Species of Brazilian moths described in honor of Orixás, foundational deities of Afro-Brazilian religions

Article excerpt

A species of moth that was first described in 1818 was believed to be a single species. However, it has since been discovered that it is actually a complex of species, eight of which are found in Brazil. These findings are the result of a study that integrated molecular techniques, morphological data, and the identification of host plants from populations in the Amazon, Atlantic Forest, and Pantanal regions.