The moth genus Lasionycta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), like several other genera that occur mainly in arctic and alpine areas, are highly sought but rarely encountered by noctuid enthusiasts. The diurnal species are occasionally seen by butterfl y collectors, who manage to get into these areas, but light trapping in these remote habitats is very difficult. The group has eluded a long-needed revision because many species are similar, exhibit a large amount of local and geographical variation, and insufficient material has been available for revisionary work. A large amount of material collected in the past 10 years has finally made a comprehensive revision of Lasionycta possible. Also, most of the species were evaluated using mitochondrial cytochrome c-oxidase (COI) DNA sequences, commonly called barcodes, a relatively new taxonomic tool that has only recently come into common usage. This revision treats the 43 species known to occur in North America, 17 of which are described as new. Three quarters of the North American species are involved in taxonomic changes and five species associated with Pacific Coast beaches are removed from Lasionycta and placed in Psammophila, a new genus. The revision includes 246 color images of adults and genitalia, as well as distribution maps for all species. The results will also be interesting for Palearctic researchers because four species are Holarctic and some of the other approximately 12 Old World species of Lasionycta are mentioned as occurring in Holarctic species complexes. Several Palearctic species are discussed in reference to excluding them from Lasionycta and returning them to the genera Lasionhada, Eriopygodes, and Clemathada.

This annotated list arranges the 3693 species of Noctuoidea known from North America into six families (Doidae, Notodontidae, Erebidae, Euteliidae, Nolidae, Noctuidae) and further arranges these into subfamilies, tribes, and subtribes, based on the most recent phylogenetic information. All changes from the previous list in 1983 are documented in 716 taxonomic notes and 331 literature references. These changes include documentation for 367 new species that have been described since the 1983 list, 230 species added through new records or taxonomic changes, and 259 species that are removed or synonymized. A total of 166 taxonomic changes are proposed in the list.

Numerous and charismatic, the Lepidoptera is one of the most widely studied groups of invertebrates. Advances in molecular tools and genomic techniques have reduced the need for large sizes and mass-rearing, and lepidopteran model systems are increasingly used to illuminate broad-based experimental questions as well as those peculiar to butterflies. Putting the spotlight on the second most numerous order of insects living today, this book provides a summary of cutting-edge studies of the Lepidoptera as an organism in and of itself and as model systems. Leading researchers discuss symbiosis, genomes, sex determination, natural products, ecophysiology, sensory systems, pest control, the sterile insect technique, immunity, and evolution development. Understanding the biology and genetics of butterflies and moths may lead to new species-selective methods of control, saving billions of dollars in pesticide use and protecting environmental and human health, making the sections on pest control and the sterile insect technique extremely important.

The book is the first comprehensive work on Palaearctic Notodontidae since the famous Seitz work of nearly a century ago.

This special issue of ZooKeys is the second in a planned series of volumes on the systematics of New World macro-moths. The 15 included papers describe three new genera, 23 new species, and four new subspecies, as well as proposing 64 new or revised synonymies, 13 new or revised statuses, and 125 new or revised generic combinations.

This special issue of ZooKeys marks the fourth volume in a series on New World macro-moth systematics. Twenty-two authors contributed 12 manuscripts for this volume, covering taxa in the Crambidae, Erebidae, Euteliidae, Geometridae, Noctuidae, and Notodontidae. New taxa are described from 26 countries, with emphasis on the Neotropical region. Taxonomic changes include the description of 27 new species and two new subspecies, eight new or revised synonyms, two revised statuses, and one new generic combination.

Moths of the family Arctiidae, with their brilliant coloration, spectacular courtship rituals, and bizarre defenses, are wonders of the natural world. Unpalatable by virtue of secondary chemicals acquired from their hostplants, these moths advertise their defenses by their coloration and often mimic butterflies, wasps, bees, stinkbugs, and even cockroaches. They have ears with which they hear the echolocation of bats, and some answer with aposematic warnings, while some may jam the bats' sonar.This book, the first written on this fascinating group, documents how tiger moths and woolly bears-the adults and larvae of the Arctiidae-flourish in a world rife with predators, parasites, and competitors. The contributing authors' accounts, each written by a recognized expert in the field, weave together seminal studies on phylogeny and behavior, natural history, chemical communication, mate choice and sexual selection, chemical ecology, parasite-host relationships, self medication, animal orientation, predator-prey interactions, mimicry, adaptive coloration, speciation, biodiversity, and more.