Eryphanis gerhardi (Weeks, 1902)

Penz, Carla M., 2008, Phylogenetic Revision of Eryphanis Boisduval, with a Description of a New Species from Ecuador (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), Insecta Mundi 2008 (35), pp. 1-25 : 13-14

Eryphanis gerhardi (Weeks, 1902)

( Fig. 1F , 2F , 4F , 5F , 6F )

Type locality. Bolivia .

Diagnosis. Males with deep purple iridescent sheen dorsally on FW and HW, plus a distinctive ventral caramel to orange coloration and white spot at crossvein m2-m3. Females with purple iridescent patched on FW and HW, and same diagnostic ventral color and white HW spot as in males.

Annotated redescription. Male: FW length 57-60 mm (n=4). Dorsal FW and HW with deep purple iridescent sheen that can be sufficiently strong to resemble iridescent patches in both wings in some specimens. Dorsal FW and HW iridescence extended from submedial to postmedial areas of both wings. Dorsal FW submarginal line usually faint (but can be well defined in some specimens), diffuse, continuous. Dorsal HW marginal outline absent. HW with a projection at vein Cu1 that extends beyond anal margin. Ventral FW and HW orange to faded caramel color. Ventral HW white postmedial transverse band absent for the most part, leaving a residual thin line at crossvein m1-m2. Broad white spot at crossvein m2-m3. Ventral HW eyespot in cell M3 absent or reduced, detached from large eyespot in cell Cu1. Ventral HW eyespot in cell Cu1 contained within cell, and with a gray-brown posterior spot inside inner circle. Uncus humped, valva narrow and with few small spines.

Female. FW length 61 mm (n=1). Wing color pattern different from male. Dorsal FW and HW with deep purple iridescent patches limited to medial area of both wings. FW submarginal line orange, conspicuous, continuous, wavy. Submarginal branch of FW submarginal line starts at M1, decreasing in width from M3 to 2A, and postmedial branch starts at M1 and ends in the M2 cell. Ventral surface of wings as in male. Sterigma projections broad and slightly pointed.

Distribution. Ecuador to Bolivia ( Frühstorfer 1912, Appendix 1), at elevations of 200 to 400 m (e.g., Jaru, Brazil and Buenavista, Ichilo, Bolivia).

Remarks. Of all Eryphanis species, E. gerhardi has the smallest male genitalia relative to its wingspan. Casagrande (2004) lists no subspecies for E. gerhardi .

Figures

Figure 1. Eryphanis adult males, dorsal side on the left, ventral side on the right. Scale bar next to A = 1cm. A) E. automedon, Colombia, Cali. B) E. lycomedon, Colombia, Cali. C) E. reevesii, Brazil, São Paulo, Pinhal. D) E. bubocula, Costa Rica, Guanacaste, Rio San Lorenzo. E) E. aesacus, [Mexico], Catemaco. F) E. gerhardi, Bolivia. G) E. zolzivora, Bolivia. H) E. greeneyi, Ecuador, Napo, Yanayacu Biological Station, HOLOTYPE. I) E. opimus, Colombia, Cali.

Figure 2. Eryphanis adult females, dorsal side on the left, ventral side on the right. Scale bar next to A = 1cm. A) E. automedon, Paraguay, Pedro Juan Caballero. B) E. lycomedon, Colombia, Cali. C) E. reevesii, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Nova Friburgo. D) E. bubocula, Costa Rica, Cartago, Tapanti. E) E. aesacus, Mexico, Oaxaca, Tuxtepec.F) E. gerhardi,Brazil, Rondonia, Jaru.G) E.zolzivora, Bolivia, Cochabamba. H) E. greeneyi,Ecuador, Napo, Yanayacu Biological Station, PARATYPE.

Figure 4. Eryphanis male genitalia in lateral view, with separate drawings of the phallus. Scale bar next to A = 1mm. Note that the phallus was not removed from the genitalic capsule, and the drawing angles are thus not homogeneous across species. A) E. automedon, Colombia, Cali. B) E. lycomedon, Colombia, Cali. C) E. reevesii, Brazil, São Paulo, Pinhal. D) E. bubocula, Costa Rica, Guanacaste, Rio San Lorenzo. E) E. aesacus, Mexico, San Luis Potosi. F) E. gerhardi, Bolivia, Cochabamba. G) E. zolzivora, Bolivia, Cochabamba. H) E. greeneyi, Ecuador, near Baños, PARATYPE. I) E. opimus, Colombia, Cali.

Figure 5. Eryphanis male genitalia in ventral view, with separate drawings of the juxta and dorsal view of tegumen+uncus. Scale bar next to A = 1mm. A) E. automedon, Colombia, Cali. B) E. lycomedon, Colombia, Cali. C) E. reevesii, Brazil, São Paulo, Pinhal. D) E. bubocula, Costa Rica, Guanacaste, Rio San Lorenzo. E) E. aesacus, Mexico, San Luis Potosi. F) E. gerhardi, Bolivia, Cochabamba. G) E. zolzivora, Bolivia, Cochabamba. H) E. greeneyi, Ecuador, near Baños, PARATYPE. I) E. opimus, Colombia, Cali.

Figure 6. Eryphanis female sterigma and corpus bursa. Ribs of the intersegmental sac were omitted. Scale bars next to F = 1mm, note that sterigma and corpus bursa are in different magnifications. A) E. automedon, Peru, Puerto Maldonado. B) E. lycomedon, Costa Rica, Puntarenas. C) E. reevesii, Brazil, São Paulo, Pinhal. D) E. bubocula, Costa Rica, Cartago, Tapanti. E) E. aesacus,Mexico. F) E. gerhardi, Brazil, Rondonia, Jaru. G) E. zolzivora, Bolivia, Cochabamba. H) E. greeneyi, Ecuador, Napo, Yanayacu Biological Station, PARATYPE.