Introduction

Phalaena phadimaStoll, 1782 was described from a female from Surinam. It was transferred to Hylesia by Hübner ([1820]), to Dirphia by Walker (1855) and to Plateia by Kirby (1892) (Saturniidae). Draudt (1927), following Schaus’ advice, included it in ProrifronsBarnes & McDunnough, 1911 (Lasiocampidae). Examination of material in the collections revealed that it belongs to the Megalopygidae, as discussed below.

Material and methods

This work is based on the pertinent literature and on the material deposited in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (USNM) and the author’s (VOB) collections.

Results and discussions

Examination of the material and literature revealed that the species does not belong to the Lasiocampidae, being herein transferred to the Megalopygidae.

Megalopyge phadima ( Stoll, 1782), comb. nov. ( Figures 1-4)

Phalaena phadimaStoll, 1782. Uitlandische Kapellen. 4, 220, pl. 395F

Type (&), SURINAM: No further data (presumably lost)

Hylesia phadima Hübner, [1820]. Verz. bekannter Schmett.,186

Dirphia phadimaWalker, 1855. List Specimens lepid. Insects Colln. Brit. Mus., 6, 1381

Plateia phadimaKirby, 1892. Synonymic Cat. of Lepid. Heterocera, 791

Prorifrons phedimaDraudt, 1927. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde, 6, 569, misspl.

Hydrias leccaDruce, 1890. Proc. zool. Soc. Lond. 1890, 504. Syn. nov.

Type (&&), ECUADOR: Sarayacu (Buckley) (NHMUK) [examined].

Remarks: This species has remained unrecognized since its description, being placed, in the several catalogues, in different genera and even families, as mentioned above. Currently it remains in the Lasiocampidae, where Draudt (1927, p. 569) included it, following some advice by Schaus: “…according SCHAUS’ assertion, is a Prorifrons;”. This association seems unjustified. Firstly because of its size, color, and pattern. Female Prorifrons are much larger, at least twice as large as this species, and the forewings show conspicuous blackish dots, in the vein interspaces, along termen and tornus. Secondly because no species of Prorifrons has been recorded from the Amazonian-Guianan region ( Draudt, 1927, pp. 568-572). The original illustration ( Figure 1), as expected for its time period, is rather crude. However, after examination of hundreds of female specimens from different families of neotropical moths, it was found that the best match to its description, illustration, particularly the wing venation, and geographical distribution, is the female of Megalopyge lecca (Druce) (Megalopygidae), a common and widespread species throughout the Amazon region, extending south along the Atlantic coast of Brazil, as far South as Santa Catarina. Apparently Hopp (1935, 1092, pl. 161g) was the first to associate both sexes of the species, as M. lecca (Druce), and the female illustrated by him ( Figure 2), is a better match to Stoll’s figure ( Figure 1), as the female illustrated here ( Figure 3) is rather faded and descaled. H. lecca was originally described from an unspecified number of males, presumably a single one, the type.

Acknowledgements

Diego R. Dolibaina, Serra Bonita Reserve, Camacan, Bahia, Brazil, prepared the illustrations; Scott E. Miller and Talitta Simões (USNM), supplied data from the material in the collection; Scott E. Miller, reviewed the manuscript, made several corrections, and suggested some changes that improved the article.

References

Barnes, W., & McDunnough, J. H. (1911). The Lasiocampid genus Gloveria and its allies. Contributions to the natural history of Lepidoptera of North America, 1(2), 1-17, pls. 1-4.

Draudt, M. (1927-1928). Lasiocampidae. In A. Seitz. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde (Vol. 6, pp. 565-628). A. Kernen.

Druce, H. (1890). Descriptions of new species of Lepidoptera Heterocera from Central and South America. Proceedings of the zoological Society of London, 1890, 493-520, pl. 42, 43.

Hübner, J. (1816-[1826]). Verzeichniss bekannten Schmettlinge [sic]. Augsburg.

Hopp, W. (1934-1935). Megalopygidae. In A. Seitz. Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde (Vol. 6, pp. 1071-1101). A. Kernen.

Kirby, W. F. (1892). A Synonymic Catalogue of Lepidoptera-Heterocera. Gurney & Jackson.

Stoll, C. (1781-1782). In P. Cramer, De uitlandische kapellen voorkomende in de drie waerld-deelen, Asia, Africa en America (Vol. 4). S. J. Baalde.

Walker, F. (1855). List of the specimens of lepidopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum, 6, 1259-1508.