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Title: REVISION AND PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF ACCINCTAPUBES SOLIS (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE: EPIPASCHIINAE), INCLUDING A NEW SPECIES FROM COSTA RICA AND A LARVAL DESCRIPTION OF A. ALBIFASCIATA (DRUCE) THAT FEEDS ON AVOCADO

Author
item Solis, M Alma

Submitted to: Journal of Lepidopterists Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2002
Publication Date: 1/15/2003
Citation: Solis, M.A. 2003. Revision and phylogenetic analysis of accinctapubes solis (lepidoptera: pyralidae: epipaschiinae), including a new species from costa rica and a larval description of a. albifasciata (druce) that feeds on avocado. Journal of Lepidopterists Society. 57(2): 121-136

Interpretive Summary: One species of this group of moths is a pest of avocado in Central and South America; it does not yet occur in the U.S. The classification of this moth genus is clarified and one species new to science is described from Costa Rica. The caterpillar of the avocado leaf-feeding species is described and illustrated for the first time. An identification key to the eadult moths is provided for the species so that they can be identified readily by quarantine identifiers. This information will be useful to both action agency identifiers, to avocado growers, and biologists.

Technical Abstract: Accinctapubes Solis from the tropical Western Hemisphere is revised. Four species of Accinctapubes with overlapping distributions are recognized: A. albifasciata (Druce), the type species, A. apicalis (Schaus), A. chionophoralis (Hampson), and A. amplissima, Solis & Boose, new species. Stericta leucoplagialis var. purusalis is newly synonymized with A. albifasciata. A. anthimusalis (Schaus) is transferred to Quadraforma Solis new combination. The larva of A. albifasciata that feeds on avocado is described and illustrated. A dichotomous key for the males of the species is presented. A phylogenetic analysis resulted in one tree with a consistency index of 0.89.