2025/07/24 by Ivonne J. Garzón‐Orduña, Andrew V. Z. Brower · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Biological Control of Invasive Species #Insect Pheromone Research and Control #Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
paper · doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5666.1.8
openalex publication_date 2025/07/24 · openalex created_date 2025/08/04 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
A new species of Phyllodonta is described and illustrated from Mexico: P. coztomatlivora sp. nov. The new species is superficially indistinguishable from others in the so-called latrata species group, from which three other cryptic species from Costa Rica were recently described. However, it differs from them in features of the female genitalia, caterpillar morphology, larval food plant choice and DNA barcode. The new entity may be restricted to high elevations of the Trans Mexican Volcanic Belt; in Mexico City, the species is found inside a protected natural area which should warrant some level of conservation.