Philaethria ostara araguensis Constantino & Salazar

Constantino, Luis Miguel & Salazar, Julian A., 2010, A review of the Philaethria dido species complex (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae) and description of three new sibling species from Colombia and Venezuela, Zootaxa 2720, pp. 1-27 : 17

Philaethria ostara araguensis Constantino & Salazar , n. spp.

(Fig. 21,22)

Diagnosis. P. ostara araguensis is recognized from P. dido by the VHW medial postdiscal band beige in color (red in P. dido ). VHW medial postdiscal band narrow (wide in P. ostara ostara ); VHW inner postdiscal band dark brown (black in P. andrei and P. dido ), the inner postdiscal band with irregular sides, straight in P. ostara ostara ; VHW outer postdiscal band black; VFW anal cell bar dark brown (black in P. dido ), VFW medial cell bar beige with white scattered scales; VHW submarginal band very narrow, wider in P. ostara ostara .

Description. Forewing length 48–50 mm in males and 50–52 mm in females. Dorsal side of thorax and abdomen black, ventral side of abdomen and thorax white. Dorsal forewing ground color black with green-lemon bands like in P. dido . Ventral surface of hindwings with submarginal band beige with scattered white scales. VHW inner postdiscal band black. VHW submarginal cellular spots fused and large (small in P. o s t a r a ostara ), VHW medial postdiscal band beige scattered with white scales, VHW medial postdiscal band very narrow between veins 2A-1A, (wide in P. o s t a r a ostara ), FW medial green area large (smaller in P. ostara ostara ),VFW medial cell bar dark brown scattered with cream scales and narrow (wide in P. andrei andrei ).

Haploid chromosome number: n=21 (voucher specimen fig.21,22) from N. Venezuela (Aragua, Rancho Grande)

Type material. Holotype male: VENEZUELA: Aragua: Choroni, 350 m, 23 February 2002, J. C. De Sousa leg. Deposited in MIZA, Allotype female: VENEZUELA: Aragua, Catica, 10 m, October 1976, F. Romero leg. ( MIZA). Paratypes: 1 male, VENEZUELA: Aragua: Choroni, 350 m, 23 February 2002, J. C. De Sousa leg. ( JCSC), 3 males, Aragua: Choroni, 200 m, December 2007, R. Romero leg. (CFR), 1 female, Aragua: Cordillera de la Costa, Rancho Grande, 1100 m, June 1972, F. Romero leg. (CFR), 3 females, Aragua: Rancho Grande, Cordillera de la Costa, 1100 m, August 1987, F. Romero leg. (CFR), 1 male, Aragua: Rancho Grande, August 1987, F. Romero leg. (CFR), 2 males, Aragua: Choroni, 250–300 m, 23–24 February 2002, J. C. De Sousa leg. ( JCSC), 1 male: Aragua. Choroni, 200 m, December 2006, J. C. De Sousa leg. ( JCSC), 1 male, Trujillo: Betijoque, La Gira, 550 m, 9 December 1993, J. C. De Sousa leg. ( JCSC); 1 female, Carabobo: San Esteban, C. J. Rosales leg. 19 September 1953 ( MIZA).

Etymology: The name refers to the state of Aragua (the type locality) where this subspecies is found in Venezuela.

Distribution and habitat. P. ostara araguensis flies in premontane and montane forest habitats along the Cordillera de La Costa in the states of Aragua, Trujillo and Carabobo in N. W. Venezuela between 10–1100 m in the Caribbean coast.