Zygaenid Moths of Australia: Revision of the Zygaenidae of Australia (Procridinae: Artonini) Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera, Volume 9 (Monographs on Australian Lepidoptera)

The Zygaenidae are a family of day-flying moths with an unusual biology – they are capable of releasing prussic (hydrocyanic) acid. All Australian species belong to the subfamily Procridinae (commonly known as foresters) and many of these feature iridescent green colours or a wasp-like look. This is the first study of the Australian fauna of these attractive and biologically interesting moths. In this volume their beauty is captured larger-than-life in 114 finely detailed portraits by acclaimed artist Franti?ek Gregor, setting a new benchmark for moth illustrations. Comprehensive general chapters discuss zygaenid morphology, biology, phylogeny and classification, with considerable new information of world-wide relevance. The book then provides in-depth treatments of the 10 genera and 43 species present in Australia, including 4 genera and 21 species new to science. It features keys to genera and species, photos of genitalia of both sexes and other diagnostic structures, and distribution maps for all species. Additionally, there are 8 pages of colour photographs and over 400 photos of microscopic structures, including more than a hundred spectacular scanning electron micrographs. FeaturesFeatures 57 colour plates with 114 detailed colour paintings by acclaimed artist Franti?ek Gregor. Each species is illustrated, many at 10 times their original size. Additionally, there are 7 plates of colour photographs of live moths, caterpillars and habitats, and over 400 photos of microscopic structures, including over 100 spectacular scanning electron micrographs. Gives an up-to-date classification of Australian zygaenids at generic and specific level, with keys to identify all Australian zygaenid species. Provides in-depth treatments of the 10 genera and 43 species present in Australia, putting the Australian zygaenids into context with the world fauna. Includes comprehensive chapters on morphology (including immatures), biology, phylogeny and classification, which will be useful for investigations of zygaenid biology and chemoecology. Contents 6 Introduction 12 Material and methods 14 Material studied 14 Treatment of material 14 Depositories and material examined 14 Acknowledgements 16 Zygaenid morphology 18 Imago 18 Egg 45 Larva 45 Pupa and cocoon 48 Biology and life history 50 Phenology 50 Larval host-plants 50 Parasitoids 51 Cyanogenesis and resistance to hydrocyanic acid (HCN) 51 Defensive biology 52 Ecology, dispersal, diversity and distribution 53 Pheromones and mating behaviour 54 Genetics and individual variation 55 Zygaenids as indicator species 55 Pest zygaenids 55 Conservation 56 Fossil record 56 Phylogeny 58 PAUP analysis 58 A possible history of Australian Zygaenidae 66 Checklist of Australian Zygaenidae 68 Taxonomy 70 Family Zygaenidae Latreille 70 Subfamily Procridinae Boisduval 70 Tribe Artonini Tarmann 70 Key to Australian genera 70 Genus Pollanisus Walker 72 Key to Pollanisus species 74 P. viridipulverulenta (Guérin-Méneville) 76 P. cupreus Walker 81 P. nielseni sp. n. 84 P. modestus sp. n. 85 P. lithopastus Turner 86 Pollanisus sp. 1 88 P. empyrea (Meyrick) 88 P. apicalis (Walker) 90 P. trimacula (Walker) 93 P. edwardsi sp. n. 95 P. subdolosa (Walker) 96 P. subdolosa subdolosa (Walker) 96 P. subdolosa clara ssp. n. 98 Male specimens probably conspecific with P. subdolosa 100 Populations close to, but doubtfully conspecific with, P. subdolosa 100 P. contrastus sp. n. 100 Pollanisus cf. contrastus 1 102 Pollanisus cf. contrastus 2 102 Possible P. edwardsi, P. subdolosa or P. contrastus females 102 P. eungellae sp. n. 103 P. acharon (Fabricius) 104 P. eumetopus Turner 106 P. commoni sp. n. 107 P. incertus sp. n. 108 P. angustifrons sp. n. 109 Pollanisus sp. 2 111 Pollanisus sp. 3 111 Pollanisus sp. 4 111 Pollanisus sp. 5 111 Pollanisus sp. 6 112 Pollanisus sp. 7 112 Pollanisus sp. 8 113 P. cyanota (Meyrick) 113 P. isolatus sp. n. 114 P. calliceros (Turner) 115 P. calliceros calliceros (Turner) 115 P. calliceros azurea ssp. n. 116 Genus Onceropyga Turner 142 Key to Onceropyga species 143 O. anelia Turner 143 O. pulchra sp. n. 144 Genus Hestiochora Meyrick 148 Key to Hestiochora species 150 ‘Hestiochora tricolor auctt.’ – a complicated species-complex 150 The ‘Hestiochora tricolor habitus’ – external appearance wasp-like 152 Hestiochora erythrota-tricolor-group 152 H. erythrota Meyrick 152 H. tricolor (Walker) 153 H. continentalis sp. n. 154 H. furcata sp. n. 157 Hestiochora queenslandensis-group 158 H. queenslandensis sp. n. 158 Hestiochora xanthocoma-occidentalis-group 159 H. xanthocoma Meyrick 159 H. occidentalis sp. n. 160 H. intermixta sp. n. 161 Genus Turneriprocris Bryk 172 T. dolens (Walker) 173 Genus Myrtartona gen. n. 242 Key to Myrtartona species 243 M. coronias (Meyrick) comb. n. 243 M. leucopleura (Meyrick) comb. n. 245 M. rufiventris (Walker) comb. n. 247 M. mariannae sp. n. 249 Genus Australartona gen. n. 258 A. mirabilis sp. n. 259 Genus Homophylotis Turner 264 Key to Homophylotis species 265 H. thyridota Turner 265 H. pseudothyridota sp. n. 267 H. artonoides sp. n. 268 Genus Pseudoamuria gen. n. 274 Key to Pseudoamuria species 275 P. uptoni sp. n. 275 P. neglecta sp. n. 276 Genus Palmartona gen. n. 280 P. catoxantha (Hampson) comb. n. 281 Genus Thyrassia Butler 288 T. inconcinna Swinhoe 289 Appendix I: List of localities 294 Appendix II: CryoSEM figures of eggs and first instar larvae of Pollanisus subdolosa clara ssp. n. 300 References 304 Index 316 A 316 B 316 C 316 D 317 E 317 F 318 G 318 H 318 I 318 J 318 K 318 L 318 M 319 N 319 O 319 P 319 Q 320 R 320 S 321 T 321 U 321 V 321 W 321 X 321 Y 321 Z 321 The Zygaenidae are a family of day-flying moths with an unusual biology – they are capable of releasing prussic (hydrocyanic) acid. All Australian species belong to the subfamily Procridinae (commonly known as foresters) and many of these feature iridescent green colours or a wasp-like look. This is the first study of the Australian fauna of these attractive and biologically interesting moths. In this volume their beauty is captured larger-than-life in 114 finely detailed portraits by acclaimed artist František Gregor, setting a new benchmark for moth illustrations. Comprehensive general chapters discuss zygaenid morphology, biology, phylogeny and classification, with considerable new information of world-wide relevance. The book then provides in-depth treatments of the 10 genera and 43 species present in Australia, including 4 genera and 21 species new to science. It features keys to genera and species, photos of genitalia of both sexes and other diagnostic structures, and distribution maps for all species. Additionally, there are 8 pages of colour photographs and over 400 photos of microscopic structures, including more than a hundred spectacular scanning electron micrographs. This work is a taxonomic revision of the zygaenid species which has particular importance as a bioindicator in the Australian environment. The book has been written with the support of the Australian National Insect Collection and its late director, Dr Ebbe Nielsen.