and the costal tufts of the forewings of Ceracanthia soraella and Ceracanthia frustrator.