Genome assembly of a nocturnal butterfly (Macrosoma leucophasiata) reveals convergent adaptation of visual genes.

Nearly all animals exhibit a preferred period of daily activity (diel-niche), strongly influenced by the light environment. Vision is a sensory system that is strongly adapted to light, and evolutionary transitions to novel light environments can impose strong constraints on eye evolution, color, and motion vision. While the genetic and neural basis of visual adaptation are well-studied in a few model systems, our understanding across the tree of life remains incomplete.

Trans-Saharan migratory patterns in and evidence for a southward leapfrog migration.

Some insects, such as the painted lady butterfly , exhibit complex annual migratory cycles spanning multiple generations. Traversing extensive seas or deserts is often a required segment of these migratory journeys. We develop a bioavailable strontium isoscape for Europe and Africa and then use isotope geolocation combining hydrogen and strontium isotopes to estimate the natal origins of painted ladies captured north and south of the Sahara during spring and autumn, respectively.

Notes on Endoclita C. & R. Felder (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) feeding on Eucalyptus in Vietnam, with new records and a new species.

A new species of Endoclita C. & R. Felder from Yen Lap district, Phu Tho province, Vietnam, E.

Description of Diduga siamensis sp. nov. and newly recorded D. scalprata (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae) from Thailand, with a checklist of the genus Diduga.

In this study, 11 species of the genus Diduga Moore, [1887] are recognized from Thailand, including a new species, Diduga siamensis Bayarsaikhan & Heppner sp. nov., and one newly recorded species, D.

Synopsis of the Castniidae (Lepidoptera) of Costa Rica.

Based on an exhaustive review of the bibliography, and consultation of entomological collections around the world, we present an illustrated catalog with 16 Castniidae taxa present in Costa Rica. Corybantes veraguana veraguana (Westwood, 1877) is recorded for the first time in the country and new records are reported for rare and little-known species such as Athis analibiae (Espinoza-Sanabria & González, 2005), Athis delecta (Schaus, 1911) and Mirocastnia pyrrhopygoides smalli Miller, 1980. A taxonomic catalog of each taxon is included, as well as general information on geographic distribution, biogeography, ecology, seasonality, flight habits, material examined, and illustrations of males and females for all those taxa known from more than one specimen from Costa Rica.

The genome sequence of the 6-spot burnet, (Linnaeus, 1758).

We present a genome assembly from an individual female (6-spot burnet; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Zygaenidae). The genome sequence is 365.9 megabases in span.

Day-night gene expression reveals circadian gene as a candidate for diel-niche evolution in moths.

Temporal ecological niche partitioning is an underappreciated driver of speciation. While insects have long been models for circadian biology, the genes and circuits that allow adaptive changes in diel-niches remain poorly understood. We compared gene expression in closely related day- and night-active non-model wild silk moths, with otherwise similar ecologies.

Integrated vegetation management within electrical transmission landscapes promotes floral resource and flower-visiting insect diversity.

Electrical transmission rights-of-way are ubiquitous and critical infrastructure across the landscape. Active vegetation management of these rights-of-way, a necessity to deliver electricity more safely, maintains these landscape features as stages of early successional habitat, a rarity in many regions, making these areas viable movement corridors for many taxa. The goals of this study were to (i) evaluate the effects of different electrical transmission landscape management practices on flowering plant and flower-visiting insect diversity parameters and (ii) generate conservation management inferences for these landscapes.

The genome sequence of the Buff Footman, (Esper, 1787).

We present a genome assembly from an individual male (the Buff Footman; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Erebidae). The genome sequence is 622.0 megabases in span.

De Novo Long-Read Genome Assembly and Annotation of the Luna Moth (Actias luna) Fully Resolves Repeat-Rich Silk Genes.

We present the first long-read de novo assembly and annotation of the luna moth (Actias luna) and provide the full characterization of heavy chain fibroin (h-fibroin), a long and highly repetitive gene (>20 kb) essential in silk fiber production. There are >160,000 described species of moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera), but only within the last 5 years have we begun to recover high-quality annotated whole genomes across the order that capture h-fibroin. Using PacBio HiFi reads, we produce the first high-quality long-read reference genome for this species.

Phylogenomics recovers multiple origins of portable case making in caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera), nature's underwater architects.

Caddisflies (Trichoptera) are among the most diverse groups of freshwater animals with more than 16 000 described species. They play a fundamental role in freshwater ecology and environmental engineering in streams, rivers and lakes. Because of this, they are frequently used as indicator organisms in biomonitoring programmes.

Phylogeny and divergence time estimation of Io moths and relatives (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae: ).

The saturniid moth genus includes 145 described species. Their geographic distribution ranges from the eastern half of North America to as far south as Peru. s moths are cryptically colored, with forewings that resemble dead leaves, and conspicuously colored, elaborate eyespots hidden on their hindwings.

Tiger beetles produce anti-bat ultrasound and are probable Batesian moth mimics.

Echolocating bats and their eared insect prey are in an acoustic evolutionary war. Moths produce anti-bat sounds that startle bat predators, signal noxiousness, mimic unpalatable models and jam bat sonar. Tiger beetles (Cicindelidae) also purportedly produce ultrasound in response to bat attacks.

Genomic resources of aquatic Lepidoptera, Elophila obliteralis and Hyposmocoma kahamanoa, reveal similarities with Trichoptera in amino acid composition of major silk genes.

While most species of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) have entirely terrestrial life histories, ∼0.5% of the described species are known to have an aquatic larval stage. Larvae of aquatic Lepidoptera are similar to caddisflies (Trichoptera) in that they use silk to anchor themselves to underwater substrates or to build protective cases.

Substantial urbanization-driven declines of larval and adult moths in a subtropical environment.

Recent work has shown the decline of insect abundance, diversity and biomass, with potential implications for ecosystem services. These declines are especially pronounced in regions with high human activity, and urbanization is emerging as a significant contributing factor. However, the scale of these declines and the traits that determine variation in species-specific responses remain less well understood, especially in subtropical and tropical regions, where insect diversity is high and urban footprints are rapidly expanding.

Comprehensive phylogeny of Pieridae butterflies reveals strong correlation between diversification and temperature.

Temperature is thought to be a key factor influencing global species richness patterns. We investigate the link between temperature and diversification in the butterfly family Pieridae by combining next generation DNA sequences and published molecular data with fine-grained distribution data. We sampled nearly 600 pierid butterfly species to infer the most comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the family and curated a distribution dataset of more than 800,000 occurrences.

A review of the genus Mirocastnia J. Y. Miller, 1980 (Lepidoptera: Castniidae) with records of recently collected specimens.

A new record of the rare species Mirocastnia pyrrhopygoides (Houlbert) from Ecuador is reported, along with range extensions for M. smalli (J. Y.

Three new species of Cirrothaumatia Razowski & Becker from Peru, with notes on the genus (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Tortricinae: Cochylini).

Three new species of the cochyline genus Cirrothaumatia Razowski & Becker, 1986 are described and illustrated from submontane Andean sites in Peru (Depts. Amazonas, Junn, and San Martn): C. pichita n.

To and fro in the archipelago: Repeated inter-island dispersal and New Guinea's orogeny affect diversification of Delias, the world's largest butterfly genus.

The world's largest butterfly genus Delias, commonly known as Jezebels, comprises ca. 251 species found throughout Asia, Australia, and Melanesia. Most species are endemic to islands in the Indo-Australian Archipelago or to New Guinea and nearby islands in Melanesia, and many species are restricted to montane habitats over 1200 m.

Long read genome assembly of Automeris io (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) an emerging model for the evolution of deimatic displays.

Automeris moths are a morphologically diverse group with 135 described species that have a geographic range that spans from the New World temperate zone to the Neotropics. Many Automeris have elaborate hindwing eyespots that are thought to deter or disrupt the attack of potential predators, allowing the moth time to escape. The Io moth (Automeris io), known for its striking eyespots, is a well-studied species within the genus and is an emerging model system to study the evolution of deimatism.