Seventeen cryptic new species of Nystalea Guenée, 1852 (Notodontidae: Nystaleinae) from Costa Rica

Abstract

These new species are discovered and described based on the combination of their distinctive COI barcodes, Barcode Index Numbers (BIN), overall morphology, genitalia, and life histories. The genus Nystalea Guenée (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) is reviewed as it occurs in Costa Rica, based on 5,121 reared and wild-collected specimens. All known Costa Rican species are described or redescribed and have adults and genitalia figured, including 17 new species: N. phildevriesi Chacón, N. sylvieduranae Chacón, N. gustavoinduni Chacón, N. anamariamonge Chacón, N. roxanamadrigalae Chacón, N. aurachaconae Chacón, N. mailyngonzalezae Chacón, N. romanmacayai Chacón, N. intichaconi Chacón, N. torbjornekremi Chacón, N. robertpuschendorfi Chacón, N. henrikekmani Chacón, N. erikabjerstromae Chacón, N. lorettafayecooperae Chacón, N. billalleni Chacón, N. jeremyhancei Chacón, and N. brookejarvisae Chacón, as well as 12 newly recorded species (N. marona Schaus, 1905, N. multiplex Dognin, 1909, N. porgana Schaus, 1905, N. corrusca Schaus 1904, N. idonea Walker 1858, N. inchoans Walker 1857, N. superciliosa Guenée, 1852, N. virgula Felder & Felder, 1874, N. nigritorquata Dognin, 1900, N. joanna (Schaus, 1905), and N. ocellata Rothschild, 1917), and seven previously recorded species (N. discalis Schaus, 1910, N. collaris Schaus, 1910, N. montana Weller, 1990, N. aequipars Walker, 1858, N. ebalea (Stoll, 1780), N. guzmani Schaus, 1910 and N. striata Schaus, 1910). Nystalea lineiplena Walker, 1857, N. malga Schaus, 1904, N. marmorea Schaus, 1901 and N. clotho Thiaucourt, 2003 are mentioned but not redescribed. Nystalea adults, larvae, and host plants are recorded from Áreas de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. The larvae of 18 species are illustrated