Illustrated catalogue of the type specimens of Noctuidae (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea) described by Pablo E. Köhler

Abstract

Pablo Emilio Köhler (1894–1981) was a leading Argentine noctuidologist who described 332 noctuid species, with 279 collected in Argentina. Köhler published significant compilations on Argentine noctuids. Most of the material he used for descriptions remained in his personal collection until the 1960s, when the collection was divided between the Instituto y Fundación Miguel Lillo in Tucumán, Argentina, and the Bavarian State collection in Munich, Germany. This division included the type material, causing ongoing uncertainties about type deposition. This works aims to provide a nearly complete list of all species and subspecies described by Köhler, detailing relevant information and type material locations in these and other museums. In total we examined more than 560 types specimens. We discovered species with two “holotypes”: Paranicla koepkei Köhler, 1961; Eucoptocnemis petrowskyi Köhler, 1961; and Scriptania petrowskyi Köhler, 1961. Only for Paranicla koepkei, we were able to identify the correct holotype, for the other two a detailed examination of the specimens and descriptions is needed. We revalidated Borolia lilloana Köhler, 1947 and Euxoa signata Köhler, 1945, previously considered secondary homonyms. Finally, we identified two species described twice: Cotarsina gracilis Köhler, in 1961 and 1979, and Agrotis raveni Köhler, in 1973 and 1979. We establish the homonymies and propose synonymies for both.