Eryphanis Boisduval, 1870

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 : 5

GENUS Eryphanis Boisduval, 1870

Eryphanis butterflies can be recognized by their dorsal wing coloration with various iridescent tones. Depending on the species the iridescence can form patches; i.e., sections of the wing that have well defined borders that separate them from non-iridescent sections (e.g., E. automedon , Fig. 1A ). In contrast, other species have an iridescent sheen (e.g., E. gerhardi , Fig. 1F ); i.e., a diffuse gloss that can be best seen when the butterfly is examined at an oblique angle. This genus ranges from Mexico to southern South America, and from lowland to Andean forests. Adults are crepuscular and feed on rotten fruits and sap.

The genus Eryphanis can be identified by the combination of six unique characters from adult morphology (Fig. 3, character numbers listed in parenthesis correspond to those in Appendix 2). In both sexes, iridescence not extended to the postmedial-basal areas of both wings (except for E. bubocula female) (character 2:1, Fig. 1-2 ). In males, presence of a scent organ in cell Cu2 (14:1, Fig. 1 ). This scent organ is an oval shaped depression on the wing membrane that is densely packed with elongate scales that are pale yellow to light brown, depending on the species. An area covered by shiny scales encircles this scent organ. This shiny halo reaches vein Cu2, where the scales become very dark. It is possible that the broad, black androconial patch found near the HW tornus in E. aesacus and E. bubocula ( Fig. 1 ) might represent an extension of these dark scales. In males, absence of dorsal hindwing hairpencil in cell 1A (15:0, Fig. 7A ). Instead, all males have a sparse coating of long hairs in cells 1A and 2A, which is particularly well developed in E. reevesii . Note that the hairpencil in cell 1A is also absent in some species of Caligo , a genus that is closely related to Eryphanis (e.g., Frühstorfer 1912, Blandin 1974, Penz 2007). In males, presence of a thin, sclerotized, setae-bearing flange associated with the dorsal, basal region of valva (19:1, Fig. 4 , 7D ). In males, spines along dorsal edge of valva generally organized in one single row (22:1, Fig. 4 , 7F ). In males, distal end of phallus projected as a hollow prong beyond opening (28:0, Fig. 4 , 7E ). Mature larvae are recognizable by their elongated tails, which can be ca. 25% of the total body length and are proportionately longer than those of other brassolines but similar in length to the closely related Caligopsis (see Furtado and Campos-Neto 2004).

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 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 7. Illustration of characters used in the analysis. A) E. zolzivora male wings, dorsal and ventral views. B) schematic representation of the male diaphragma, phallus removed. C) schematic representation of the female ductus bursa and ductus seminalis in lateral view. D) and E) E. automedon male genitalia and phallus in lateral view. F) and G) E. opimus male genitalia and phallus in lateral view. H) E. automedon female sterigma. I) E. bubocula female sterigma. J) E. zolzivora female sterigma.