Esthemopsis sateri Dolibaina, Dias, Mielke & Casagrande

Dias, Fernando Maia Silva, Dolibaina, Diego Rodrigo, Mielke, Olaf Hermann Hendrik & Casagrande, Mirna Martins, 2014, Two new species of Esthemopsis C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865 (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae: Symmachiini) from southeastern and northeastern Brazil, with taxonomic comments on Esthemopsis teras (Stichel, 1910) stat. rev. and Esthemopsis pallida Lathy, 1932 stat. nov., Zootaxa 3784 (2), pp. 148-158 : 151-155

Esthemopsis sateri Dolibaina, Dias, Mielke & Casagrande sp. nov.

( Figs 9–12 , 22–24 , 30 , 35 , 40 )

Diagnosis. Esthemopsis sateri can be distinguished from other species of Esthemopsis by the two parallel vertical brown lines on the frons ( Fig. 23 ), the entirely orange vertex ( Fig. 22 ); and the dark brown third segment of the labial palpus ( Figs 23–24 ). Comparing E. teras with other similar species, the valva of the male is more strongly developed with a smaller distal indentation ( Fig. 35 ) and the aedeagus has a characteristic anterior globular protuberance ( Fig. 35 ). In E. sateri , the anterior margin of the lamella antevaginalis of the female genitalia is bilobed ( Fig. 40 ), while straight in other species ( Figs 38–39, 41 ); the anterior margin of the lamella postvaginalis is marked with three indentations ( Fig. 40 ), while acutely angled in other species ( Figs 38–39, 41 ); and the corpus bursae bears only one signum ( Fig. 40 ), similar to E. pherephatte ( Fig. 38 ), while two signa are present in other species ( Figs 39, 41 ).

Description. Head: mostly orange; frons with two parallel vertical dark brown lines and dark brown close to the base of the antennae ( Fig. 23 ); vertex orange ( Fig. 22 ); chaetosema area brown, with pale setae; antenna mostly dark brown, tip reddish; first segment of the labial palpus short, second segment six times larger than the first, both orange; third segment short, half the size of the first, conical and dark brown ( Figs 23–24 ). Female as in male.

Thorax: Dark brown, dorsally with one medial and two lateral antero-posterior thin blue lines ( Fig. 9 ); ventrally uniformly dark brown; forelegs dark brown with some yellowish scaling; meso and metathoracic legs grayish blue internally and dark brown externally. Female as in male but forelegs similar to the meso and metathoracic legs, without yellowish scaling.

Forewing, shape: Length, male: 20mm (n=2); female: 21–22mm (n=3); triangular, costal margin almost straight, slightly concave at the discal cell and curved towards the apex ( Figs 9 , 30 ); apex slightly pointed; outer margin convex; tornus rounded; inner margin straight ( Figs 9 , 30 ). Female as in male, but outer margin more convex ( Fig. 11 ).

Forewing, upperside: Background color dark brown; grayish blue lines radiating from the base of the wing between the veins, two on the discal cell and on CuA2–2A, one at the costal margin and on CuA1–CuA2; subapical elliptical white band from R3+4 to CuA1, with black scales over the veins M1 and M3 ( Fig. 9 ); fringe dark brown ( Fig. 30 ). Female as in male ( Fig. 11 ).

Forewing, underside: Similar to the upperside, but grayish blue color more conspicuous ( Fig. 10 ). Female as in male ( Fig. 12 ).

Hindwing, shape: Ellipsoidal; costal margin strongly convex; apex rounded; outer margin strongly convex; tornus obtusely angled; inner margin slightly convex ( Figs 9 , 30 ). Female as in male, but outer margin more convex ( Fig. 11 ).

Hindwing, upperside: Background color dark brown; grayish blue lines radiating from the base of the wing between the veins, fainter than on the forewing, in the discal cell, on CuA1–CuA2, and on CuA2–2A ( Figs 9 , 30 ); fringe white along the outer margin, dark brown near the tornus ( Fig. 30 ). Female as in male ( Fig. 11 ).

Hindwing, underside: Similar to the upperside, but grayish blue lines more conspicuous, and on all of the spaces between veins ( Fig. 10 ). Female as in male ( Fig. 12 ).

Abdomen: Uniformly dark brown dorsally and ventrally; pleura grayish blue; anterior margins of the tergites 4–6 with a thin line of CAS shortly interrupted medially. Female as in male, but without CAS.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 35 ): Tegumen shorter than the uncus, projecting obliquely from the medial anterior margin the ventral projection of the tegumen which connects with the dorsal projection of the vinculum; anterior projection of the saccus short and thin; fultura inferior (sensu Niculescu 1972; same as fibula and juxta of authors and pedicel of Hall & Willmott 1996) present; uncus rectangular in lateral view, with a medial spine at the posterior margin; lateral triangular membranous areas between the tegumen and the uncus; gnathos “c” shaped, ventral projection flattened; valvae mostly membranous, wide and distally indented between the ampulla and the harpe ( Fig. 35 ); ampulla developed internally, triangular and distally pointed; harpe rounded and thin, projecting internally and anteriorly; aedeagus thick and slightly curved, with an anterior globular protuberance ( Fig. 35 ); vesica almost as long as the aedeagus, with two sets of cornuti; dorsal set larger, with many aligned spines on a sclerotized base and the ventral set rounded, with a patch of smaller spines ( Fig. 35 ).

Female genitalia ( Fig. 40 ): lamella antevaginalis straight and anteriorly bilobed, lamella postvaginalis anteriorly angled and with three medial indentations in the anterior margin ( Fig. 40 ); first third of the ductus bursae sclerotized, rough and curled, last two thirds of the ductus bursae straight and membranous; corpus bursae ellipsoidal, two thirds the size of the ductus bursae, bearing a single dorsal signum ( Fig. 40 ); ductus seminalis thin, positioned dorsally and slightly displaced to the left at the base of the ductus bursae.

Taxonomic Comments. This species is superficially very similar to E. teras ( Figs 5–8 ), but the male and female genitalia differ greatly from all other species discussed in this paper, which is significant considering the homogeneity of the male genitalia in Esthemopsis . Additionally, there are important differences in wing pattern, and more distinctly, in the coloration of the head and labial palpus ( Figs 22–24 ). These features are often overlooked in taxonomic studies. Likewise, the female genitalia is seldom analyzed, even though it provides valuable taxonomic information. This fact may also reflect the general scarcity of female specimens in collections.

Distribution. All known specimens are from interior forests above 800m in Paraná and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; probably this species also occurs in similar environment in the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais, Brazil. Etymology. The specific name is in honor to Almir Sater, a famous Brazilian folk musician known for his talent to play the Brazilian country guitar “viola caipira”.

Type material. Holotype with the following labels: / HOLOTYPUS /♂ / Capt. 16-VII-1963 P[arque]. N[acional do]. Itatiaia, R[io de] J[aneiro] [ Brasil] 900 m Mielke col /5272 / HOLOTYPUS Esthemopsis sateri Dolibaina, Dias, Mielke & Casagrande det. 2013/ ( DZUP). Allotype with the following labels: /ALLOTYPUS / Independencia 900m Petropolis - E[stado]. do Rio [de Janeiro] 28-2-1937 Gagarin [leg.]/ Ex Col[lection]. Gagarin / DZ 23.229/ ALLOTYPUS Esthemopsis sateri Dolibaina, Dias, Mielke & Casagrande det. 2013/ ( DZUP).

Paratypes — 4 males and 2 females. BRAZIL— Paraná: Fernandes Pinheiro, 800m, 2- IV-1910, 1 male, W. J. Kaye leg. ( MGCL), 11- IV-1910, 1 male, W. J. Kaye leg. ( MGCL); Ponta Grossa, III-1942, 1 male, F. Justus leg., DZ 21.024* ( DZUP). Rio de Janeiro: Angra dos Reis —Jussaral, 5- IV-1935, 1 female, F. D’Almeida leg., DZ 23.239 ( DZUP); Itatiaia —Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, 900m, 22- VII-1963, 1 male, Mielke leg., OM 5.341* (OM); Petrópolis —Independência, 900m, 28- VIII-1938, 1 female, Gagarin leg., DZ 21.031* ( DZUP).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 18. Male and females specimens of species of the genus Esthemopsis C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865, dorsal and ventral. 1 – 4. E. pherephatte. 1 – 2. Male from Catemaco, Veracruz, México (MGCL), 3 – 4. Female from Turrialba, Costa Rica (MGCL). 5 – 8. E. teras stat. rev.. 5 – 6. Male from Joinville, Santa Catarina (OM 61.884), 7 – 8. Female from Antonina, Paraná (OM 60.545). 9 – 12. E. sateri sp. nov.. 9 – 10. Male Holotype from Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro (OM 5.272), 11 – 12. Female Allotype from Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro (DZ 23.229). 13 – 16. E. pallida stat. nov.. 13 – 14. Male from São Francisco, Minas Gerais (DZ 23.299), 15 – 16. Female from Corinto, Minas Gerais (DZ 26.413). 17 – 18. E. diamantina sp. nov.. Male Holotype from Lençóis, Bahia (OM 47.768). Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURES 19 – 24. Male head of species of Esthemopsis C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865, dorsal, frontal and lateral. 19 – 21. E. teras stat. rev.. 22 – 24. E. sateri sp. nov.. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 29 – 32. Wings of males of species of Esthemopsis C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865, indicating the subapical spot (forewing) and fringe (hindwing). 29. E. teras stat. rev.. 30. E. sateri sp. nov.. 31. E. pallida stat. nov.. 32. E. diamantina sp. nov.. Scale bar = 0.5 cm.

FIGURES 33 – 37. Male genitalia of species of Esthemopsis C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865, lateral. 33. E. pherephatte. 34. E. teras stat. rev.. 35. E. sateri sp. nov.. 36. E. pallida stat. nov.. 37. E. diamantina sp. nov.. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 38 – 41. Female genitalia of species of Esthemopsis C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865, ventral. 38. E. pherephatte. 39. E. teras stat. rev.. 40. E. sateri sp. nov.. 41. E. pallida stat. nov.. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.