A new species of Feltia Walker, 1856 from southern Brazil highlands with a re-description of Feltia gypaetina (Guenée, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae)

A new species of Feltia Walker, 1856, Feltia pala Dias, Specht & San Blas sp. nov., is described from the southern Brazilian highlands. The new species is compared with Feltia gypaetina (Guenée, 1852), a neglected similar species which occurs in lowland Brazil and Argentina, and was recently transferred from Agrotis Ochsenheimer, 1816. Feltia gypaetina is redescribed, its taxonomy reviewed.

Agrotis pseudoplecta Snellen, 1879 is removed from junior subjective synonymy with Agrotis gypaetina Guenée, 1852 and recognized provisionally as a junior subjective synonym of Noctua lutescens Blanchard, 1852 (syn. nov.). Sampling in Brazil and Argentina indicates that both species go through prepupal aestivation and are probably univoltine, with F. pala sp. nov. peaking in abundance in May–June and F. gypaetina in April–May.

The species are thoroughly illustrated with photographs of males, females and structures of the head, thorax and abdomen; line drawings of taxonomically relevant structures, such as male and female genitalia, and a distribution map are also provided.