Returning Hemileuca artemis Packard to Synonymy with Hemileuca nevadensis Stretch (Hemileucinae: Saturniidae)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Hemileuca artemis Packard was elevated to species status from long-standing synonymy with H. nevadensis Stretch based upon larval morphology. A review of the historical literature and comparison of rediscovered topotype H. artemis larvae to H. nevadensis larvae and to larvae from White Sands National Park, previously erroneously treated as artemis, justifies the return of the name H. artemis to synonymy with H. nevadensis. Because the name artemis is no longer available, the name associated with the White Sands population and the significance of its previously relied upon larval morphology needed to be addressed. Paired sexual pheromone field tests, sexual pheromone chemical analysis, enhanced DNA sequencing, and larval polyphenism all suggest that the larval character(s) previously relied upon to elevate the White Sands population to species status is not sufficiently noteworthy to warrant species or subspecies status, and the White Sands population is reassigned to H. nevadensis.