ATLAS OF
NEOTROPICAL LEPIDOPTERA

The Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera is a series covering the entire moth and butterfly fauna of the Neotropical faunal region, from Mexico to Patagonia (including nearby oceanic island groups). The Lepidoptera fauna currently entails about 45,000 described species but is estimated to encompass over 70,000 species when all are discovered and described.
The project, directed by Dr. John B. Heppner, of the Florida State Collection of Arthropods, Gainesville, Florida, is a long-term effort involving 44 authors from several nations. The goal of the project is to complete an illustrated catalog of the fauna in the form of Lepidoptera Species Data Sheets, as part of the world series of these species pages. These species pages will summarize all known information for each species in the Neotropics, including color illustrations of the wing pattern and line drawings of the genitalia where possible. Since the project began in 1980 the first checklist part, Micropterigoidea to Immoidea, has been published (1984), followed by Part 2 (Pyraloidea to Tortricoidea) in 1995, and Part 4B (Bombycoidea to Sphingoidea) in 1996.
The book series will include 125 volumes, including an introductory volume with a synopsis of the fauna, a 6-part checklist, fascicles of color species sheets for all known families occurring in the Neotropics, a 2-part bibliography, and a general index.
The format of the series will involve species pages (8 1/2 x 11 inches) grouped in booklets but ready for looseleaf housing, thus also allowing updated species pages to be inserted in the future. The main text will comprise a synopsis on each species, genus and higher category. The species text will cover synonymy, diagnosis of adult features, range, subspecies, genitalia, flight period, habitat, hosts, immature stages, biology, notes, and references. Those species known only from original descriptions will have corrspondingly less information available for the text. Adult figures will be in color, often with the ventral wing sides shown as well as the dorsal sides, and some of the known variation will also be illustrated. Line drawings or halftones will show genitalia and immature stages where possible. Distributions will be illustrated with maps as appropriate for the range of each species.

FEATURES
-- over 45,000 species figured in color, with concise summaries of taxonomic and biological information on each species and subspecies (figures show range of variation)
-- data sheet for each species: synonymy, diagnosis, range of subspecies (including map), genitalia, flight period, habitat, hosts, immature stages, biology
-- figures of genitalia of male and female, and immature stages (color or line drawings) where known
-- booklet publication (8 1/2 x 11 inch format) with setup for ring binders, allowing replacement by future page revisions
-- comprehensive revised checklists for each family to species and subspecies (current date of publication), with future revisions
-- low cost for pre-publication subscribers
-- bibliography to the key literature on each species
-- index to larval host plants for each family
-- species integrated into world Lepidoptera Species Data Sheet system

PUBLICATION PLAN
Vol. 1 - Introduction and Faunal Synopsis
Vol. 2-7 - Checklist, Parts 1-6
Vol. 8-122 - Fasc. 1-124
Vol. 123 - Bibliography of Moths
Vol. 124 - Bibliography of Butterflies
Vol. 125 - General Index

AVAILABLE
CHECKLIST. Part 1: Micropterigoidea to Immoidea

-- lists 4,189 species among the microlepidoptera families
112pp + 27pp introd. & bibliography (1984)

  • Species Images
  • (in progress)


    CHECKLIST. Part 2: Pyraloidea to Tortricoidea

    -- 8,065 species are listed (includes 1230 new combinations, 192 new species synonymies, and 42 new generic synonymies
    243pp + 44pp introd. & bibliography (1995)

  • Species Images
  • (in progress)


    CHECKLIST. Part 3: Papilionoidea and Hesperioidae
    -- expected in 2001 (by G. Lamas et al.)
    introd. & bibliography (pending)


    CHECKLIST. Part 4B: Bombycoidea to Sphingoidea

    -- 2,483 species are listed (includes 41 new combinations, 90 new species synonymies, and 3 new generic synoymies)
    87pp + 50pp introd. & bibliography (1996)

  • Species Images
  • (in progress)


    BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BUTTERFLIES (Vol. 124)
    by Gerardo Lamas, Richard G. Robbins, and Willian D. Field

    Volume 124 is a comprehensive, annotated bibliography to all known literature on the butterflies of the Neotropical region, with over 12,000 references. Extensive annotations are provided for each reference, giving names of all subjects and species noted in the reference. A cross-index refers the reader to all references by subject matter. Vol. 123 will be published in the future for literature on the moths.
    463pp (1995)

    ATL Home Page