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Title: A REVISION OF THE GENUS OBRIMA WALKER (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE), WITH A DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES FROM COSTA RICA AND NOTES ON ITS NATURAL HISTORY

Author
item Pogue, Michael
item JANZEN, DANIEL - UNIVERSITY OF PA

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/27/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Moths are among the most serious pests of U.S. crops. The genus Obrima belongs to the family Noctuidae which contains the most important pest species of moths. Larvae of Obrima feed on Lonchocarpus. Several species of Lonchocarpus produce rotenone from the roots and fruit, which is used as a vertebrate poison as well as an insecticide. Other species of Lonchocarpus are used as a coloring for food additives. This paper reports on the three known species of the genus, summarizing their biology and taxonomy. Distributional data is also included. This revision would be of value to entomologists, chemists, and scientists working on insecticides.

Technical Abstract: The genus Obrima Walker is revised for the first time and contains three species. Obrima cymbae, Pogue is described and its natural history is discussed. Obrima is essentially Neotropical in distribution. Obrima pyraloides Walker is distributed from Mexico to Paraguay, Obrima rinconada Schaus is from Guatemala, Mexico, and the southwestern United States in Arizona and southwestern Texas. Obrima cymbae is known only from Costa Rica. Obrima pyraloides was reared on Lonchocarpus minimiflorus Donn., Lonchocarpus phlebophyllus Standley and Steyerm., and Lonchocarpus orotinus Pittier (Fabaceae). Obrima cymbae was reared on Lonchocarpus orotinus.