Lepidoptera family-group names proposed by Thaddeus William Harris in 1841

By

Lafontaine, J. Donald
Schmidt, B. Christian (Bjorn Christian), 1975-

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2013

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

264

Pages

219-226

Subjects

Acronictinae , Agrotini , Bistonini , Boarmiini , Ennominae , Geometridae , Hadenini , Hyberniini , Noctuidae

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.264.4442

 

Abstract

In 1841, T. W. Harris published “A Report on the Insects of Massachusetts, Injurious to Vegetation,” a seminal work in North American Entomology and one of the first New World publications to describe Lepidoptera species. Although appearing in several subsequent editions, the eight family-group names proposed by Harris were largely overlooked. In summarizing Harris’ family-group names, we show that authorship for two Noctuidae names in current usage require changes: Acronictinae Harris, 1841 (originally as Acronyctadae) has priority over Heinemann, 1859, and Agrotini Harris, 1841 (as Agrotitidae) has priority over Rambur, 1848. Mamestradae Harris, 1841 is also a senior synonym of Mamestrinae Hampson, 1902 (Type genus: Mamestra Ochsenheimer, 1816), an available name that is currently a junior subjective synonym of Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Hadenini Guenée, 1837 (Type genus: Hadena Schrank, 1802). Geometridae: Ennominae: Hyberniini Harris, 1841 (as Hyberniadae), based on Erranis Hübner, [1825] (= Hybernia Berthold, 1827), has precedence over two family-group names with long-standing usage, Bistonini Stephens, 1850 and Boarmiini Duponchel, 1845, and a reversal of precedence for the latter two names over Hyberniini is proposed under ICZN guidelines.