title: Edible Lepidoptera in Mexico: Geographic distribution, ethnicity, economic and nutritional importance for rural people.
abstract: In this paper, we reported the butterflies and moths that are consumed in Mexico. We identified 67 species of Lepidoptera that are eaten principally in their larval stage in 17 states of Mexico. These species belong to 16 families: Arctiidae, Bombycidae, Castniidae, Cossidae, Geometridae, Hepialidae, Hesperiidae, Lasiocampidae, Noctuidae, Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, Pieridae, Pyralidae, Saturniidae, Sesiidae, and Sphingidae.Saturniidae, Pieridae, Noctuidae and Nymphalidae were the more species consumed with 16, 11, 9, and 8 species, respectively. The genera with the largest numbers of species were: Phassus, Phoebis, Hylesia and Spodoptera, with three species.Their local distribution, corresponding to each state of Mexico, is also presented.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biología, UNAM, Apartado Postal 70-153, 04510, México DF, México. relorduy@ibunam2.ibiologia.unam.mx
authors.forename: Julieta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramos-Elorduy
authors.forename: José M P
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Adolfo I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: Ivonne
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Landero
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oliva-Rivera
authors.forename: Víctor H M
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Camacho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005006:Ethnicity; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000145:classification*; D040541:Marketing; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D009753:Nutritive Value; D011156:Population Density; D012424:Rural Population