Illustrated Catalogue and Phylogenetic Relationships of 330 Species of Arctiinae Moth Species from the Choco Rainforest in NW Ecuador: Most Species are Undescribed.

ABSTRACT: Tropical rain forests are the most species rich terrestrial habitats on Earth, but their insect diversity is understudied, and it is unclear how many species are already scientifically described. A model group to study description patterns are tiger moths (Erebidae: Arctiinae), a species-rich moth clade that comprises subtaxa that differ considerably in appearance. We inventoried Arctiinae moths in a lowland rainforest in the Canandé and Tesoro Escondido Reserves, NW Ecuador, and sorted 12,335 individuals into 330 species, of which 303 had DNA barcode (COI) data extracted. We found 52 species of Lithosiini, 4 species of Arctiina, 17 species of Pericopina, 132 species of Phaegopterina, 52 species of Euchromiina and 71 species of Ctenuchina. A total of 45% of the species can be assigned by u

SUBMITTER: Brehm G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12722485 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature