Opoptera aorsa

Penz, Carla M., 2009, The phylogeny of Opoptera butterflies, and an assessment of the systematic position of O. staudingeri (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), Zootaxa 1985, pp. 1-20 : 9-10

aorsa -group

The name of this group is maintained from the original classification by Stichel (1902). Opoptera staudingeri , O. aorsa , O. hilaris , O. arsippe and O. bracteolata form a monophyletic group supported by three unambiguous character changes ( Fig. 3 C): in dorsal view, anterior edge of tegumen markedly concave (character 19:1, Fig. 5 F); presence of projected ‘flaps’ on lateral edges of sterigma (35:1, Fig. 6 D–F); intersegmental sac between seventh abdominal sternite and sterigma with two lateral pockets (37:1, Fig. 6 F). Although I was unable to borrow females of O. arsippe and O. bracteolata for examination, based on the above distribution of character changes I predict that characters 35:1 (or variation thereof) and 37:1 will also be found in these species.

The grouping of O. aorsa , O. hilaris , O. arsippe and O. bracteolata is supported by two unambiguous character changes ( Fig. 3 C): presence of a HW tail at vein M3 (character 9:1; Fig. 1 E); Lateral uncus wings expanded laterally to form two dorsolateral keels (28:2, Fig. 5 D, H). Furthermore, these four species have an angular FW apex due to a small depression of the wing membrane at vein M3 (character 2:2; Fig. 1 D).

Two other character changes are also of interest within this group. Opoptera bracteolata is the only member of the aorsa -group in which the males possess a thin hairpencil inside the HW discal cell (12:1, a secondary gain). Opoptera arsippe is the only species in the genus in which the scent organ at HW vein Cu2 constitutes a shallow depression (15:1, Fig. 1 L) and not a ‘scent-pocket’ (15:2, Fig. 1 K; see Discussion).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Opoptera adult males, dorsal side on the left, ventral side on the right. Scale bar next to A = 1 cm. (A) syme, Brazil, São Paulo. (B) sulcius, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Taió. (C) fruhstorferi, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Taió. (D) aorsa, Brazil, Paraná, Toledo. (E) hilaris, Middle Ecuador. (F) staudingeri, Costa Rica, Heredia, Puerto Viejo. (G) arsippe, Peru, Chuchurras. (H) bracteolata, Bolivia. Schematic representation and photographic detail of the HW discal cell region showing male sent organs. Venation terminology is given in I. Dashed lines represent the scent-pocket next to vein Cu 2. (I) sulcius, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Taió; note thin hairpencil inserted into scent-pocket. (J) hilaris, Bolivia; note the three hairbrushes. (K) staudingeri, note the broad hairbrush inside discal cell. (L) arsippe, Peru, Chuchurras; note the open scent organ and long HW discal cell hairbrush.

FIGURE 3. (A) Tree derived from Stichel (1904) classification showing Sections and Groups. (B) (C) Two most parsimonious trees from the analysis of 37 characters. (C) Most parsimonious tree from the analysis of structural characters only (excluding color characters 3 – 8, 11), where all character changes were traced. Character numbers correspond to list in Appendix 2. Legend for character status follows MacClade 4. Gray numbers below branches are jackknife values for the analysis of the complete matrix, and black numbers are support values for the analysis of structural characters only.

FIGURE 5. Opoptera male genitalia in ventral view (setae omitted from right side of figure), with separate drawings of the juxta and dorsal view of tegumen + uncus. Scale bar next to A = 1 mm. (A) syme, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Nova Friburgo, 01 - 43 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (B) sulcius, Brazil, São Paulo, Pinhal, 06 - 12 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (C) fruhstorferi, South Brazil, 01 - 60 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (D) aorsa, Brazil, Paraná, Toledo, 08 - 17 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (E) hilaris, Ecuador, Oriente, 08 - 34 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (F) staudingeri, Costa Rica, Heredia, Puerto Viejo, 01 - 57 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (G) arsippe, Peru, Chuchurras, 06 - 22 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (H) bracteolata, Bolivia, 01 - 59 Dissected by C. M. Penz. Detail of the gnathos in lateral view, localities same as in F and G. Gnathos of arsippe drawn in ventrolateral view (different angle from that in Fig. 4 F). Scale bar next to H = 1 mm. (I) staudingeri. (J) arsippe.

FIGURE 6. Opoptera female sterigma and corpus bursa (schematic). Line below sterigma indicates the shape of the intersegmental sac. Scale bars next to A = 1 mm, note that sterigma and corpus bursa are in different magnifications. (A) syme, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Petrópolis, 06 - 28 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (B) sulcius, Brazil, Santa Catarina, 01 - 44 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (C) fruhstorferi, Brazil, São Paulo, Itaporanga, 06 - 07 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (D) aorsa, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Nova Friburgo, 01 - 42 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (E) hilaris, Ecuador, Sucumbios, 08 - 37 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (F) staudingeri, Costa Rica, Heredia, Puerto Viejo, 01 - 58 Dissected by C. M. Penz.