Status and redescription of the South American pest species Agrotis robusta (Lepidoptera. Noctuidae), a history of misidentifications

Resumen

Agrotis robusta (Blanchard, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a species of economic importance in South American. This species is considered pest on seedlings of several crops. Agrotis robusta is commonly confused and treated as Agrotis malefida Guenée, 1852 and only a couple of works cite A. robusta for South America and none mention it as a species of economic importance. The aim of this work is to redescribe and illustrate the adult and male and female genitalia of A. robusta. Also to provide an identification key to closely related pest species in South America with which A. robusta has been confused. Four new synonymies with Agrotis robusta are established: Agrotis aureolum Schaus, 1898, Scotia koehleri Berio, 1963, Scotia (Feltia) fulvaurea Köhler, 1966, and Scotia (Feltia) ancastiensis Köhler, 1966.