he jou nal o
biodi e si y da a
NOTES ON GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
1129
Academic edi o : Julio Ri e a
Recei ed: 31 Decembe 2024
Accep ed: 7 No embe 2025
Published: 21 No embe 2025
Copy igh © The au ho s. This is an open‑access
a icle dis ibu ed unde e ms o he C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion License (A ibu ion 4.0 In e na ional – CC
BY 4.0)
Abs ac . New eco ds o man ises o he genus Acon is a Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894 (Man odea, Acon is‑
idae) a e made o No h and Cen al Ame ica ia he examina ion o ma e ial deposi ed in scien i ic col‑
lec ions as well as using he ci izen‑science pla o m iNa u alis : Acon is a co dille ae Saussu e, 1869 is newly
eco ded om he Mexican s a es o Campeche, Chiapas, Colima, Hidalgo, Naya i , Puebla, Quin ana Roo,
Sinaloa, and Yuca an, and i is also eco ded o he i s ime om Hondu as. Acon is a a e na Saussu e &
Zehn ne , 1894 is eco ded o he i s ime om Panama. The colo pa e ns o bo h species a e discussed.
Key wo ds. Acon is a co dille ae, Acon is a a e na, man is, man ises, Mesoame ica, p aying man ises
de Luna M, He nández‑Bal aza E, Cubillos Macías I, Cuélla Rod íguez G, Hinojosa Díaz IA (2025) The
genus Acon is a (Man odea, Acon is idae) in No h and Cen al Ame ica: new eco ds o Mexico, Hon‑
du as, and Panama using a ci izen-science pla o m. Check Lis 21 (6): 1129–1137. h ps://doi.o g/10.155
60/21.6.1129
In oduc ion
Acon is idae is a amily o Neo opical man ises comp ised o se en gene a, including he genus Acon-
is a Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894 which cu en ly has 12 species: A. amazonica (Beie , 1929), A. amoenula
Ge s aecke , 1889, A. au an iaca Bu meis e , 1838, A. cayennensis Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894, A. concinna
(Pe y, 1832), A. co dille ae Saussu e, 1869, A. eximia (Pascoe, 1882), A. es ae Giglio-Tos, 1915, A. a e na
Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894, A. g acilis Chopa d, 1912, A. minima Giglio-Tos, 1915, and A. mul icolo Sau-
ssu e, 1870 (Schwa z e al. 2020; Fe az and Souza-Dias 2025). Mos species a e ound exclusi ely in
Sou h Ame ica, bu a leas A. a e na occu s in Cos a Rica, as well as in Ecuado ; A. mul icolo is ound
in he island o T inidad, as well as in Venezuela; and A. co dille ae, he mos widely dis ibu ed species,
is ound in Mexico (s a es o Gue e o, Jalisco, Mo elos, Oaxaca, San Luis Po osi, Tabasco and Ve a-
c uz), Belize, Gua emala, El Sal ado , Nica agua, Cos a Rica, Panama, and he USA, as well as in Colom-
bia and Ecuado (de Luna and He nández-Bal aza 2020; Ri e a and S enson 2020; Ande son 2021).
Gi en he high deg ee o ch oma ic a ian s ound in A. co dille ae (Figu es 1, 2), axonomis s ha e
misin e p e ed colo a ia ions as ep esen ing in e speci ic a ia ions and, hus, he numbe o spe-
cies has been o e es ima ed. In he la es ea men o he genus, Ri e a and S enson (2020) men-
ioned six synonymies o A. co dille ae (see below). On he o he hand, A. a e na is e y ecognizable,
especially he male, and un il now, only one ch oma ic a ian is known (Figu e 3).
He e, we p o ide new eco ds o A. co dille ae and A. a e na om No h and Cen al Ame ica based
on ou examina ion o specimens deposi ed in scien i ic collec ions and pho og aphic eco ds in he
ci izen-science pla o m iNa u alis . The colo pa e ns and o e all di e ences be ween he wo spe-
cies a e discussed, and he geni alia o ou specimens iden i ied as A. co dille ae a e illus a ed.
21 (6) · h ps://doi.o g/10.15560/21.6.1129
21 (6): 1129–1137. h ps://doi.o g/10.15560/21.6.1129
The genus Acon is a (Man odea, Acon is idae) in No h and Cen al
Ame ica: new eco ds o Mexico, Hondu as, and Panama using a
ci izen-science pla o m
Manuel de Luna1, 2
, E ick He nández-Bal aza 3, Ike Cubillos Macías4, Ge a do Cuélla Rod íguez5, Ismael A. Hinojosa Díaz6
1 Ins i u o de Biología, Uni e sidad Nacional Au ónoma de México, México
2 Facul ad de Ciencias Fo es ales, Uni e sidad Au ónoma de Nue o León, México
3 Ins i u o de Biología, Uni e sidad de Ciencias y A es de Chiapas, México
4 Facul ad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Uni e sidad Simón Bolí a , Ciudad de México, México
5 Facul ad de Ciencias Fo es ales, Uni e sidad Au ónoma de Nue o León, México
6 Ins i u o de Biología, Uni e sidad Nacional Au ónoma de México, México
Co esponding au ho : Ge a do Cuélla Rod íguez ([email p o ec ed])
Check Lis 21 (6) · h ps://doi.o g/10.15560/21.6.1129
de Luna e al. · Acon is a om No h and Cen al Ame ica 1130
Me hods
Re ision o collec ion specimens. The Colección Nacional de Insec os o he Ins i u o de Biología o
he Uni e sidad Nacional Au ónoma de México (CNIN-UNAM) was isi ed by he i s and hi d au ho s
in July 2023. The e, all he man ises we e so ed by amily, genus and, when possible, o he le el o
species; he Colección En omológica o he Es ación de Biología T opical “Los Tux las” (CE-EBTLT), also
o he UNAM, was consul ed as well. Fou specimens o A. co dille ae om he CNIN-UNAM collec ion,
ep esen ing di e en colo mo phs and locali ies, we e selec ed, ehyd a ed, and dissec ed unde a
Leica EZ4-W s e eomic oscope. The geni alia we e clea ed in wa m KOH and pho og aphed using he
s e eomic oscope’s buil -in came a. No specimens o A. a e na we e a ailable o dissec ion.
Reco ds o iNa u alis . Reco ds in his ci izen-science pla o m we e e iewed manually by i s
sea ching o he amily Acon is idae and hen o uniden i ied Man odea in gene al; he sea ches
we e limi ed o Mexico, Belize, Gua emala, El Sal ado , Hondu as, Cos a Rica, and Panama. Reco ds
wi h obscu ed locali y da a, hose ha included nymphs o oo hecae, epea ed eco ds, and hose ha
we e uniden i iable we e excluded om ou s udy. A da abase was c ea ed con aining 68 eco ds. The
comple e link (h ps://www.ina u alis .o g/obse a ions/) o each iNa u alis obse a ion is abb e i-
a ed wi h he symbol #.
Figu e 1. Va ia ion in colo a ion in Acon is a
co dille ae ac oss i s ange. A. Male om Cos a
Rica, pho o by F ank DiS e ano. B. Male om
Cos a Rica, pho o by Ka en Yukich. C. Male
om Cos a Rica, pho o by C aig Biegle . D.
Female om Hondu as, pho o by Delme Jon-
a han He nández. E. Female om Hondu as,
pho o by Oli e Koma . F. Female om Mex-
ico (Oaxaca), pho o by Jo ge Edua do To es
Suá ez (imix-akbal).
Figu e 2. Male Acon is a co dille ae om Mex-
ico, specimens om di e en colo mo phs
and hei espec i e geni alia. A. Da k mo ph
om Ve ac uz (eas ). B. Reddish mo ph om
Chiapas (sou h). C. G eenish mo ph om Oax-
aca (wes ). D. G eenish mo ph om Gue e o
(wes ).
Check Lis 21 (6) · h ps://doi.o g/10.15560/21.6.1129
de Luna e al. · Acon is a om No h and Cen al Ame ica 1131
Fo bo h se s o da a, he de e mina ion o he le el o species was co obo a ed by compa ing he
specimens o pho og aphs o he keys, desc ip ions, and igu es p esen in he wo ks o Saussu e and
Zehn ne (1893–1899), Heba d (1919, 1924, 1932), Rehn (1935), and Ri e a and S enson (2020). The
axonomic a angemen ollows ha p oposed by Ri e a and S enson (2020). The map showing he
eco ds o he wo species (Figu e 4) was made using SimpleMapp (Sho house 2010).
Resul s
Thi y- i e specimens o Acon is idae we e ound a he CNIN-UNAM, all adul s belonging o he genus
Acon is a. Mos (34) o igina ed om Mexico and hei da a is disclosed in he ma e ial examined sec-
ion o A. co dille ae; he single male om Pe u was le uniden i ied. An adul pai was p esen a he
CE-EBTLT, gi ing a o al o 36 physical specimens examined. Six y-eigh eco ds om he iNa u alis
we e compiled, 51 belonged o A. co dille ae and 17 o A. a e na.
O de Man odea Bu meis e , 1838
Family Acon is idae Giglio-Tos, 1915
Genus Acon is a Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894
Acon is a co dille ae Saussu e, 1869
= Acon io hespis co dille ae i ea (Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894)
= Acon is a inquina a Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894
= Acon is a mexicana Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894
= Acon is a mexicana a . inquina a Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894
= Acon is a mexicana a . quad imacula a Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894
= Acon is a i ea Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894
= Acon is a championi Ki by, 1904
= Acon io hespis i iodes Heba d, 1919
Figu es 1, 2, 4
Ma e ial examined (all d y-p ese ed). MEXICO — Chiapas • Rese a El Oco e, Ocozocoau la de Espi-
nosa; 09.III.1993; E. Ba e a leg.; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:54 • Rese a Mon es Azules, Chajul, Ocos-
ingo; F. A ias leg.; 05.V.1986; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:55 • Agua Azul, Chilón y Tumbalá; 22.VI.1979; H.
B ailo sky leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:40 • Rancho La Espe anza, Villa Co zo; 28.XI.1949; A. Villalobos
leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:41 — Gue e o • El Oco i o, Km 5 Zoyal epec, 17°17′09″N 99°33′50″W;
10.XI.2005; L. Ce an es leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:25 • Acapulco de Juá ez; 11.X.1942; C. Bolí a
Figu e 3. Acon is a a e na om Cos a Rica. A.
Male, pho o by Benjamin Go e . B. Female,
pho o by Paul Fos e .
Check Lis 21 (6) · h ps://doi.o g/10.15560/21.6.1129
de Luna e al. · Acon is a om No h and Cen al Ame ica 1132
leg.; 2 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:26-27 • Acapulco de Juá ez; 11.X.1942; C. Bolí a and D. Peinez legs.; 4 ♂︎
IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:35–37, 56 • Cacahuamilpa, Pilcaya; 04.X.1942; C- Bolí a and D. Peinez legs.; 1 ♂︎,
IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:38 • Tie a Colo ada; 06.VII.1992; A. Iba a leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:1331 • Aca-
huizo la, Chilpancingo de los B a o; 23.IV.1988; M. Ga cía leg.; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:1422 • Acapulco
de Juá ez; 11.X.1942; C. Bolí a leg.; 2 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:44, 47 — Hidalgo • Km 27 A lepexco–Cal-
nali; 13.V.1999; H. B ailo sky leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:46 — Jalisco • La Hue a, Río San Nicolás,
Chamela, H. B ailo sky leg.; 15.XI.1978; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:23 • Es ación de Biología Chamela,
La Hue a; 22.VIII.1981; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:29 • Es ación de Biología Chamela, Camino Su , La
Hue a, 19°29’49.80’’N 105°2’27.80’’O; A. Zaldí a and P. Beni es legs.; 30.VII–15.VIII.2022; 1 ju ., IBU-
NAM:CNIN:MA:1342 — Oaxaca • San Ped o Pochu la; 03.VI.1987; F. A ias leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:-
MA:22 • Po illo del Rayo, Candela ia Loxicha; 29.V.1985; E. Ma iño leg; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:30 •
Me ales, Sie a de Juá ez; 15.IX.1982; 1 ♂︎, IBUMAM:CNIN:MA:31 • Ca . Valle Nacional Km 59; 1.IX.1982;
E. Ma iño leg.; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:32 • Tux epec, 16.IX.1967; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:1410 — Pueb-
la • El Agengib a; 19.IV.1952; B. He nández leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:42 • Es . de Bomb.; 11.X.1953;
C. Bolí a leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:43 • Ba anca de Pa la, Zimapán; 1.X.2003. A. Iba a leg; 1
♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:48 — Quin ana Roo • Ejido La Pan e a; 08.IX.1975; E. Ma iño leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBU-
NAM:CNIN:MA:45 • Che umal, Km 146, O hón P. Blanco; 17.III.1982; A. Iba a leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:-
MA:49 • Playa A en u as, Tulum; 03.VII.1981; E. Pech leg.; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:51 — Ve ac uz •
Es ación de Biología T opical “Los Tux las” (EBTLT), 480m al .; 29.VIII.1985; P. Sinaca leg.; 1 ♀︎, CE-EBTLT
38 • EBTLT, 165 m al ; 26.X.2013; F. Ace edo and J. O ega legs. (me cu ial ligh ap); 1 ♂︎, AcCo001 •
Tlapayocan; 13.IX.1988; E. Ma iño leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:24 • Volcán San Ma ín, San And és
Tux la; 01.VIII.1989; S. Rod íguez leg.; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:28 • Sie a de San a Ma ha, Los Tux las,
So eapan; 18.VII.1982; H. Pé ez leg.; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:33 • El Po e o, Río Seco, San iago Tux las;
10.XI.2000; H. B ailo sky leg.; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:34 • El Encan o, Mina i lán; C. Bolí a and D.
Peinez legs.; 02.VIII.1953; 1 ♀︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:39 • Es ación de Biología Los Tux las, San And és
Tux la; 24-29.I.1986; G. O ega leg.; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:52 • Es ación de Biología Los Tux las, San
And és Tux la; 24.VII.1989; H. Rojas and J. L. Colín legs.; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:1326 — Yuca an •
20.8788 N, -89.7599 O; 16.IX.1994; E. Ba e a leg.; 1 ♂︎, IBUNAM:CNIN:MA:53.
iNa u alis eco ds (only eco ds o new locali ies included). HONDURAS — El Pa aíso • El Zamo ano,
F ancisco Mo azán, 14.0074, −87.0078; 13.VII.2024; e ic andenbe ghe obs.; 1 ♂︎, #229941084 • Dulce
Nomb e de Culmí, Olancho, 15.2565, −85.3155; 10.IV.2024; e ic andenbe ghe obs.; 1 ♂︎, #207964336
• San An onio de O ien e, F ancisco Mo azán, 13.9876, −86.9789; 1.IV.2024; e ic andenbe gue obs.; 1
♀︎, #205215462 • San a C uz de Yojoa, Co és, 14.8713, −87.9048; 9.III.2024; e ic andenbe gue obs.;
1 ♂︎, #203477370 • Tela, 15.7347, −87.4557; 24.X.2023; delme obs.; 1 ♀︎, #188841440 • Zamo ano,
San An onio de O ien e, F ancisco Mo azán, 13.9970, −86.9902; 12.IX.2023; gabyselles_3104 obs.;
1 ♂︎, #187333831 • San a C uz de Yojoa, 14.9484, −88.0474; 8.IX.2023; e ic andenbe ghe obs.; 1 ♂︎,
#187207167 • Zamo ano, San An onio de O ien e, F ancisco Mo azán, 13.9966, −86.9904; 12.IX.2023;
delia25690 obs.; 1 ♂︎, #183926448 • Dulce de Nomb e de Culmí, 15.2602, −85.3857; 21.IV.2023;
e ic andenbe ghe obs.; 1 ♂︎, #161334818 • Villanue a, 15.3384, −87.9914; 21.I.2023; josue gg obs.; 1
♂︎, #147168123 • Dulce de Nomb e de Culmí, 15.2602, −85.3857; 20.IX.2022; e ic andenbe ghe obs.; 1
♂︎, #150647026 • Sigua epeque, 14.5816, −87.8354; 5.VIII.2022; nayelibi ch obs.; 1 ♀︎, #129612820 • Vil-
Figu e 4. Map o Mexico, Cen al Ame ica,
and sou he n USA showing he dis ibu ion o
Acon is a co dille ae (na y blue o Ame ican
and Mexican s a es as well as Cen al Ame -
ican coun ies whe e he species had been
eco ded; new eco ds as sky blue s a s), A.
a e na (new eco d as a yellow s a ), and bo h
species (coun y in g een).
Check Lis 21 (6) · h ps://doi.o g/10.15560/21.6.1129
de Luna e al. · Acon is a om No h and Cen al Ame ica 1133
lanue a, 15.3932, -88.0059; 2.VIII.2022; josue gg obs.; 1 ♀︎, #129245455 • Pa que Nacional Congolón,
Coyocu ena y Pied a Pa ada; 14.2087, −88.4681; 12.IV.2022; ka enlopezm obs.; 1 ♀︎, #111579232 • Silca,
14.8117, −86.5416; 24.XII.2021; delme obs.; 1 ♂︎, #103967680 • La Ceiba, 15.7289, -86.7428; 26.I.2014;
kk ocky op obs.; 1 ♂︎, #64435869.
MEXICO — Campeche • Hopelchén, Hopelchén, 19.7472, -89.8424; 31.VIII.2013; escalan e-pasos
obs.; 1 ♀︎, #1276779 — Chiapas • Sil ano Ga ica, Tux la Chico, 14.9598, −92.2060; 31.XII.2023; agu-
i ebey obs.; 1 ♀︎, #196331809 • Ocosingo, 16.9095, −92.0437; 22.V.2023; juan_miguel13 obs.; 1 ♀︎,
#163232548 • Ocosingo, 16.9158, −92.1001; 16.IV.2021; emilio obs.; 1 ♀︎, #74154598 • Villa Co zo,
16.0019, −93.4455; 22.X.2017; ma eocassella obs.; 1 ♀︎, #41092327 • Tapachula, 14.8984, −92.2757;
13.V.2012; and ea igue oa obs.; 1 ♀︎, #3837505 — Colima • Manzanillo; 19.1403, −104.3648;
17.VII.2022; albe oalcala obs.; 1 ♀︎, #126750996 — Hidalgo • Hueju la de Reyes, 21.1602, −98.3861;
25.VII.2017; edua do_axel obs.; 1 ♀︎, #20481869 — Naya i • Lo de Ma cos, 20.9629, -105.3538;
12.XI.2004; mo hmaniac obs.; 1 ♂︎, #4922202 — Puebla • Villa Láza o Cá denas, Venus iano Ca anza,
20.468, −97.6942; 25.VIII.2023; geo any397 obs.; 1 ♂︎, #180322653 — Quin ana Roo • Playa del Ca -
men, 20.6871, −87.0741; 17.VIII.2024; maluna a o obs.; 1 ♀︎, #236332684 • Ae opue o In e nacional
de Tulum, Felipe Ca illo Pue o, 20.1751, −87.6763; 1.IV.2024; ma ielmol obs.; 1 ♀︎, #204980126 • Che-
umal, 18.5134, −88.3446; 7.II.2024; imix-akbal obs.; 1 ♀︎, #198696105 • El Colegio de la F on e a Su ,
18.5443, -88.2629; 2.III.2023; cesa aziel obs.; 1 ♀︎, #154456228 • Playa del Ca men, 20.6821, −87.0602;
15.XI.2022; maluna a o obs.; 1 ♀︎, #144262186 • Solida idad, 20.6534, −87.1378; 17.IX.2022; na u alis-
a_joseph obs.; 1 ♀︎, #135468547 • Bacala , 18.6882, −88.4862; 3.XII.2021; a h2 obs.; 1 ♀︎, #102451541
• El Colegio de la F on e a Su , 18.5440, −88.2641; 27.VII.2020; cesa aziel obs.; 1 ♀︎, #58614871 • Baca-
la , 18.741, −88.3378; 3.VII.2018; cesa aziel obs.; 1 ♀︎, #34547631 • Solida idad, 20.6514, -87.0832;
11.X.2019; obe o ojo obs.; 1 ♀︎, #34231561 • Ald edo V. Bon il, Beni o Juá ez, 21.1024, −86.8560;
13.VIII.2018; a iana elasco obs.; 1 ♀︎, #15407279 • Playa del Ca men, 20.6701, −87.0400; 25.XI.2011;
am_ma in_ lo es obs.; 1 ♀︎, #14186719 • Kohunlich, 18.4306, −88.8125; 28.I.2017; ge a do ab obs.;
1 ♀︎, #5019306 • Solida idad, 20.6752, −87.1110; 7.IX.2022; na u alis a_joseph obs.; 1 ♂︎, #134115707
— Sinaloa • Maza lan, 23.299, −106.443; 13.VII.2022; ancisco3_ obs.; 1 ♀︎, #126102673 • Maza -
lán, 23.299, −106.443; 25.XI.2021; ancisco3_ obs.; 1 ♀︎, #101912253 • Maza lán, 23.2999, −106.4393;
17.XI.2020; paco obs.; 1 ♀︎, #96421287 • Maza lán, 23.3018, −106.4388; 12.XI.2020; paco obs.; 1 ♀︎,
#96412872 • Maza lán, 23.2992, −106.4417; 2.XII.2020; d_b obs.; 1 ♀︎, #66445435 • Maza lán, 23.3015,
−106.4387; 1.XII.2020; ly ae obs.; 1 ♀︎, #66421846 • Maza lán, 23.2994, −106.442; 27.XI.2020; d_b obs.;
1 ♀︎, #66398391 • Maza lán, 23.299, −106.443; 20.XI.2020; ancisco3_ obs.; 1 ♀︎, #65355583 — Yuca -
an • Kaua, 20.5907, −88.4415; 8.V.2021; am_ma in_ lo es obs.; 1 ♀︎, #85822538 • Xma kuil, 20.8615,
−89.6245; 21.XI.2012; ma in- ies a obs.; 1 ♀︎, #66001487 • Tizimin, 21.1575, −88.1692; 9.X.2023;
edga _alessand o obs.; 1 ♂︎, #186853189.
Li e a u e eco ds. Belize (Ga ikipa i and Bond 2021). Colombia (Heba d 1919: Acon io hespis i iodes;
Te a 1995: Acon is a i ioides and Acon is a i ea; Ri e a and S enson 2020). Cos a Rica (Saussu e and
Zehn ne 1893–1899: Acon is a i ea; Te a 1995: Acon is a co dille ae and Acon is a i ea; Ri e a and
S enson 2020). Ecuado (Heba d 1924: Acon io hespis co dille ae i ea; Ri e a and S enson 2020). El
Sal ado (Ri e a and S enson 2020 ‒ Acon io hespis co dille ae co dille ae). F ench Guyana (Te a
1995; Ri e a and S enson 2020). Gua emala (Saussu e and Zehn ne 1893–1899: Acon is a mexicanae
a . inquina ae and Acon is a mexicana a . quad imacula a; Ki by 1904: Acon is a championi; Te a 1995:
Acon is a championi; Ri e a and S enson 2020). Mexico (Saussu e 1869; Ki by 1904: Acon is a inquina a
o Mexico, and Acon is a mexicana and Acon is a i ea o “Mexico o Panama”; Te a 1995: Acon is a
co dille ae, Acon is a inquina a, Acon is a mexicana and Acon is a i ea; Ri e a and S enson 2020): Gue -
e o (Saussu e and Zehn ne 1893–1899: Acon is a mexicana and Acon is a mexicana a . inquina a; de
Luna and He nández-Bal aza 2020; Ri e a and S enson 2020); Jalisco (O ega and Má quez 1987:
Acan io hespis co dille ae; de Luna and He nández-Bal aza 2020); Mo elos (Va ela-He nández e al.
2022); Oaxaca (de Luna and He nández-Bal aza 2020; Ri e a and S enson 2020; Cano-San ana 2024:
Acon is a i ea); San Luis Po osí (Ri e a and S enson 2020); Tabasco (de Luna and He nández-Bal a-
za 2020; Ri e a and S enson 2020); Ve ac uz (Saussu e and Zehn ne 1893–1899: Acon is a mexicana,
Acon is a mexicanam a . inquina a, Acon is a co dille ae and Acon is a i ea; Ki by 1904; Heba d 1932:
Acon io hespis co dille ae; de Luna and He nández-Bal aza 2020; Ri e a and S enson 2020). Nica a-
gua (Saussu e and Zehn ne 1893–1899: Acon is a mexicana; Te a 1995: Acon is a mexicana; Ri e a and
S enson 2020). Panama (Saussu e and Zehn ne 1893–1899: Acon is a mexicana and Acon is a i ea;
Te a 1995: Acon is a mexicana and Acon is a i ea; Ri e a and S enson 2020). USA (Flo ida) (Ande son
2021).
Iden i ica ion. Male A. co dille ae a e ex emely a iable (Figu e 1A–C, 2): he cos al a ea o hei eg-
Check Lis 21 (6) · h ps://doi.o g/10.15560/21.6.1129
de Luna e al. · Acon is a om No h and Cen al Ame ica 1134
minas is mos o en g een, while he es is ei he hyaline o eddish b own and subhyaline, o en
accompanied by a da k spo nea he cos al a ea in he i s hi d; a da k spo on he anal a ea can be
p esen . The hindwings ha e a g eenish-, yellowish- o eddish-b own cos al a ea and he anal a ea
can be comple ely hyaline, ha e a da k spo , o ha e a da k inne ma gin which can ex end o hal o
he wing. The colo a ion o he p ono um, head and o elegs a e a iable, and while hey can sha e
colo (mos o en g een o g eenish b own), some ha e da ke o elegs and some ha e da ke heads.
The mid and hindlegs a e o simila colo , can be g een and banded, uni o m g een, o mos ly g een
wi h da ke pigmen nea he junc ion o he emu and ibia, mos no iceable in he hindlegs. All
hese cha ac e s con as wi h he colo a ion o A. a e na (see below). The colo a ion o bo h emale
A. co dille ae and A. a e na is e y simila : The egmina a e g een wi h whi e bands and a e o en
ado ned wi h a da k do nea he cos al a ea in he i s hi d; he apex is hyaline. The hindwings a e
icolo , he apex and ex e io ma gin a e hyaline, he pos e io ma gin up o hal he wing is da k, and
he i s wo- hi ds o he cos al a ea down o abou hal he wing is eddish o yellowish b own. The
head, p ono um and legs a e g een wi h whi e ma kings; A co dille ae has a o m wi h da k ma kings
ins ead o whi e. The o e all one is e y a iable in A. co dille ae (Figu e 1D–F). Female A. co dille ae
ha e a sho e and wide p ono um (Figu e 1D–F).
No es. The holo ype o A. co dille ae is om Mexico, no F ench Guyana, as s a ed by Ga ikipa i and
Bond (2021). The ype ma e ial o A. co dille ae and i s synonymies we e examined and illus a ed in
he wo k o Ri e a and S enson (2020). Gi en he mo phological di e ences obse ed in he geni-
alia ac oss se e al colo mo phs and locali ies (Figu e 2), i emains unclea whe he A. co dille ae
ep esen s a polymo phic species o a c yp ic species complex. Molecula analyses, oge he wi h a
ho ough e-examina ion o he ype specimens—including geni al dissec ions—a e equi ed o es
and con i m his hypo hesis.
Acon is a a e na Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894
= Acon is ella a e na (Saussu e & Zehn ne , 1894)
= Acon io hespis ecuado ica Heba d, 1924
= Acon is ella iolacea Beie , 1931
Figu es 3, 4
iNa u alis eco ds (all Cen al Ame ican eco ds included). COSTA RICA — Alajuela • A enal Volca-
no Na ional Pa k; 10.4382, −84.7171; 3.IV.2024; dex e nienhaus obs.; 1 ♀︎, #209910085 • La Fo una;
10.4678, −84.6426; 10.VIII.2022; simonele obs.; 1 ♀︎, #130321493 • Upala; 10.7157, −85.0102; 1.III.2021;
skga cia obs. 1 ♂︎, #70449290 — Ca ago • Ca ago; 9.8322, −83.5637; 11.IX.2020; capepolly obs.; 1 ♀︎,
#59224227 • Ca ago; 9.8450, −83.8947; 5.IV.2022; alonso24 obs.; 1 ♀︎, #110503493 • Ca ago; 9.7841,
−83.7516; benjamingo e obs.; 1 ♂︎, #152126648 • Tu ialba; 9.8325, −83.5633; 4.VI.2023; ep ipods
obs.; 1 ♂︎, #171280153 • Ca ago; 9.7835, −83.7524; 11.II.2022; ma codehaas obs.; 1 ♂︎, #117771248 •
Tu ialba; 9.8214, −83.5391; 5.VI.2023; ep ipods obs.; 1 ♂︎, #165751648 • El Copal; 9.7834, −83.7523;
11.II.2022; johannagu; 1 ♂︎, #110183115 • El Copal; 9.7839, −83.7517; 12.II.2022; ama i a obs.; 1 ♂︎,
#108185765 • El Copal; 9.7839, −83.7517; 11.II.2022; gu ucumi obs.; 1 ♂︎, #111503407 — He edia •
Sa apiqui; 10.3625, −84.1031; 6.III.2019; p os e obs.; 1 ♀︎, #22251260 • Sa apiqui; 10.3631, −84.1033;
25.VIII.2018; janbaa s obs.; 1 ♀︎, #16997927 • La Sel a Biological S a ion; 10.4233, −84.0220; 1.VII.2022;
samjengland obs.; 1 ♂︎, #124332999. San José • Pé ez Zeledón; 9.3012, −83.7801; 19.X.2023; kuesu obs.;
1 ♀︎, #190728523.
PANAMA — Panama• Los Al os de Ce o Azul; 9.2254, −79.4196; 6.VIII.2023; umb ellabi d obs.; 1
♀︎, #200409850.
Li e a u e eco ds. Cos a Rica (Saussu e and Zehn ne 1893–1899; Ki by 1904; Beie 1931: Acon is ella
iolacea; Rehn 1935: Acon is ella a e na; Te a 1995; Ri e a and S enson 2020). Ecuado (Heba d 1924:
Acon io hespis ecuado ica; Ri e a and S enson 2020).
Iden i ica ion. Male A. a e na ha e a e y dis inc i e colo pa e n (Figu e 3A): he egmina a e pu -
ple da k, wi h a eddish b own o pinkish cos al a ea and a ans e sal hyaline band nea he apex.
The hindwings a e da k and concolo ous and ha e a cos al a ea which is opaque while he es is
subhyaline. The p ono um and head a e g een. The o elegs a e eddish o yellowish b own and
ha e da ke s ipes, while he mid and hindlegs a e g een wi h b own s ipes. The colo a ion o bo h
emale A. co dille ae and A. a e na is e y simila : The egmina a e g een wi h whi e bands and a e
o en ado ned wi h a da k do nea he cos al a ea in he i s hi d; he apex is hyaline. The hindwings
a e icolo , he apex and ex e io ma gin a e hyaline, he pos e io ma gin up o hal he wing is da k,
and he i s wo- hi ds o he cos al a ea down o abou hal he wing is eddish o yellowish b own.
The head, p ono um and legs a e g een wi h whi e ma kings. The o e all one in A. a e na is b igh
Check Lis 21 (6) · h ps://doi.o g/10.15560/21.6.1129
de Luna e al. · Acon is a om No h and Cen al Ame ica 1135
and i id. Female A. a e na ha e a longe and much na owe p ono um, wi h he me azona elonga e
(Figu e 3B).
No es. The ype ma e ial o A. a e na and i s synonymies we e examined and illus a ed in he wo k
o Ri e a and S enson (2020).
Discussion
Acon is a co dille ae had been p e iously eco ded om he USA, Mexico, Belize, Gua emala, El Sal-
ado , Nica agua, Cos a Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuado (Saussu e and Zehn ne 1893–1899;
Ki by 1904; Heba d 1919, 1924; Te a 1995; de Luna and He nández-Bal aza 2020; Ri e a and S enson
2020; Ande son 2021; Ga ikipa i and Bond 2021). In Mexico, i had been eco ded om he s a es o
Gue e o, Jalisco, Mo elos, Oaxaca, San Luis Po osí, Tabasco, and Ve ac uz (Saussu e 1869; Saussu e
and Zehn ne 1893–1899; Ki by 1904; Heba d 1932; O ega and Má quez 1987; Te a 1995; de Luna
and He nández-Bal aza 2020; Ri e a and S enson 2020; Va ela-He nández e al. 2022; Cano-San ana
2024). Wi h he new eco ds p o ided he e, he p esence o A. co dille ae is con i med om he Mexi-
can s a es o Campeche, Chiapas, Colima, Hidalgo, Naya i , Puebla, Quin ana Roo, Sinaloa, and Yuca -
an. I is also newly epo ed om Hondu as (Figu e 4). These new dis ibu ion eco ds help close gaps
in he species’ known ange. Reco ds o his species in Flo ida (USA) a e isola ed, and i is unknown
whe he he species is na i e o he s a e o i i s p esence he e is due o indi iduals hi chhiking on
impo ed o namen al plan s (Ande son 2021).
Acon is a a e na had been eco ded om Cos a Rica (Saussu e and Zehn ne 1893–1899; Ki by
1904; Beie 1931; Rehn 1935; Te a 1995; Ri e a and S enson 2020) and Ecuado (Heba d 1924; Ri e a
and S enson 2020), and we documen ed his species om Panama o he i s ime (Figu e 4). As
wi h he p e ious species, he Panamanian eco d o A. a e na is unsu p ising bu b idges a gap in i s
known dis ibu ion. Acon is a a e na had been p e iously epo ed om Mexico by He nández-Bal a-
za and Gómez (2017); howe e , ha eco d lacked physical e idence, which is why i was omi ed in a
la e checklis (de Luna and He nández-Bal aza 2020).
As a i s s ep owa d a comp ehensi e egional e ision o he genus, he ype specimens o bo h A.
a e na and A. co dille ae—including hose belonging o axa cu en ly ea ed as synonyms—should
be e-examined. This should in ol e de ailed geni al dissec ions and, whe e p ese a ion pe mi s,
molecula analyses. Al e na i ely, esh opo ypic ma e ial could be collec ed o dissec ion and s udy
ins ead. I would also be aluable o compa e all mo phs o A. co dille ae, as he e appea o be li le
o no di e ences in he male geni alia among hem (Ri e a and S enson 2020; Figu e 2). Such a i-
a ion could e lec in aspeci ic di e ences be ween mo phs o popula ions a he han species-le el
di e gence. A compa ison o emale geni alia is also wa an ed, as was done ecen ly wi h o he Sou h
Ame ican Acon is a (Fe az and Souza-Dias 2025).
As a sideno e, Ri e a and S enson (2020) men ioned ha he pa e n on he hindwings is di e en
be ween he emales o A. co dille ae and A. a e na, bu his was a ai ha was no no iced when
compa ing he igu es in hei publica ion.
iNa u alis is one o he mos aluable pla o ms used o he s udy and ecogni ion o biodi e si y.
I was used in his s udy o complemen he iden i ica ion ia pho og aphs and es ablish he dis ibu-
ion o A. co dille ae and A. a e na in No h and Cen al Ame ican coun ies, as has been done o o he
Man odea g oups (Román de la Fuen e 2023). While his ci izen-science pla o m does no eplace
scien i ic collec ions, i s use can help asce ain species’ dis ibu ions.
Acknowledgemen s
We hank he Socie y o Sys ema ic Biologis s o p o iding MdL wi h unding h ough he Mini-ARTS
g an awa ded o he p ojec “P elimina y esea ch on ou cock oach amilies (Blabe idae, Bla el-
lidae, Nyc ibo idae, and Pseudophyllod omiidae) om Mexico”. We also wan o hank D . Jo ana
Madgalena Jasso Ma ínez, D . Alejand o Zaldí a Ri e ón and M.Sc. Ch is ina Mayo ga Ma ínez o
allowing he i s and hi d au ho s o examine he specimens a he CNIN-UNAM. Pa icula ly, MdL
wishes o hank CONAHCyT o his pos doc o al ellowship (CVU 1032171). Ou g a i ude ex ends o
he anonymous e iewe s o hei ha d wo k and dedica ion as well as o he people who uploaded
hei obse a ion eco ds o he ci izen science app iNa u alis , wi h special men ion o Benjamin Go -
e , C aig Biegle , Delme Jona han He nández, F ank DiS e ano, Jo ge Edua do To es Suá ez, Ka en
Yu ich, Oli e Koma and Paul Fos e , who allowed us o use hei pho os o illus a e his wo k; and
Cesa Raziel Lucio Palacio, a dea iend o he i s au ho who p o ided se e al obse a ions.
Check Lis 21 (6) · h ps://doi.o g/10.15560/21.6.1129
de Luna e al. · Acon is a om No h and Cen al Ame ica 1136
Addi ional in o ma ion
Con lic o in e es
The au ho s decla e ha no compe ing in e es exis .
E hical s a emen
No e hical s a emen is epo ed.
Funding
This s udy was also inancially suppo ed by he Socie y o Sys ema ic Biologis s ia he MINI-ARTS
g an awa ded o he i s au ho . This s udy was also suppo ed by CONAHCyT, who p o ided he
i s au ho a pos doc o al ellowship, and by he Facul ad de Ciencias Fo es ales o he Uni e sidad
Au ónoma de Nue o León.
Au ho con ibu ions
Concep ualiza ion: MdL, EHB. Da a cu a ion: MdL, ICM. Fo mal analysis: MdL, EHB. Funding acquisi-
ion: MdL, GCR, IAHD. In es iga ion: MdL, EHB. Me hodology: MdL. P ojec adminis a ion: MdL, GCR.
So wa e: MdL. Resou ces: MdL, EHB, ICM. Supe ision: GCR, IAHD. Valida ion: MdL, EHB, ICM, GCR,
IAHD. W i ing – o iginal d a : MdL. W i ing – e iew & edi ing: MdL, EHB, ICM, GCR, IAHD.
Au ho ORCID iDs
Manuel de Luna h ps://o cid.o g/0000-0002-0746-0507
E ick He nández-Bal aza h ps://o cid.o g/0000-0002-7964-3687
Ike Cubillos Macías h ps://o cid.o g/0009-0001-4693-8825
Ge a do Cuélla Rod íguez h ps://o cid.o g/0000-0003-4969-611X
Ismael A. Hinojosa Díaz h ps://o cid.o g/0000-0002-5493-850X
Da a a ailabili y
All da a ha suppo he indings epo ed in his s udy a e a ailable in he main ex .
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