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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #363828
Research Project: Systematics of Moths Significant to Biodiversity, Quarantine, and Control, with a Focus on Invasive Species

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: New genera and species of Gelechiinae (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) from South America feeding on Brazilian peppertree

Author
item Metz, Mark
item Wheeler, Gregory
item MCKAY, FERNANDO - Universidad De Buenos Aires
item Dyer, Kirsten

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/11/2019
Publication Date: 8/8/2019
Citation: Metz, M., Wheeler, G.S., Mckay, F., Dyer, K.G. 2019. New genera and species of Gelechiinae (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) from South America feeding on Brazilian peppertree. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 121(3):461-483.

Interpretive Summary: While many Leaf-tier moths are potential invasive threats to U.S. agriculture and natural resources, particularly species in the American tropics with close relatives in the contiguous United States, some can be used for the biological control of invasive plants. In order to determine pest moths from potentially beneficial moths their identities and the breadth of their diets must be accurately recorded. Here we describe three new genera and five new species of moth feeding on the invasive plant Brazilian peppertree, so the details of its biology can be accurately reported in subsequent research. We provide a hypothesis for how the new moth is related to known moths and discuss and illustrate diagnostic features that allow its identification by stakeholders. This information will be useful to scientists, action agency identifiers, and biocontrol laboratories

Technical Abstract: Recent efforts to discover insect biological control agents of the Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolius, include three new genera, Tentamen Metz new genus, Longistrebula Metz new genus, and Tectosquamae Metz new genus, and three new species; Tentamen atrivirgulatum Metz new species, Longistrebula argalata Metz new species, Tectosquamae furvalata Metz new species, belonging to the subfamily Gelechiinae. An additional two species, Tectosquamae poguei Metz new species and Tectosquamae solisi Metz new species, from Paraguay are also described. We diagnose, describe, and illustrate the new taxa, and propose hypotheses for placement within the subfamily.