Preliminary Assessment of the Moth (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) Fauna of Rincon de Guadalupe, Sierra de Bacadéhuachi, Sonora, Mexico

The Sierra de Bacadéhuachi is a poorly sampled extension of the Sierra Madre Occidental (SMO) located in east-central Sonora near the town of Bacadéhuachi. Sampling of moths using mercury vapor and ultraviolet lights occurred in summer and fall 2011, and spring 2012 at Rincón de Guadalupe, located in pine-oak forest at 1680 m elevation. Approximately 400 taxa of moths were identified from this locality. Species occurrences demonstrate connections to the famously diverse Yécora area, to the higher, more mesic SMO in Chihuahua, as well as the Rocky Mountains to the north. Several unidentified and presumably new moth species from Rincón de Guadalupe await further study and description. Two species previously known only from the type specimens (destroyed in WWII) were rediscovered at Rincón de Guadalupe. A complete list of the moths identified from Rincon de Guadalupe is available as a Research Species List in the Madrean Archipelago Biodiversity Assessment (MABA)/Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet) online database (Madrean.org).