Strong sexual dimorphism unraveled by DNA analysis - towards a better understanding ofPseudothyretesclassification (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae)

Abstract

Pseudothyretes Dufrane, 1945 is one of the least known genera of the subtribe Thyretina. The association of the sexes is not known for any of the seven species in the genus because of the very strong sexual dimorphism and the lack of appropriate data. With the help of molecular data we elucidate the previously unknown females of two species [Pseudothyretes kamitugensis (Dufrane, 1945) and Pseudothyretes perpusilla (Walker, 1856)]. The same procedure revealed the synonymy of Pseudothyretes carnea (Hampson, 1898) and Pseudothyretes rubicundula (Strand, 1912) syn. nov., treated previously as two separate taxa described from the opposite sexes. The morphological analysis of almost 750 specimens yielded the discovery of two new species (Pseudothyretes mirus Przybylowicz sp. nov. and Pseudothyretes obscurus Przybylowicz sp. nov.), for which we give detailed descriptions, including morphological characters of both sexes. We provide for the first time a dichotomous key for the identification of males based on habitus and genitalia. A molecular analysis of 61 samples representing seven species allows a preliminary recognition of molecular variation. The paper also includes a historical background of the genus, distributional analysis of the species, and an extensive discussion of the identity of the female holotype of Pseudothyretes carnea (Hampson, 1898). Female genitalia and labial palpus morphology are illustrated for the first time in this genus. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London