MELITARA WALKER (PYRALIDAE) IN WESTERN CANADA: THE DOCUMENTATION OF M-SUBUMBRELLA (DYAR) IN THE PRAIRIE PROVINCES DEMONSTRATES THE VALUE OF REGIONAL COLLECTIONS AND SPECIES LISTS.

摘要

The moth Melitara comprises 8 recognized species of medium sized to large micromoths that all feed on Opuntia cacti as larvae. One species, M. dentata is widespread in western North America, including the southern parts of the Canadian provinces British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. We report the presence of a second species. M subumbrella in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, a species hitherto widely believed to extend no farther north than southern Idaho and Wyoming. Closer examinations of Melitara collections in major Canadian museums and public collections revealed several additional M. subumbrella specimens from Alberta, including specimens from the 1940s. Two specimens were actually reported by K. Bowman (1951) under a previous taxonomic arrangement, but were subsequently over-looked by later workers on North American Phycitinae. Combine with subtle differences in mitochondrial DNA, this leads us to conclude that M. subumbrella has been present in Canada for a long time. This provides an excellent example of the scientific value of continuous insect collecting, well-curated regional collections, and regional fannal lists.