Immature Stages, Natural History and Population Biology of Opoptera syme (Hübner, 1821), (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) from Southeastern Brazil.

The present study describes the immature stages of Opoptera syme (Hübner, [1821]) using SEM and Micro-CT to generate 2D and 3D models to study the morphology and chaetotaxy, and present information on the natural history, behavior, and population biology. In laboratory, eggs were laid singly, and the isolated larvae passed through six to seven instars. Host plant in the study site is unknown, but larvae are known to feed on bamboos; in laboratory, larvae accepted the ornamental bamboo Bambusa textilis McClure, 1940.

Micro-CT imaging in species description: exploring beyond sclerotized structures in lichen moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Arctiinae, Lithosiini).

X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging (micro-CT) is valuable for systematic research since it permits the non-destructive scanning and imaging of internal structures of very rare species and/or type specimens. Additionally, micro-CT allows to view the morphology and the functional anatomy of structures in their natural anatomical position, without deformations that typically occur using classical dissection protocols. In this study we provide the description of two new species of lichen moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Lithosiini) from the Atlantic Forest in eastern Brazil: Moraes from Rio de Janeiro state and Moraes & Aguiar from Bahia state.