Imara satrapes ( Kollar, 1839 )

Ríos, Sergio D. & González, Jorge M., 2011, A synopsis of the Castniidae (Lepidoptera) of Paraguay, Zootaxa 3055, pp. 43-61 : 46-47

Imara satrapes ( Kollar, 1839)

( Fig. 2 )

Castnia satrapes Kollar, 1839

Castnia catharina Preiss, 1899

Castnia satrapes f. aberrans Strand, 1913

Castnia satrapes f. rufimaculata Strand, 1913

Castnia satrapes f. sapucaya Jörgensen, 1930

Castnia satrapes var. pomposa Niepelt, 1932

Castnia satrapes insolita Schweiser & Kay, 1941

Castnia sapuca J. Y.Miller, 1995 , missp.

Imara satrapes catharina Lamas, 1995 , n. syn.

Taxonomic history. Preiss (1899) described the subspecies catharina (as Castnia catharina ) based on color differences with the nominate subspecies and illustrated a female with a band of red spots on the hind wings which are not present in the material later studied by Strand (1913). Strand (1913) states this particular subspecies differs from the nominate one in having a hindwing median band “light yellow instead of orange”. He also mentions that the red spots could be a sexual difference present always in females but only occasionally in males ( Strand 1913). Jörgensen (1930) reports that this is a rare subspecies but few specimens were collected by Höhn in the forests of Mbuvevo, Guairá Department. Breyer (1935) mentions that he collected catharina in Puerto Aguirre, Misiones, Argentina. Jörgensen (1930) described also the new form sapucaya based on a specimen collected by Heinrich in Sapucay, Paraguarí Department. Miller (1986, 1995) does not consider sapucaya [erroneously mentioned as sapuca in Miller (1995)] and catharina as valid subspecies placing them as synonyms. The topotype of Castnia satrapes is Brasil, Mato Grosso, [ Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade], [15º00'S, 59º57'W, 200m], west of Cuiabá and north of Pantanal, far from the locality from where f. catharina (Rio Grande do Sul) was described. Based on that premise (Lamas, pers. comm.), Lamas (1995) reinstated catharina as a valid subspecies while considering sapucaya a synonym of I. satrapes . The hindwing coloration of Imara satrapes is highly variable, and we do not see much sense in considering the Santa Catharina , Brazil and Paraguay specimens as a separate subspecies. Furthermore, Miller (1986; pers. comm.) studied large series of I. satrapes which allowed her to notice how variable the species is and also to include catharina as synonym, thus we prefer to follow Miller (1986, 1995) on this regard and consider Imara satrapes catharina as new synonym of I. satrapes until a more detailed study indicates otherwise.

Distribution. This species is known to be sympatric with Imara pallasia (Eschscholtz, 1821) . They are both commonly found in the southeastern region of Brazil and even though the color pattern of their forewings are quite different, their hindwings are highly variable and in cases might be sligthly similar to each other ( Miller 1986).

Even though we were able to examine just a few specimens from Paraguay, many have been collected and/or mentioned by a few authors in the past. Does this mean that the species used to be more common? Or is it just that collectors and entomologists have not been able to determine locations and/or times where adults emerge and fly?

Biology and behavior. Jörgensen (1930) mentions that it frequently flies in Paraguay around plants of “ Caraguatá ” ( Bromeliaceae : Bromelia spp.?, Caraguata spp.?, Pseudananas spp.?). Miller (1986) mentions that she found at the Museu Nacional-Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a pupal skin with a label stating that it was found in Bromelia simour (an unknown plant species name, as far as we know. It might have been an erroneous translitteration) while an intact pupa had a label reading only “ Bromeliaceae ”. Biezanko (1961b) mentions that the larva of this species feeds on Bromelia fastuosa Lindl. (Bromeliaceae) . This species has been recorded flying high (over 10 m above ground) normally at mid-day (11:00 – 15:00) from November to February in Brazilian lowland and/or cloud forests ( Miller 1986, Biezanko 1961a).

Material examined. GUAIRÁ: 1Ƥ, “ Paraguay. Villarica”, A. Breyer Collection ( MLP). ITAPÚA: 13, Estancia Nueva Gambach, 26°25´S, 55°40´W. 21.XII.2008 (MNHNPY). ALTO PARANÁ: 13, Estancia Dimes 25°33’S, 55°13’W. 19–23.XII.2005. Coll. U. Drechsel (MNHNPY);

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 9. Adults of Castniidae. 2. Imara satrapes Kollar, 3, Itapúa, Paraguay (MNHNPY); 3. Synpalamides phalaris (Fabricius), 3, Asunción, Paraguay (FCA / DE); 4. Synpalamides rubrophalaris (Houlbert), 3, Alto Paraná, Paraguay (MNHNPY); 5. Castnia invaria penelope Schaufuss (White morph), 3, Sapucay, Paraguay (MGCL); 6. Castnia invaria penelope Schaufuss (red morph), 3, Ypacaraí, Paraguay (FCA / DE); 7. Castnia juturna Hopffer, 3, Argentina (MACN); 8. Telchin licus laura (H. Druce), 3, Canindeyú, Paraguay (MNHNPY); 9. Riechia acraeoides (Guérin-Méneville), 3, Asunción, Paraguay (MNHNPY).