The bird tear-drinking moths of the genus Hemiceratoides (Lepidoptera: Erebidae)

Abstract

New footage confirms Hemiceratoides moths to be bird tear-drinking. Bionomics of Hemiceratoides is updated, and its taxonomy revised, with descriptions of Hemiceratoides ornithopotis sp. nov. and H. avimolestum sp. nov., while Cynisca thysbe, type species of Siccyna (= Cynisca), is recombined as H. thysbe comb. nov. (thus Hemiceratoides = Siccyna synon. nov.), whereas another Siccyna, originally Cynisca reichi, is found to be conspecific with Devena atomifera (synon. nov.). We highlight the striking proboscis modifications in Hemiceratoides compared to non-calpine erebids that may perhaps be incidental eye frequenters. Hemiceratoides sittaca has remarkable, sexually dimorphic labial palps, which are fang-like in males, probably assisting in tear feeding. Hemiceratoides also features unusual valval processes, an asymmetric whip- or stick-like juxta, and sclerotizations surrounding the ostium bursae. A phylogenetic tree reconstructed with eight nuclear genes as well as COI for the subfamilies Hypocalinae + Calpinae confirms the prior finding that Hemiceratoides belongs to tribe Ophiderini, not to Calpini, and supports previously held relationships between calpine genera, except that (Miniodes + Phyllodes) do not form a sister group relationship with (Hemiceratoides + Eudocima). We thus discuss the controversy over the evolution of the unusual feeding habits in Hemiceratoides. Finally, Calyptra canadensis comb. rev. is updated due to a newly established synonymy Calyptra = Percalpe synon. nov.