Penaincisalia aurulenta, Johnson, 1990

Bálint, Zsolt, Vértesy, Zofia & Biró, László P., 2005, Microstructures and nanostructures of high Andean Penaincisalia lycaenid butterfly scales (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): descriptions and interpretations, Journal of Natural History 39 (31), pp. 2935-2952 : 2938

Penaincisalia aurulenta

( Figures 1A , 2 )

The dorsal colour is Burnt Orange without iridescence ( Figure 1A ). The scales are tile- or shovel-shaped with a toothed anterior margin. The length/width ratio of tile-shaped scales is 3/ 1 (120/ 40 mm). The shovel-shaped scales are shorter and wider (length/width52/1, 80/ 40 mm). The dentation of the tile-shaped scales is deeper ( Figure 2A ). We could not detect any qualitative difference between the microstructures of the two types. The longitudinal ridges are parallel and low, with flutes. The space (5length of the microcells) between the ridges is approximately 1 mm. Cross ribs are straight, their intervals are slightly irregular and less than 0.5 mm. The microcells are oblong or rectangular and widely open ( Figure 2B, C ). The nanostructures are irregularly fragmented and sparse or lost with the trabeculae, and the reverse surface of the scale can be clearly seen at higher magnification ( Figure 2D ).

Figures

Figure 1. Lycaenid butterfly species investigated showing male dorsal wing surfaces. (A) Penaincisalia aurulenta Johnson, 1990 (Peru: PN Huascarán, Quebrada Demanda; HNHM); (B) Penaincisalia perezi Bálint, 2001 (Peru: PN Husacarán; Llanganuco; HNHM paratype); (C) Penaincisalia culminicola (Staudinger, 1894) (Peru: PNB Huascarán, Llanganuco; HNHM); (D) Thecloxurina loxurina (Felder and Felder, 1865) (Ecuador: Carchi, Res. Forest. Golondrinas; HNHM); (E) Thecloxurina atymna (Hewitson, 1870) (Ecuador: Zamora, Cord. Lagunillas; HNHM); (F) Thecloxurina atymna (Hewitson, 1870) (Ecuador: Azuay, Cuenca; HNHM).

Figure 2. Scanning electron micrographs of Penaincisalia aurulenta scale microstructures. (A) Tile- and shovelshaped scales with dentate anterior margins; (B) longitudinal ridges with flutes, straight cross ribs; (C) widely open microcells, wispy internal structures; (D) widely open microcells, deep-laying pepper-pot structures.