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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Systematic Entomology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #400832
Research Project: Systematics of Beetles, Flies, Moths and Wasps with an Emphasis on Agricultural Pests, Invasive Species, Biological Control Agents, and Food Security

Location: Systematic Entomology Laboratory

Title: Millerocampa: A new genus of Heterocampinae (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae) from Central and South America

Author
item ST. LAURENT, RYAN - Smithsonian Institute
item Goldstein, Paul
item ROBBINS, ROBERT - Smithsonian Institute

Submitted to: Insect Systematics & Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/10/2023
Publication Date: 9/6/2023
Citation: St. Laurent, R., Goldstein, P.Z., Robbins, R. 2023. Millerocampa: A new genus of Heterocampinae (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae) from Central and South America. Insect Systematics & Evolution. Available: https://brill.com/view/journals/ise/aop/article-10.1163-1876312X-bja10053/article-10.1163-1876312X-bja10053.xml. https://doi.org/10.1163/1876312X-bja10053.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/1876312X-bja10053

Interpretive Summary: This paper describes a new genus, based on genomic and morphological analysis, for two species of Prominent Moths that had been misclassified. This work developed from analyses of genomic data that identified the problem and the need to describe a new genus, which we support with morphological data of adult specimens. This resolves one of the last remaining genus-level problems that followed the revision of the North American taxonomy. This work is of interest to entomologists, biogeographers, and evolutionary biologists.

Technical Abstract: We propose the name Millerocampa gen. n. in the Notodontidae (Heterocampinae) for two Central and South American species originally placed within the Cerurinae on the basis of reflective white scales and black zigzagging patterns on the forewing dorsum. Based on phylogenomic data and morphological analyses, we show that three names recently placed in the Heterocampinae genus Tecmessa form a morphologically and phylogenetically distinct heterocampine genus, Millerocampa gen. n., resulting in the following new combinations: Millerocampa gonema (Schaus), comb. n., type species of Millerocampa, and Millerocampa laqueata (Schaus), comb. n. The name Cerura olindata syn. n. is a synonym of M. gonema. Images of male and female adults, including all types, and genitalia of both recognized species of Millerocampa are presented.