Scientific Note: The discovery of a second species of moth-butterfly (Lepidoptera: Hedylidae) in Jamaica, West Indies

Abstract

The recent discovery of the moth-butterfly Macrosoma cascaria (Schaus, 1901), together with the already recognized M. stabilinota (Prout, 1932), results in a total of two species of Macrosoma (Hübner) known from Jamaica. Neither of these species are known to be present on either Cuba or Hispaniola, and there is no evidence so far of these being introduced accidentally to the island. Jamaica now lies far from any other landmasses, suggesting a possible Late Miocene origin, when the island was in closer proximity to Central America. The property on which M. cascaria was found is a protected wildlife haven, where the forested areas have been left virtually untouched for the last 150 years.