Remarkable sexual dimorphism, rarity and cryptic species: a revision of the ‘aegrota species group’ of the Neotropical butterfly genus Caeruleuptychia with the description of three new species (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae)

Abstract

The ‘aegrota species group’ of the Neotropical nymphalid genus Caeruleuptychia Forster, 1964, in addition to three other superficially similar, enigmatic species in the genus, are revised. A lectotype is designated for Euptychia aegrota Butler, 1867, E. aetherialis Butler, 1877 stat. rev., E. helios Weymer, 1911 and E. pilata Butler, 1867, and C. aetherialis is resurrected from its synonymy with C. aegrota. Caeruleuptychia helios caelestissima Brévignon, 2010, syn. nov., and Magneuptychia keltoumae Brévignon & Benmesbah, 2012, syn. nov. are both regarded as junior subjective synonyms of C. helios (Weymer, 1911), as a result of the discovery and first illustration of the female of this taxon. The female of C. aegrota is also described and illustrated for the first time, and three new species, C. trembathi Willmott, Nakahara, Hall & Neild, sp. nov., C. scripta Nakahara, Zacca & Huertas, sp. nov., and C. maryzenderae Lamas & Nakahara, sp. nov. are described and named. We analyze morphological and molecular data separately, in addition to combining morphological data with molecular data, to provide the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the taxa treated in this revision.

Revision of the poorly known Neotropical butterfly genus Zischkaia Forster, 1964 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae), with descriptions of nine new species

“…However, compared to many other common euptychiine genera, species of Zischkaia are poorly represented in almost all museum collections, hindering taxonomic study and resulting in the genus remaining poorly understood. Although a number of other euptychiine genera have been the focus of taxonomic and/or systematic studies after the checklist of Lamas (2004), especially in recent years (e.g., Barbosa et al 2015;Zacca et al 2017;Nakahara et al 2018c), partly as a result of the lack of material deposited in collections, Zischkaia has received no attention by butterfly researchers until now. A taxonomic revision for this group is therefore in urgent need, given the similarities among the species of Zischkaia and consequent difficulties in identification, and the potential significance of the group for biogeographic and conservation research as a result of the highly restricted geographic ranges of some species.…”

Description of a new genus and species for a common and widespread Amazonian satyrine butterfly (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Satyrini)

“…These morphological features were studied and drawn using a Leica MZ 16 stereomicroscope at different magnifications up to 100x. The terminology associated with wings and genitalia largely follows Miller ( 1970 : 44), Peña & Lamas (2005) and Klots (1956) (but see Nakahara et al, 2018a ; Nakahara et al, 2018b for some modifications), and immature stage terminology follows Stehr (1987) and Cosmo, Barbosa & Freitas (2014) . We use the following abbreviations throughout the text: DFW : dorsal forewing; DHW : dorsal hindwing; VFW : ventral forewing; VHW : ventral hindwing.…”

“…Methods for DNA extractions, design of internal primers, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing parameters for the first half of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I (COI) (commonly known as the ‘DNA barcode’ ( Hebert et al, 2003 )) followed Nakahara et al (2019b) . Additionally, three nuclear gene sequences, namely elongation factor 1 alpha (Ef1a), glyceraldhyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and ribosomal protein S5 (Rps5), were also obtained as described by Nakahara et al (2018b) . All primers and PCR reaction conditions used to amplify these four genes are listed in Table 1 .…”

A revision of the new genus Amiga Nakahara, Willmott & Espeland, gen. n., described for Papilio arnaca Fabricius, 1776 (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae)

“…Drawings of external morphology were done using a camera lucida attached to a Leica MZ 16 stereomicroscope at FLMNH. Terminology for wing venation and wing pattern elements follows Nakahara et al (2018b); nomenclature of genitalia follows Nakahara et al (2018a).…”

“…DNA extraction methods, PCR conditions and primers used for amplification of cytochrome c oxidase I (COI), elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-a), glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and ribosomal protein S5 (RPS5) follow Nakahara et al (2015, 2018a, 2018b). Sequences for additional specimens were taken from Peña et al (2010), Matos-Maraví et al (2013) and Espeland et al (2019) (Table 1).…”