Four new species of Symmerista Hübner, 1816 (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) from Costa Rica

Researchers have identified four new species of moths belonging to the genus Symmerista (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) from the cloud forests of the Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves in southern Costa Rica. These newly described species—Symmerista luisdiegogomezi, S. inbioi, S. minaei, and S. aura—contribute to the biodiversity documentation of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Additionally, the study reclassifies Symmerista tlotzin as Elymiotis tlotzin, expanding our understanding of moth taxonomy in the region. The research combines morphological analysis with genetic barcoding to distinguish these species, providing a robust foundation for future studies on their ecology and conservation.

Chacón, I., Janzen, D., & Hallwachs, W. (2014). Four new species of Symmerista Hübner, 1816 (Notodontidae, Nystaleinae) from Costa Rica. ZooKeys, 421, 39–63. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.421.6342