Esthemopsis pallida Lathy, 1932

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 : 155-156

Esthemopsis pallida Lathy, 1932 stat. nov.

( Figs 13–16 , 25–26 , 31 , 36 , 41 )

Esthemopsis caerulea [sic] pallida Lathy, 1932 . p. 69; Callaghan & Lamas, 2004. p. 157. Lepricornis teras [misidentification]; Brown & Mielke, 1967. p. 147.

Xenandra pallida ; D’Abrera, 1994. p. 1037, fig. [7] (syntype male).

Diagnosis. This species can be easily distinguished from other species of Esthemopsis by the subapical band in the shape of a thin rectangular stripe which reaches the space CuA1–CuA2 and is not interrupted by dark brown scales over the veins M1 and M3 ( Figs 13–16 ); fringe of the hindwing dark brown ( Fig. 31 ); frontal and vertical areas between the antennae dark brown ( Figs 25–26 ). Additionally, the subapical band of some specimens of this species are creamy white ( Fig. 13 ) or yellowish ( Fig. 31 ), a distinct feature found only in E. pallida .

Taxonomic comments. E. pallida was described from two male syntypes from Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil as a subspecies of E. pherephatte (as Esthemopsis caerulea [sic] pallida Lathy, 1932 , “ caerulea ” being a misspelling of the taxon Limnas caeruleata Godman & Salvin, 1878 , a subjective synonym of Erycina pherephatte Godart, [1824] ). According to Lathy (1932) the only difference between E. pallida and E. pherephatte is that the subapical band is white or pale yellow in the former, while orange in the latter. Hall and Harvey (2002) apparently detected no differences between the types of Esthemopsis caerulea [sic] pallida Lathy, 1932 and Lepricornis teras Stichel, 1910 , and synonymized E. pallida with Lepricornis teras Stichel, 1910 . The specimen illustrated by D’Abrera (1994) and Warren et al. (2013), misleadingly labeled holotype at the BMNH ( Warren et al. 2013), is here designated lectotype to avoid further confusion between similar species. This specimen was the only one of the Lathy’s two syntypes found at the BNHM by D’Abrera (1994).

Distribution. All known specimens were collected in riparian forests of the Cerrado biome, in Distrito Federal, Mato Grosso and Minas Gerais. Probably the species also occurs in other Brazilian states within the Cerrado. The species is active early in the morning, often visiting flowers ( Brown & Mielke 1967).

Type material. The lectotype of Esthemopsis caerulea pallida Lathy, 1932 , here designated, has the following labels: /Joicey Bequest Brit. Mus. 1934-120 /Ex. Coll. Herbert Druce. 1913. / Type HT /Cuyaba, Matto Grosso [Cuiabá, Mato Grosso], Brazil. / Esthemopsis #m caerulata [sic] pallida, Lathy Specimen typicum / ( BMNH), it will be added the followings labels: / LECTOTYPUS / LECTOTYPUS Esthemopsis caerulea pallida Lathy, 1932 Dolibaina, Dias, Mielke & Casagrande det. 2013/. The characteristic lectotype label will be sent to the curator of the collection.

Examined material. (4 males and 2 females) BRAZIL— Mato Grosso: Nova Xavantina —UNIMAT, Bacaba, 17-19- VIII-1997, 1 male, Mielke leg., DZ 21.052* ( DZUP). Minas Gerais: Corinto, 1-15- IX-1979, 1 female, C. Elias leg., DZ 26.413* ( DZUP), 16-30- IX-1979, 1 male, C. Elias leg., DZ 21.066* ( DZUP); Curvelo, IX-1979, 1 female, C. Elias leg., DZ 23.249 ( DZUP); Paraopeba, 19- II-1966, 1 male, Mielke leg., OM 8.415 (OM); São Francisco, VIII-1985, C. Elias leg., DZ 23.299 ( 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 25 – 28. Male head of species of Esthemopsis C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865, frontal and lateral. 25 – 26. E. pallida stat. nov.. 27 – 28. E. diamantina 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.