An annotated catalog of fossil and subfossil Lepidoptera (Insecta: Holometabola) of the world

In this catalog, we attempt to assemble all fossil records of Lepidoptera described formally or informally in the world literature. A total of 667 records dealing with at least 4,568 specimens have been compiled. They include descriptions of 131 fossil genera and 229 fossil species, as well as 72 extant genera and 21 extant species to which some of these fossils supposedly belong or show superficial similarity. Replacement names of two fossil genera are proposed to avoid homonymy: Baltopsyche Sohn, gen. nov. for PalaeopsycheSobczyk and Kobbert, 2009 and Netoxena Sohn, gen. nov. for Xena Martins-Neto, 1999. New generic combinations are proposed for: Tortrix ? destructus Cockerell, 1916, Tortrixflorissantanus Cockerell, 1907, and To r t r i x sp. sensu Gravenhorst (1835), all three to Tortricites Kozlov, 1988; Pterophorus oligocenicus Bigot, Nel and Nel, 1986, to MerrifieldiaTutt, 1905; Aporia sp. sensu Branscheid (1969) to Pierites Heer, 1849; Noctua spp. sensu Hope (1836) and Lomnicki (1894), both to Noctuites Heer, 1849. Eleven names improperly proposed for lepidopteran fossils are invalidated: Baltonides roeselliformis Skalski in Kosmowska-Ceranowicz and Popiolek, 1981; Baltodines Kupryjanowicz, 2001; Barbarothea Scudder, 1890; Lepidopterites Piton, 1936; Palaeozygaena Reiss, 1936; Psamateia calipsa Martins-Neto, 2002; Saxibatinca meyi Skalski in Kristensen and Skalski, 1998; Spatalistiforma submerga Skalski, 1976; Thanatites juvenalis Scudder, 1875; Tortricibaltia diakonoffi Skalski, 1976; and Zygaenites Reiss, 1936. An unnecessary subsequent type designation for Pierites Heer, 1849, is discussed. A total of 129 records include lepidopteran foss ils which cannot be placed in any taxonomic rank. There also exist at least 25 fossil records which lack any evidence of the supposed lepidopteran association. Misidentified specimens, including 18 fossil genera, 29 fossil species and 12 unnamed fossils, are excluded from Lepidoptera. All the known lepidopteran fossils are annotated by fossil type, specimen deposition, excavation locality, association with plants when present, and geological age. A bibliographic list of lepidopteran fossils is provided.