Status and redescription of the South American pest species Agrotis robusta(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): a history of misidentifications

Agrotis robusta(Blanchard, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a species of economic importance in South America. This species is considered a pest on seedlings of several crops. Agrotis robustais commonly confused with and treated as A. malefidaGuenée in Boisduval and Guenée, 1852, and only a couple of works cite A. robustafor South America and none mention it as a species of economic importance. The aim of this work is to redescribe and illustrate the adult and male and female genitalia of A. robusta, and to provide an identification key to closely related pest species in South America with which A. robustahas been confused. Four new synonymies with A. robustaare established: A. aureolumSchaus, 1898, Scotia koehleriBerio, 1963, S. (Feltia) fulvaureaKohler, 1966, and S. (F.) ancastiensisKohler, 1966.