Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #241058
Title: New synonymy in a North American species of Pyrrhia Hübner, [1821] (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Author
item Pogue, Michael
item HONEY, MARTIN - Natural History Museum - London
item ZILLI, ALBERTO - Museum Of Zoology

Submitted to: Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2010
Publication Date: 5/24/2010
Citation: Pogue, M.G., Honey, M., Zilli, A. 2010. New synonymy in a North American species of Pyrrhia Hübner, [1821] (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 112(2):274-280.

Interpretive Summary: Cutworm moths are major agricultural pests that cause billions of dollars of damage annually to agricultural crops. The species group treated here is closely related to the corn earworm and tobacco budworm, two of the most destructive agricultural pests. This research determined that two previously recognized species have the same structural characters and are the same species, so the older scientific name becomes the valid name. This research updates the literature treating this agriculturally important group and will be useful for communication among scientists, entomologists, and pest control researchers.

Technical Abstract: Based on characters of the male and female genitalia and the coloration and pattern of the forewing and hind wing the species Pyrrhia adela Lafontaine and Mikkola 1996 is considered a new synonym of Pyrrhia cilisca (Guenée, 1852).