Cladistic analysis and revision of Heliura Butler, with notes on Delphyre Walker and Eucereon Hübner (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae, Arctiini, Ctenuchina)

Author(s)

Lívia Rodrigues Pinheiro

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB)
• Defense date: 2014-01-14

Examining board members

Marcelo Duarte da Silva; Rafaela Lopes Falaschi; André Victor Lucci Freitas; Gláucia Marconato; Sergio Antonio Vanin

• Advisor: Marcelo Duarte da Silva

Abstract

The genus Heliura Butler had 53 names and 40 valid species at the beginning of this study. A cladistic analysis was performed to test its monophyletism, which results showed that it is polyphyletic, as well as all other genera included in the analysis and represented by more than one taxon. Heliura, as defined here, comprises 66 species in its sensu stricto, 16 of which are new, and 76 in its sensu lato (which includes incertae sedis species). This arrangement counts with two new synonyms for Heliura, Ptychotricos Schaus, sin. nov. e Mesocerea Hampson, sin. nov. All the species belonging to Heliura in the sense here defended were redescribed, illustrated and mapped. The other ones were rearranged according to the results obtained at the analysis. Among those successfully placed in genera already described are Eucereon baleris Dyar, comb. nov. and Pseudaethria cosmosomodes Dognin, comb. nov. Two new genera were created to place other species that do not belong in Heliura: Bus, gen. nov. and Dusi, gen. nov. However, it was not possible to place confidently all the species that do not belong in Heliura, and those which phylogenetic positions remain a mistery were given the status of incertae sedis. Eleven new synonyms were discovered: Heliura cadroe Schaus (= Acridopsis lucis Butler), Pseudohyaleucerea manicorensis Rego Barros & Machado (= Heliura quadriflavata Kaye), Delphyre nilammon Schaus (= Eucereon inconspicua Kaye), Heliura klagesi meridionalis Rothschild, Delphyre lemoulti Draudt (= Neacerea rhodocrypta Druce), Automolis oviplaga Rothschild (= Delphyre subapicalis Dukinfield-Jones), Theages quadricolor Walker, Eucereon quadricolor boreale Rothschild e E. quadricolor meridionale Rothschild (these three = Chelonia punctata Guérin-Meneville), and Eucereon tigrisoma Rothschild (= Galethalea pica Walker). Two other species here treated in Heliura were declared species inquirendae: H. Pierus Cramer and H. Dares Cramer. Heliura distinct Rothschild received a new name, Heliura rothschildi, nom. nov., because Teucer distinct Rothschild, which is one year older, is now also part of Heliura. At last, notes on Delphyre Walker and Eucereon Hübner are provided, with the revalidation of some of its synonyms (Neacerea Druce, gen. revalid. and Erithales Poey, gen. revalid.), plus the creation of a new genus, Aus, gen. nov., for some species previously placed in Delphyre. The identities of Eucereon archias and E. Punctatum are discussed based on new evidence. New combinations are proposed in Galethalea Butler, Pseudohyaleucerea Rego Barros & Machado, Diabaena Felder, Pseudopharus Hampson, Eucereon Hübner, and <i.Rhipha Walker. Two other new species are described, in Delphyre and Erithales. Lectotypes were designated when appropriated for all names described or supposedly described from more than one specimen (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/11159-5 - Revision and cladistic analysis of the genus Heliura Butler, 1876 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Arctiinae, Arctiini, Ctenuchina)
• Grantee: Lívia Rodrigues Pinheiro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate