A new species of Acossus Dyar (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) establishes diurnal flight in New World carpenter-moths

Synthetic pheromones formulated for Acossus centerensis Lintner, 1877 led to the discovery of a new taxonomically cryptic species, Acossus boreocryptus Schmidt & Jaeger sp. nov. Adult males were active only during the daytime, exceptional among cossid moths, and the first documented case of diurnality in New World Cossidae. Males were attracted to lures baited with (E, E)3,5-tetradecadienylacetate(EE-TDDA).Thelarvalhostplantof A. boreocryptus istremblingaspen, Populus tremuloides Michx., but the immature stages remain undescribed.

Acossus boreocryptus is the smallest species in the genus, distinguished from its sister species A. centerensis by adult morphology, mtDNA barcode, male diurnal activity, and seasonal phenology.