Three New Species of Rectiostoma Becker, 1982 (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Depressariidae) from Area De Conservación Guanacaste, Northwestern Costa Rica

Researchers have identified three new species of the moth genus Rectiostoma from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) in northwestern Costa Rica: R. annemayae, R. eowilsoni, and R. philipmayi. Using DNA barcoding of cytochrome oxidase I, alongside morphological analysis of male and female genitalia, the study confirmed these species as distinct. The findings include the first host plant records for Neotropical Rectiostoma species and provide illustrations of adult specimens, their genitalia, and larval photographs for two species. A neighbor-joining tree with supporting statistics further supports the taxonomic distinctions.

Heikkilä, M., Metz, M. A., Hallwachs, W., & Janzen, D. H. (2017). Three New Species of Rectiostoma Becker, 1982 (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Depressariidae) from Area De Conservación Guanacaste, Northwestern Costa Rica. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 119(1), 47. https://doi.org/10.4289/0013-8797.119.1.47