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Surveys of the caterpillars of Area Conservacion de Guanacaste (ACG), northwestern Costa Rica, documented an array of litter moths (Erebidae: Herminiinae) feeding on ferns in at least 17 families. This represents the first documentation of extensive oligophagous fern-feeding among Herminiinae and possibly within New World Erebidae. Collectively, the taxonomic composition of foodplants of pteridivorous Herminiinae in ACG differs markedly from those of corresponding fern foodplants of sympatric Noctuidae: they are less concentrated in Polypodiales and tree ferns (Cyatheaceae) are among the primary foodplants of several herminiines. These have been recorded only rarely as foodplants of ACG noctuids. Pteridivorous herminiines also appear closely related to species variously recorded from dead leaves, algae, mosses (Bryophyta), spikemosses (Selaginaceae), palms (Arecaceae), and the exclusively New World family Cyclanthaceae. Feeding on monocots and mosses by caterpillars with pteridivorous congeners may even represent a more general pattern that is shared, for example, with certain sawflies (Tenthredinidae).

Pyraloid moths in the subfamily Acentropinae have developmental stages that are aquatic, they live and breathe underwater during all or part of their life cycle. We discovered and describe the previously unknown larvae of Usingeriessa onyxalis (Hampson) (Crambidae) reared on Hygrophila polysperma (Roxb.) T. Anderson (Acanthaceae) and Eleocharis sp. (Cyperaceae) in Texas.We also describe Oxyelophila callista (Forbes) feeding on at least five species of aquatic plants in Texas. Morphological and molecular characters were used to associate immatures with adults. These are the first accounts of the immature stages of U. onyxalis and the first detailed description of the immatures of O. callista, so we discuss the current classification and generic placement of these and associated species. Images and line drawings of the aquatic larvae, adults, and male and female genitalia of U. onyxalis are provided, as well as a table comparing the larval habit and morphology among genera. The current process of boiling larvae for preservation as voucher specimens and morphological study is discussed in light of current molecular techniques.

We describe and illustrate four new species of Struthoscelis: S. christianafigueresae new species, from Costa Rica; S. davisorum new species, from Costa Rica; S. konia new species, from Peru; and S. solamarita new species, from Venezuela. We report the first known biology for a species of Struthoscelis and revisit the generic diagnosis based on newly discovered morphology including a novel structure in the male forewing. We provide comparative illustrations of all new species and of the male genitalia of S. semiotarsa Meyrick, 1916.

We describe three new species of Rectiostoma Becker, 1982 from northwestern Costa Rica: R. annemayae Heikkila and Metz, n. sp., R. eowilsoni Heikkila and Metz, n. sp., and R. philipmayi Heikkila and Metz, n. sp. We used a data set of DNA barcodes (cytochrome oxidase I) accumulated for Lepidoptera collected at Area de Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG) to initially delimit the species, then we confirmed identities with morphology of the male and female genitalia. We provide a neighbor-joining tree with supporting statistics, illustrations of adult specimens and their genitalia, and the first host plant records for Neotropical Rectiostoma species. We also include photographs of the larvae of R. annemayae and R. eowilsoni.

AsturodesAmsel, 1956, a Neotropical genus of distinctive pyraloid moths (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) with dark brown lines and silver scales on a yellow ground color on the wings and abdomen, is revised. As defined herein, the genus includes four species: A. fimbriauralis Guenee, the type species, A. bioalfae Solis, new species, A. encisoensis Solis, new species, and A. junkoshimurae Solis, new species. During this study, a petaloid scale formed by a group of coalesced setae in the abdominal androconial organs of the male genitalia was discovered and illustrated for the first time. Androconial organs in the Pyraloidea are briefly discussed. The type species and two new species, A. junkoshimurae, new species and A. bioalfae, new species, were reared from larvae feeding on the leaves of Rhamnaceae in the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica representing 913 rearing events. This contribution is part of a long-term inventory of ACG caterpillars, their food plants, and their parasitoids, that includes COI DNA barcoding of specimens for discovery and identification.

A cloud forest skipper butterfly, known from Costa Rica and Panama, was described in 1888 and has been in three polytypic genera. Diverse characters, especially male genitalia and phylogeny based on the Z sex chromosome, but also adult and larval facies and larval foodplants, argue for placement of this species in a monotypic genus. The result: Neomorphuncus Burns, new genus and Neomorphuncus eugramma (Mabille), new combination.

DNA barcodes provided the first clue to Venada lamella Burns, new species. This is the fifth species of the panneotropical but formerly monotypic genus Venada to be discovered on Volcan Cacao, a small volcano in Area de Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica. Two adult females of this skipper butterfly were reared from caterpillars feeding on a species of Ocotea (Lauraceae). The skipper's ACG congeners have been reared in large numbers and found to eat plants not only in Ocotea but also in five other lauraceous genera. One adult male of V. lamella was taken at black light on adjacent Volcan Orosi. Barcodes clearly associate the sexes and widely separate all five species of Venada in a neighbor-joining tree. Interspecific barcode differences range from about 4.5% to about 8.3%. Traditional taxonomic characters (facies, male and female genitalia) distinguish V. lamella from its congeners and reinforce the barcode data. Since V. lamella inhabits rainforest, and its congeners in AC...