The discovery, description and taxonomy of Paysandisia archon (Burmeister, 1880), a castniid species recently found in southwestern Europe (Castniidae)

Paysandisia archon (Burmeister, 1880) is an attractive castniid moth whose presence in Europe has been recently reported. Its larvae are endophagous (the first instar can be partly exophagous) and feed inside the trunks and branches of several species of Arecaceae (palm trees), such as Trachycarpus, Trithrinax, Phoenix, Chamaerops, Butia, Washingtonia, Brahea, Livistona and Syagrus. The present paper deals with the historical aspects of its discovery in the Argentine province of Catamarca, becoming the first castniid species ever found in Argentina. Details concerning its description by Hermann Burmeister, based on probably only two specimens that he did not collect himself, and the subsequent taxonomy of this moth, which was originally included in the genus Castnia Fabricius, 1807, are reported. Widespread errors concerning the original date of publication of archon (which is 1880) as well as that of its synonym josepha Oberthür (which is 1914) are discussed and corrected. The only known paralectotype of Castnia archon Burmeister, 1880, a male, is figured (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia", Buenos Aires).