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Title: Revision of Cosmopterosis Amsel (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Glaphyriinae)Western Hemisphere with discussions on male secondary sexual characters and larval feeding on Capparis (Capparaceae) in Pyraloidea and Lepidoptera(Insecta)

Author
item Solis, M Alma
item Metz, Mark
item JANZEN, DANIEL - UNIVERSITY OF PA

Submitted to: Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/2008
Publication Date: 9/28/2009
Citation: Solis, M.A., Metz, M., Janzen, D. 2009. Revision of Cosmopterosis Amsel (Lepidoptera: Crambidae: Glaphyriinae)Western Hemisphere with discussions on male secondary sexual characters and larval feeding on Capparis (Capparaceae) in Pyraloidea and Lepidoptera(Insecta). Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 102(5):766-784.

Interpretive Summary: Snout moths are pests of many agricultural crops worldwide causing billions of dollars in damage. The United States imports many crops, such as capers that were valued at 9.3 million dollars in 2002, and their associated insects. We describe three species new to science from Costa Rica; two were discovered to feed on various caper plants. We provide a key for their identification and provide a hypothesis of relationship of the four species in this group. Photographs of adults and immatures are provided so that they can be readily identified. This information will be useful to scientists, action agency identifiers, and regulatory personnel at U.S. ports.

Technical Abstract: Cosmopterosis is revised and three new species, C. hispida, C. jasonhalli, and C. spatha, are described. We constructed a hypothesis for the placement of the species in the genus among the Glaphyriinae using two putative outgroup taxa, Aureopteryx argentistriata (Hampson) and Pseudoligostigma punctissimalis (Dyar). The cladistic analysis included 21 morphological characters one of which, the radiodiscal process, is described and considered a synapomorphy for the genus. A key and illustrations for the identification of the species is provided. Cosmopterosis species were discovered feeding on Capparis spp. (Capparaceae) during exploration for caterpillars in the Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), Costa Rica. The immatures and biology for two species are described.