The Generic Names of

Moths of the World

Volume I Noctuoidca (part) :

Noctuidae, Agaristidae, and Nolidac

by Ian W B Nye

The aim of this new series is to provide a

complete list of all the generic names, their

type-species, designations, and appropriate

references, for each of the families of moths

treated. By ensuring that each generic name has

, its type-species fixed in accordance with the

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature,

this series will rectify present confusion and form

a basis for a more stable nomenclature.

All generic names have been checked for

homonymy, and if necessary replaced.

The first volume deals with the families

Noctuidae, Agaristidae and Nolidae. It contains

entries for 5300 generic names, each placed to

family or subfamily, with additional

information giving the type-locality of the

type-species and in the majority of cases the

depository of the type-specimens.

This new series for the moths will be a

companion to The Generic Names of the

Butterfies and their Type-species by F. Hemming,

pubhshed in 1967 (reprinted 1972).

Dr I W B Nye graduated from Imperial

College of Science and Technology, University

of London, and then specialized in insect pests

of cereal crops in this country. After joining the

Commonwealth Institute ofEntomology he

extended his studies to pests of cereal crops in o '

East Africa, and of coconut palms in the

Seychelles. For the last twelve years Dr Nye has

been on the staff of the British Museum

(Natural History) making a special study of the

Noctuid moths and their names. He represents

the United Kingdom on the International •

Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.

FRONTISPIECE

Fig. I.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 4.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6.

Fig. 7.

Fig. 8.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

Fig. II.

Fig. 12.

I

See Bena Billberg, 1820.

See Pseudoips Hiibner, 1822.

Phalaena prasinana Linnaeus, lectotype [Europe].']

Bena prasinana (Linnaeus), Germany.

Pyralis fagana Fabricius, lectotype $, [Europe].']

Pseudoips fagana (Fabricius), Switzerland. j

Zanclognatha lunalis (Scopoli), Austria. See Zanclognatha Lederer, 1857

Herminia tarsicrinalis (Knoch), Austria. See Herminia, Latreille, 1802.

Pachythrix hampsoni sp. n., holotype Australia.

Euplexia smaragdina Bethune-Baker, New Guinea

Poena drucella sp. n., holotype Guatemala.

Phalaena porrectalis Fabricius, French Guiana

Safidia druceria sp. n., holotype Mexico.

Hydraecia azteca Schaus, $, Mexico.

See Pachythrix, Turner,

1942.

See Poena Druce, 1891.

See Safidia Hampson, 1913.

The black line under each figure represents the natural size of the moth, from the centre

of its thorax to the apex of its fore wing.

f

FRONTISPI FXF,

The Generic Names of

Moths of the World

Volume I

Noctuoidea (part):

Noctuidae, Agaristidae, and Nolidae

By Ian W. B. Nye

Trustees of the

British Museum (Natural History)

@ Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History), 1975

Publication Number 770

ISBN o 565 00770 X

BMNH/207/im/7.75

Printed by Unwin Brothers Limited, The Gresham Press, Old Woking, Surrey, England

Dedicated to the memory of the late Reginald J.

Collins who, with the indefatigable assistance of

Mrs Elsa B, Cummins, compiled the comprehensive

card indexes to the names of the Lepidoptera, upon

which this work is based.

Acknowledgements

Many specialists have contributed either with information or by helping during

my visits to their museums to verify the type-material in the collections under their

care. In particular I would like to thank Mons. L. A. Berger, Tervuren; Dr E.

Berio, Genoa; Dr I. F. B. Common, Canberra; Mr E. C. Dahms, Brisbane; Dr W.

Dierl, Munich; Herr G. Ebert, Karlsruhe; Prof. J. G. Franclemont, Ithaca; Dr G.

Friese, Eberswalde; Dr L. A. Gozmany, Budapest; Mr B. Gustafsson, Stockholm;

Dr H. J. Hannemann, Berlin; Dr H. Inoue, Fujisawa; Dr F. Kasy and Herr R. Imb,

Vienna; Dr P. Kohler, Buenos Aires; Dr N. P, Kristensen, Copenhagen; Mr I.

Lansbury, Oxford; Dr E. G. Matthews, Adelaide; Mr A. Neboiss, Melbourne; Dr U.

Roesler, Karlsruhe; Dr H. Schroder, Frankfurt-am-Main; Dr S. Sugi, Tokyo; Mrs

I. L. Sukhareva, Leningrad; Mr E. Taylor, Oxford; Dr E. L. Todd, Washington;

Dr L. Vari, Pretoria; Dr P. Viette, Paris; and Dr N. L. Wolff, Copenhagen. I

greatly appreciated the comments given to me from time to time by the late Mons.

C. Boursin, Paris.

In addition to those to whom this catalogue is dedicated, I wish to thank my

colleagues Mr D. S. Fletcher, Mr A. H. Hayes, Mr A. Watson, Mr P. E. S. Whalley

and Dr K. Sattler for their helpful discussion and constructive criticism on the many

complex problems which continually developed. Mr W. H. T. Tams, my most

able and generous mentor, was unstinting with his encyclopaedic knowledge and

time whenever I needed to draw upon them. Our librarians, in particular Mr B. J.

Clifton and Miss P. M. Gilbert were always most helpful and cheerfully traced some

very cryptic references which had defeated me. Mr W. G. Tremewan and the staff

of the Indexing Section are continually updating our records and have greatly

contributed to the completeness of this work.

My special thanks are given to Mr P. Hurworth, Mrs B. A. Carter (nee Spark),

Mr M. A. K. Habershon and Mr R. M. Rowden who in succession over the years have

so willingly assisted me in the many tedious stages in the preparation of this work,

culminating in the excellent and accurate t3rpescript produced by Mrs S. D. M.

Knapp from the 6400 often complex manuscript entries.

Finally I wish to express my appreciation to my wife, Mary, for her assistance

in so many ways throughout this entei prise, which was so much more extensive

than I had anticipated.

Contents

Page

Synopsis ........... 3

Introduction .......... 4

Aim and scope .......... 5

Form of entry ......... 5

Arrangement ......... 5

References .......... 5

Dates ........... 6

Country and place names ....... 7

Type-material ......... 7

Unavailable names ......... 8

Homonymy .......... 9

Misidentified type-species ....... 9

Family-group names ........ 10

Published and forthcoming catalogues of the genus-group

NAMES OF THE LePIDOPTERA ....... I4

Alphabetical catalogue of genus-group names .... 15

Summary of new genus-group names proposed .... 513

Summary of new species-group names proposed .... 514

Index to species-group names ....... 514

1

Synopsis

The 5300 genus-group names of the lepidopterous families Noctuidae, Agaristidae

and Nolidae are listed alphabetically, with their type-species and relevant references.

For each nomenclaturally available name the type-locality of the type-species is

given, and for the majority the depository of the type or type-material. The

family or subfamily placement of each name is indicated. New genus-group names

are proposed for 55 junior homonyms for which no other replacement names are

available. Two new species-group names are proposed for junior primary

homonyms. Three type-species based on misidentifications are described as new.

Introduction

Card indexes are important individual tools for systematists, and over the decades

those left by specialists have accumulated at this museum. During the period from

1955 up to his death in 1969, Mr R. J. Collins set himself the task of amalgamating

those indexes relating to Lepidoptera into one systematic arrangement of 5"X3"

cards of reasonably standard format, each bearing bibliographical data for one

name. Every name was additionally cross-referenced by means of a second card

filed in alphabetic order. Concurrently, other works, journals, catalogues and the

Zoological Record were scanned, new cards added and old cards retyped. This

operation has continued, and there now exists for the Lepidoptera a virtually

complete file of over 280 000 genus-group, species-group and infrasubspecific names

with original references, forming the raw data on which to work.

In addition to the above Herculean task a supplementary Generic Index for each

of the 26 400 genus-group names of the Lepidoptera was started. Each card carries

the genus-group name and basic bibliographic reference; a list of the species-group

names originally included when it was proposed; the type-species and mode of

type-fixation; the references to subsequent type-species designations; and the

family or subfamily in which the name is placed.

Once ‘The Generic Names of the Butterflies and their Type-species’ by Hemming,

1967, Btill. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.) Suppl. 9: 509 pp. had been published, Reg

Collins hoped that generic catalogues of the moths would soon follow as companion

volumes. However, at the time of his pre-retirement death, the Generic Index,

although it contained the vast majority of genus-group names, still lacked much of

the detail and all of the checking required before any part of it could be published.

Among other things, D. S. Fletcher and I have searched more literature for type-

species designations and have checked the entire Generic Index against Neave,

1939-1966, Nomenclator Zoologicus 1-6 to ensure that all names marked as ‘Lep.’

have been included and placed to family and in the majority of cases to subfamily

level. Additionally, all genus-group names have been checked for homonymy, and

the reference of the senior homonym entered on each of the relevant 1600 cards.

5

GENERIC NAMES OF MOTHS OF THE WORLD

Aim and Scope

The aim of this work has been to compile as complete a catalogue as possible of all

the genus-group names m the Noctmdae. Agaristidae and Nolidae and to objectively

define each of the nomenclaturally available names by linking it with its type-species

determined according to The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Edn 2).

To this has been added the family or subfamily placement of each name, the type-

locality and in the majority of cases the depository of the type or type-material

This catalogue contains all genus-group names of the appropriate families occurring

in Neave’s Nomenclator Zoologicus 1-6; together with additions gleaned from the

Systematic Index described in the Introduction; and from the Zoological Record

including volume 108 for I97^> published in IQ75- More recent relevant names that

have come to my notice from journals and separates have been included up to the

time of going to press.

No subjective synonymy of genus-group names has been attempted, except in

the case of

(a) junior homonyms having no objective replacement name

(b) two or more genera having type-species which are subjectively synonymous;

the genus-group names have then been cross-referenced by the phrase: ‘See also

Genus Author, date’.

In the case of a genus having a type-species which is a junior subjective synonym,

then the senior synonym and reference is also included.

Form of entry

Arrangement

This catalogue is alphabetically arranged with junior homonyms, junior objective

synonyms, and names not nomenclaturally available grouped together chronologically

under their nomenclaturally available name. In every case these names are

cross-referenced in the main alphabetic sequence.

References

Titles of journals have been abbreviated as in the World List of Scientific Periodicals

(Edn 4) or, if not included therein, according to the methods used in that edition.

Nouns always start with a capital letter and adjectives with a small letter, unless

it is customary in the country of origin of the journal for the word to begin with a

capital, for example, Bull. mens. Soc. linn. Lyon but J. Proc. Linn. Soc. Similarly,

Annls Mus. r. Hist. nat. belg. but Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond. Abbreviations are followed

by a full stop but contractions are not, for example. Coll, for College, but Colin for

Collection; Stettin, for Stettiner, but Stettin for Stettin itself; univl. for universalis,

but univl for universal. One other irritation, J. is for Journal, except in those

references in which it is followed by a one letter abbreviation; it is then cited in the

World List as Jl, for example, Jl N.Y. ent. Soc.

6

I. W. B. NYE

Titles of books and other works have been abbreviated as though they were

journals, using the ‘Select List of Abbreviations Used’ in volume 3 of the World List.

A full bibliography has not been included in this catalogue. It would amount to

over 1500 references. If necessary full titles of journals may be found from the

World List or from the List of serial Piihlications in the British Museum {Natural

History) Library. Similarly nearly all the other works cited are already in the

Catalogue of Books, Manuscripts, Mafs and Drawings in the British Museum

{Natural History).

Dates

Following the Code, Recommendation 22 A, dates of publication have been cited

in square brackets if they have been determined from external evidence, and in

parentheses if determined by evidence from the volume concerned. This has been

followed in many cases by the better known title-page date to assist in finding the

work in library catalogues, for example, [1825] 1816, Verz. hekannter Schmett.

For the dates of publication, Sherborn’s Index Animalium and the Catalogue of

Books, Manuscripts, Maps and Drawings in the British Museum {Natural History)

have been accepted except where subsequent bibliographical research has shown

that changes should be made. Hemming’s classical work on the dates of Hubner

has been followed. In the case of Seitz’s Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde, the

English edition The Macrolepidoptera of the World was sometimes published ahead

of the German; as an extreme example Plagideicta Warren was proposed in volume

11, page 339, and the part which contained it was dated 29 June 1914 in the English,

and as 20 July 1937 in the German edition. I have cited in each case the edition

having the earlier date printed at the top of the first page of each part. Although

these dates indicated the intended rather than the actual date of publication, I have

accepted them in preference to the date of receipt of the parts in London as listed

by Griffin (1936, Trans. R. ent. Soc. Lond. 85: 243-280).

The dates of issue of the parts of Walker, F., 1854-1866, List of the Specimens of

lepidopterous Insects in the Collection of the British Museum, have not hitherto been

published. In the table below, the date on the title page is compared with the date

on which each printed part was submitted to and approved by the Trustees of the

British Museum. It should be noted that parts 10, 12, 13, 16, 26, 31, and 34 actually

appeared in the year after that printed on the title page.

GENERIC NAMES OF MOTHS OF THE WORLD

Country and place names

Country and place names are quoted from the original description, not from type-

specimens. Names of countries in their current English form are given additionally

in square brackets when they differ from or are lacking in the original description.

The Times Atlas of the World (Edn 2) has been used as a standard except for some

recently changed names such as Zaire for what was formerly Belgian Congo, and

Bangladesh for East Pakistan. In general, geographical names are used for islands

and island groups.

Place names are usually quoted unaltered from the original description unless they

may be misleading out of context, for example, Wienergegend is cited as Vienna

district. Added information is given in square brackets. Where the type-locality

is not known or not stated in the original description, the country, or some of the

countries, from which there are specimens in the BMNH collection is cited in square

brackets after the depository, if known.

Type-material

The use of the expression T5q)e(s)’ means that the author did not indicate whether

his description was based on one or more than one specimen.

Other information on type-material has been taken from the original description,

except for the depository which is only included if I have seen the type or been

reliably informed of its presence. The depositories have been added as a useful

bonus to over half the type-species where the information was fairly readily available

from my own studies or from overseas colleagues. It has not been possible in the

time available to make prolonged searches for types, and because no information is

given it must not be assumed that the type is not in the British Museum (Natural

History), or in any other museum. Similarly, in the case of syntypes when a

depository is given, there may also be other syntypes in other collections.

The abbreviations used for depositories are listed here in alphabetical order of

the town in which they are situated.

(SAM. Adelaide)

(MNHU, Berlin)

South Australian Museum.

Museum fiir Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universitat.

8

I. W. B. NYE

(MAK, Bonn)

(MCZ, Boston)

(QM, Brisbane)

(IRSNB, Brussels)

(TM, Budapest)

(Univ. Buenos Aires)

(ANIC, Canberra)

(UZM, Copenhagen)

(DEI, Eberswalde)

(SNG, Frankfurt)

(MCSN, Genoa)

(Colin E. Berio, Genoa)

(MZC, Havana)

(CU, Ithaca)

(Colin J. G. Franclemont, Ithaca)

(LN, Karlsruhe)

(RNH, Leiden)

(ZI, Leningrad)

(UZI, Lund)

(BMNH)

(Colin E. P. Wiltshire, London)

(LS, London)

(NMV, Melbourne)

(ZSBS, Munich)

(AMNH, New York)

(CNC, Ottawa)

(UM, Oxford)

(MNHN, Paris)

(CM, Pittsburgh)

(TM, Pretoria)

(EIHU, Sapporo)

(Ehime Univ. Shikoku)

(NR, Stockholm)

(AM, Sydney)

(MRAC, Tervuren)

(Colin H. Inoue, Tokyo)

(Colin S. Sugi, Tokyo)

(IZUU, Uppsala)

(NM, Vienna)

(USNIM, Washington)

(SM, Wiesbaden)

Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander

Koenig.

Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University.

Queensland Museum.

Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique.

Termeszettudomanyi Muzeum.

University of Buenos Aires.

Australian National Insect Collection, C.S.I.R.O.

Universitetets Zoologiske Museum.

Deutsches Entomologisches Institut.

Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg der Senckenbergischen

Naturforschenden Gesellschaft, Frankfurt-am-Main.

Museo Civico di Storia Naturale.

Dr E. Berio, c/o Museo Civico di Storia Naturale.

Museo Zoologico Cubano.

Cornell University.

Professor J. G. Franclemont, Cornell University,

Landessammlungen fiir Naturkunde.

Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie.

Zoological Institute, Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R.

Universitetets Zoologiska Institution.

British Museum (Natural History), London.

Mr E. P. Wiltshire, c/o British Museum (Natural History).

Linnean Society.

National Museum of Victoria.

Zoologische Sammlung des Bayerischen Staates.

American Museum of Natural History.

Canadian National Collection, Entomology Research

Institute.

University Museum.

Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle.

Carnegie Museum.

Transvaal Museum.

Entomological Institute, Hokkaido University.

Ehime University, Shikoku L, Japan.

Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet.

Australian Museum.

Musee Royal de I’Afrique Centrale.

Dr H. Inoue, Otsuma Woman’s University.

Dr S. Sugi, 14-12, Omori-Kita 4, Otaku, Tokyo.

Institute of Zoology, University of Uppsala.

Naturhistorisches Museum.

National Museum of Natural History, formerly United States

National Museum.

Stadtisches Museum.

Unavailable names

Unavailable names, i.e, names which are not nomenclaturally available under the

provisions of the Code, are preceded by a double dagger (:];) and the reason why

they must not be used is given.

Names were often recorded in Neave’s Nomenclator Zoologicus as ‘(pro A -us

Author, date)’ without positive indication as to whether they were misspellings

GENERIC NAMES OF MOTHS OF THE WORLD g

having no nomenclatural availability or whether they were emendations having

nomenclatural availability. They were usually misspellings, but all have been

checked. Other misspellings have been included if they have come to my notice,

but no deliberate search has been made for them.

Some manuscript names have been included as ‘B-US Author, no published

reference found’. The majority consist of about 8o genus-group names placed in

the BMNH collection of Hypeninae by Hampson for genera which he intended to

describe as new. Some of these names, for example Ettgoniella Kaye & Lament,

1927, have been unintentionally made available by authors who did not know that

they were at that time unpublished.

Homonymy

Names that have been proposed expressly to replace junior homonyms, and

junior objective synonyms that have been used for the same purpose, are referred

to in this catalogue as objective replacement names. Junior subjective synonyms

that have been used to replace preoccupied senior synonyms are referred to as

subjective replacement names.

Out of the 4800 nomenclaturally available generic names covered in this catalogue

280 were found to be junior homonyms, and of these, objective replacement names

were available for 150. Each of the remaining 130 homonymous generic names

was studied and wherever it was possible to find a genus whose type-species was

congeneric with that of the homonym then the latter has been placed as a synonym

of it. There remained, however, 55 for which there were neither objective nor

subjective replacement names and new names have been proposed for these. A

summary of the new names is given towards the end of the catalogue on page 513.

During the preparation of his Catalogue of the Lefidoptera Phalaenae in the British

Museum from 1898 to 1920, Hampson placed in the collection labels bearing the

manuscript names of genera which he intended to describe as new. He also used

these names on his determination labels on specimens returned to collectors or

curators. As a result of this, some of the names were used in works by authors

who did not realise that they were at that time unpublished. Such genus-group

names, if associated with nomenclaturally available species-group names and

published before 1931 are thereby made nomenclaturally available and have to be

attributed to the author who first published them. Collins (1962, Ann. Mag. not.

Hist. (13) 5: 121-126) has published notes on 56 of Hampson’s generic names which

were made available by other authors who anticipated him. The 27 which belong

to families relevant to this catalogue have been treated as junior homonyms.

Misidentified Type-species

Under the Code, Article 70, it is to be assumed that an author has correctly

identified the nominal species that he

(1) referred to a new genus when he proposed it, or

(2) designated as the type-species of a new or established genus.

B

lO

I. W. B. NYE

In the present catalogue there are several genera having type-species considered

to be misidentifications. Under the Code, Article 70, these cases should be referred

to the Commission to designate as the type-species whichever species will in its

judgement best serve stability and uniformity of nomenclature. In the catalogue

I have suggested the species that appears to fulfil these conditions.

In three genera the nominal species which have been designated as type-species

have been shown to be misidentifications of hitherto unnamed species. In these

instances I have described them as new species. This will enable cases to be

submitted to the Commission. The genera and new specific names are summarised

towards the end of the catalogue on page 514.

Family-group Names

No serious study of the family-group names associated with the Noctuidae and

related families has yet been published, and considerable confusion at present

exists. It is exceptional to find any two authors who use the same combination of

subfamily names within the Noctuidae. Having started a study with the intention

of basing the family-group names for this catalogue on unassailable foundations of

priority I rapidly found myself in a predicament. The universally used names of

the two large worldwide subfamilies Hadeninae and Cuculliinae certainly do not

have priority and would have to be changed to Orthosiinae and Xylininae respec-

tively. To do so would merely add to the confusion as in all probability neither

of these names has been used for decades. It will be necessary to invoke the

recently amended Articles 23 (a-b) and 79, as published in 1972 [Bull. zool. Nom.

29: 185) but although many more than the required ten usages of the well known

junior names could be quoted, it is not possible with the very scattered litera-

ture on the Noctuidae to know that the senior names have not been applied at all in

the last 50 years.

In the hope of attaining acceptable stability for the family-group names, I have

studied each and have tried to select the one having the greatest current usage.

The Comparative Table of Family-Group Name Usages summarises the classification

in three standard works of the first half of the century, and, a further six, more

recent works representing various parts of the world.

No problem arises with the usage of Nolidae and Agaristidae. These names have

been consistently applied for many years to groups considered to be either sub-

families of the Arctiidae and Noctuidae respectively, or families in the Noctuoidea.

The Noctuidae have in the past also been known as Phalaenidae, Caradrinidae

and Agrotidae, but under a ruling of the Commission (1957, Opin. Decl. int. Commn

zool. Nom. 15: Opinion 450) the family name Noctuidae and the nominate subfamily

Noctuinae are now stabilized and almost universally used.

The Heliothinae though recognized as a subfamily have not been separated from

the Noctuinae in this catalogue. The name is sometimes spelled as Heliothiinae

or Heliothidinae, but under the amended Code, Article 29(d), as it was based on

Heliothidi Boisduval, 1828, the stem Helioth- should not be changed. In any case,

it is customary in the Lepidoptera to avoid the clumsy -ididae termination, for

GENERIC NAMES OF MOTHS OF THE WORLD n

example, Py rails, family Pyralidae (Opinion 450) not Pyralididae; Pieris, family

Pieridae (Opinion 500). The name Heliothinae has priority over Melicleptriinae,

used in parts of Europe.

The Hadeninae and Cuculliinae have been mentioned above and so far as I am

aware are universally used.

The Acronictinae and Amphipyrinae though recognized as subfamilies have not

been separated in this catalogue. The Acronictinae are known as the Apatelinae

in Japan and parts of Europe.

The Acontiinae are also known as the Erastriinae and Jaspidiinae. The former

is incorrect as Erastria, although it has in the past been wrongly used in the

Noctuidae, is correctly placed in the Geometridae. The name Jaspidiinae has

limited usage in parts of Europe.

The Euteliinae and Stictopterinae both have universal usage, as also has

Sarrothripinae except in Japan and in limited parts of Europe.

The Chloephorinae have been known under several names none of which has

gained general acceptance. The problem was discussed with Mr D. S. Fletcher and

we agreed that in the circumstances priority was the best arbiter. Chloephorinae

Stainton, 1859, was the earliest suprageneric usage that could be found and it has

been used within the last 50 years by Gaede (1929, Die Tierwelt Deutschlands

14(2) : 22) and by Fletcher (1972, in Kloet & Hincks, A Check List of British Insects

(Edn 2)).

The Pantheinae and Plusiinae have had general usage for at least 35 years; and

the Catocalinae for over 70 years.

The greatest problem concerns the name of the subfamily containing the largest

number of genera and species, the Ophiderinae of this catalogue (the Noctuinae of

Hampson). This subfamily was separated from the Catocalinae by Hampson on

the absence of spines on the mid tibiae, an admittedly poor character as in some

genera both conditions occur. McDunnough (1938) and Sugi (1958) have united

the two as Catocalinae, while Forbes (1954) retained the Catocalinae in a restricted

sense and combined the remainder as the Erebinae which has priority dating back

to 1815. In this catalogue I am retaining the traditional Hampsonian Catocalinae

(having spines on mid tibiae), but recognize that they must be subdivided at least

into the Catocalinae in the strict sense plus the Erebinae, Those genera without

mid tibial spines are retained as Ophiderinae. An immense amount of research is

required into this large and uncatalogued subfamily of over 1100 genera which

must be reclassified particularly where they merge into the following two subfamilies.

The Hypeninae and Herminiinae have had general usage this century but as in

this catalogue are frequently not separated.

The Hyblaeidae, a very small group, was formerly regarded as an aberrant

subfamily of the Noctuidae but has now been placed by Brock (i97^» /• Hist.

5: 35) as a family in the Aegerioidea.

12

Comparative table

NOTES

Column I. The numes in pnrcnthoscs 3.r6 those used by Humpson ns subfnmilv nnmes either before or nfter the

relevant volume of his catalogue had been published.

Column 2. The names in parentheses are those used by Warren or by Gaede as subfamily names in the earliei

volumes of the work.

Column 4. The subfamily name Hypenodinae was also used. Forbes applied this name to a group of four small

genera placed between the Erebinae and Hypeninae, with the comment that he was doubtful whethei

the group should be rated as a subfamily or as a tribe.

MILY-GROUP NAME USAGES

I

7 8

Column lo. The Heliothinae, Amphipyrinae, Erebinae and Herminiinae are recognized as subfamilies,

but the constituent genera have not yet been separated on a world basis in any work. It

has therefore been impracticable to do so in this catalogue, and so the genera have been

hsted (with some rearrangements) within the larger subfamilies as used by Hampson.

I. W. B. NYE

Published and Forthcoming Catalogues of the Genus-group

Names of the Lepidoptera

The following catalogues, dealing with some of the 26 500 genus-group names of

the Lepidoptera, have already been published in the Bulletin of the British Museum

[Natural History) Entomological series.

Hemming, F. 1967. The generic names of the butterflies and their type-species (Lepidoptera:

Rhopalocera) . Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.) Suppl. 9. 509 pp. [3097 genus-group

names],

Whalley, P. E. S. 1970. A synonymic catalogue of the genera of Phycitinae (Lepidoptera:

Pyralidae) of the world. Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.) 25: 31-72 [673 genus-group

names] .

Tremewan, W. G. 1973. A catalogue of the genus-group names of the Zygaenidae

(Lepidoptera). Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.) 28: 111-151 [371 genus-group names].

Sattler, K. 1973. A catalogue of the family-group and genus-group names of the Gelechiidae,

Holcopogonidae, Lecithoceridae and Symmocidae (Lepidoptera). Bull. Br. Mus. nat.

Hist. (Ent.) 28: 153-282 [31 family-group and 1103 genus-group names].

Sattler, K. & Tremewan, W. G. 1974. catalogue of the family-group and genus-group

names of the Coleophoridae (Lepidoptera). Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.) 30:183-214

[28 family-group and 76 genus-group names].

The present volume is the first of a series of catalogues which will include the

genus-group names of the following families and superfamilies:

Noctuoidea (part) : Arctiidae and Ctenuchidae by A. Watson.

Noctuoidea (part) : Lymantriidae, Notodontidae, Thyretidae and Dioptidae by I. W. B. Nye.

Geometroidea by D. S. Fletcher.

Bombycoidea and Sphingoidea by I. W. B. Nye & A. H. Hayes.

Cossoidea and Castnioidea by I. W. B. Nye.

GENERIC NAMES OF MOTHS OF THE WORLD

15

Alphabetical Catalogue of Genus-group Names

Symbols used

t. A name not nomenclaturally available under the Code.

[ ]. Added information derived from external evidence.

[^^25] 1816, Date of publication derived from external evidence followed by the title-page

date.

Abbreviations used for family-group names

ABABLEMMA nom. n. for Microblemma Hampson, 1910. agon

Type-species: Microblemma discipuncta Hampson, 1910, Cat. Lepid. Phalaenae Br.

Mus. 10: 33, fig. 12, by original designation (for Microblemma Hampson). Holotype

Panama: La Chorrera (BMNH).

MICROBLEMMA Hampson, 1910, Cat. Lepid. Phalaenae Br. Mus. 10: 3, 33.

Type-species: Microblemma discipuncta Hampson, 1910, by original designation.

A junior homonym of Microblemma Semenow, 1889, Horae Soc. ent. ross. 24: 213,-

Coleoptera. The objective replacement name is Abablemma nom. n.

ABACENA Walker, [1866] 1865, List Specimens lepid. Insects Colin Br. Mus. 34: 1270. agon

Type-species: Abacena discalis Walker, [1866] 1865, ibidem 34: 1270, by monotypy.

Holotype $, [Brazil]: [R. Amazon], [Tefe] Ega (BMNH).

ABAGROTIS Smith, 1890, Bull. U.S. natn. Mus. 38: 9, 49. nogt

Type-species: Agrotis erratica Smith, 1890, Trans. Am. ent. Soc. 17: 41, by original

designation, on page 9. Syntypes, [U.S. A.]: Cal[if]., Sierra Nevada; Calif. (USNM,

Washington) .

ABLEPHARON Grote, 1873, Bull. Buffalo Soc. nat. Sci. 1: iii. agro

Type-species: Leucania henrici Grote, 1873, ibidem 1: 10, pi. i, fig. 15, by subsequent

designation by Grote, 1874, ibidem 2 : 21. Syntypes $, [U.S. A.] : New \ ork State (BMNH).

ABLEPTINA Prout, 1927, Trans, ent. Soc. Lond. 75: 227. hype

Type-species: Ableptina delospila Prout, 1927, ibidem 75: 227, by original designation.

Syntypes i 4 ?. [Sao Tome I., W. Africa] Sao Thome I. (BMNH).

ABLITA Dyar, 1914, Proc. U.S. natn. Mus. 47: 183. acro

Type-species: Neolita adin Schaus, 1911, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (8) 8: 107, by original

designation. Type(s) Costa Riga: Laguna (USNM, Washington).

ABOLLA Rogenhofer, 1874, Felder & Rogenhofer, Reise ost. Fregatte Novara (Zool.) 2

(Abt. 2) : pi. III.

Type-species: Abolla pellicosta Felder & Rogenhofer, 1874, ibidem 2 (Abt. 2). pi. iii,

fig. 5, by monotypy. Type(s) Brazil: Maranham (BMNH).

In the caption to pi. iii, fig. 5, Abolla was clearly attributed to Rogenhofer whereas

pellicosta was attributed to both authors.

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I. W. B. NYE

ABRIESA Swinhoe, 1900, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (7) 6: 312. ophi

Type-species: Abriesa derna Swinhoe, 1900, ibidem (7) 6: 312, by original designation.

Holotype Australia; Qd, Dawson (BMNH).

ABROMIAS Billberg, 1820, Enumeratio Insect. Mus. G. J. Billberg: 88. acro

Type-species: Phalaena polyodon Clerck sensu Linnaeus, 1761, Fauna Suecica (Edn 2) :

322 [a misidentification later described as Phalaena monoglypha Hufnagel, 1766, Berlin.

Mag. 3 ; 308], by subsequent designation by Berio, 1966, Annali Mus. civ. Star. nat. Giacomo

Doria 76: 47. Syntypes (of P. monoglypha), Germany: Berlin.

Incorrect type-species designation by Tams, 1939, Entomologist 72: 136 of P. monoglypha

Hufnagel, a name not originally included in Abromias and not linked by Tams with one

of the originally included names.

Abromias when proposed contained 13 species. The first two ‘hepatica Linn.’ and

'polyodon Linn.’ were originally proposed by Clerck and it has long been accepted that

P. polyodon Clerck sensu Linnaeus, 1761, was at that time a new species (later described

as P. monoglypha Hufnagel, 1766) and was a misidentification oi Phalaena polyodon Clerck,

1759, leones Insect, rariorum 1: pi. 2, fig. 2. This is a case of a misidentified type-species

which under the Code, Article 70(a) should be referred to the Commission.

XYLOPHASIA Stephens, 1829, lUust. Br. Ent. (Haustellata) 2: 174.

Type-species; Phalaena polyodon Clerck sensu Linnaeus, 1761 [== Phalaena monoglypha

Hufnagel, 1766], by subsequent designation by Westwood, 1840, Synopsis Genera Br.

Insects: 94 but cited as ‘polyodon L’.

Invalid designation of type-species: P. polyodon was also designated by Boisduval,

1836, Hist. nat. Insectes (Lepid.) 1: 144. Boisduval in his lengthy Introduction, up to

page 154, reviewed earlier classifications and designated up to three different type-species

for each generic name. In his ‘Expose de notre methode’ from page 155-690, no type-

species designations were made for the genera he himself used. Under the Code, Article

69(a) (iii) the type-designation of an author is eligible for consideration if he states that it

is the type ‘ . . . and if it is clear that he himself accepts it as the type-species’. Boisduval’s

type-designations although clearly stated do not fulfil the last requirement and so are

invalid. Even though Boisduval’s 1836 work was well known to lepidopterists, the type-

designations contained in it have not in the past been accepted by Hemming or by other

authors. The acceptance of Boisduval’s designation in this case would make no difference

to the generic concept.

Xylophasia when proposed contained nine species including 'polyodon Linne’ . There is

no doubt, from Stephens’ description, that the species included was that now known as

monoglypha Hufnagel. The information given above for Abromias also applies here.

Xylophasia is a junior objective synonym of Abromias Billberg, 1820.

AGROSTOBIA Boie, 1835, Isis, Leipzig 19: 325.

Type-species: Phalaena polyodon Clerck sensu Linnaeus, 1761, [= Phalaena monoglypha

Hufnagel, 1766], by PRESENT DESIGNATION.

Agrostobia when proposed contained five species including 'polyodon' . There is no doubt

from the context that the species which Boie included was that now known as monoglypha

Hufnagel. The information given above for Abromias also applies here.

Agrostobia is a junior objective synonym of Abromias Billberg, 1820.

ABROSTOLA Ochsenheimer, 1816, Schmett. Eur. 4: 88. plus

Type-species: Phalaena triplasia Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat. (Edn 10) 1: 517, by

subsequent designation by Duponchel, 1829, in Godart & Duponchel, Hist. nat. Lepid.

Papillons Fr. 7 (2): 72. Type(s), Type-locality not stated (LS, London) [Europe].

%UNCA Oken, 1815, Okens Lehrbuch Naturg. 3: 689.

Included in a work rejected for nomenclatural purposes by Int. Commn zool. Nom., 1956,

Opin. Decl. int. Commn zool. Nom. 14 Opinion 417; 3.

Originally included species: Phalaena triplasia Linnaeus, 1758; Phalaena gamma

Linnaeus, 1758; Phalaena mi Clerck, 1759.

GENERIC NAMES OF MOTHS OF THE WORLD

17

HABROSTOLA Sodoffsky, 1837, Bull. Soc. imp. Nat. Moscou 1837 (6): 88.

An unjustified emendation of Ahrostola Ochsenheimer, 1816.

UNCA Lhomme, [1929], Cat. Lepid. Fr. Belg. 1: 321.

Type-species: Phalaena triplasia Linnaeus, 1758, by original designation.

Although Unca was attributed to Oken by Lhomme, this was the next published usage

after %Unca Oken, 1815, and so became nomenclaturally available. On page 115 of his

catalogue Lhomme stated that he was following Hampson’s classification, but Hampson,

1913, Cat. Lepid. Phalaenae Br. Mus. 13: 582 used Abrostola Ochsenheimer for triplasia.

However, in his personal interleaved copy Hampson had changed this to ‘Unca Oken’.

It is probable that Lhomme was directly, or indirectly through Joannis, in communication

with Hampson, and was informed of the unpublished change.

Unca Lhomme is a junior objective synonym of Ahrostola Ochsenheimer, 1816.

ABSEUDRAPA Berio, 1956, Memorie Soc. ent. ital. 35: 27. ophi

Type species: Tachosa metaphaearia Walker, 1869, in Chapman, Proc. nat. Hist. Soc.

Glasgow 1: 346, by original designation. Type(s) Congo (BMNH).

ABURINA Moschler, 1887, Abh. senckenb. naturforsch. Ges. 15: 90. ophi

Type-species: Aburina sobrina Moschler, 1887, ibidem 15: 91, fig. 13, by monotypy.

Syn types 4 [Ghana] Gold Coast : Aburi (MNHU, Berlin) .