Cithaerias aurorina (Weymer)

Penz, Carla M., Alexander, Laura G. & Devries, Philip J., 2014, Revised species definitions and nomenclature of the rose colored Cithaerias butterflies (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae), Zootaxa 3873 (5), pp. 541-559 : 552-553

Cithaerias aurorina (Weymer) STAT. REV.

( Figs 5 f, 7a, 9)

Callitaera merolina Zikan

Type material: Lectotype is in the Zoologisches Museum, Berlin, Germany http://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/ L/ih/n_ cithaerias 0027_i.htm (last accessed 22 June 2014).

Distribution. Colombia, east of the Andes, and possibly the neighboring area in Brazil. This species might be sympatric with both C. cliftoni and C. aurora . See map ( Fig. 9 ) for examined specimen.

Diagnosis. A single male C. aurorina was examined, which precludes a sound diagnosis. Nonetheless, it matches the photograph in Constantino (1995:73 Fig. 13) in which (1) the postmedial and submarginal bands are slightly arched within the cells, and (2) HW rose scaling is quite diffuse and extended through the discal cell (numbered in Fig. 5 f), a character that is also present in C. cliftoni and C. aurora specimens (variable in both). Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 a): note the large genitalia capsule; in lateral and ventral views, the valva apex is narrower and more elongate than other rose colored species; in dorsal view the tegument plus uncus narrows posteriorly; and in ventral view the rounded shape of the weakly sclerotized subscaphium bears small spines. Females were not available for examination.

Subspecies. None.

Remarks. The specimen in Fig. 5 f, and that illustrated by Constantino (1995:73 Fig. 13) resemble the lectotype of C. merolina more closely than the lectotype of C. aurorina (which has straight HW postmedial and submarginal lines). Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 a) match the illustrations of C. merolina by Zikán (1942:275, Fig. 29) and C. pireta aurorina by Constantino (1995:75, Fig. 44). Although the identification of this taxon is consistent between Constantino (1995) and this study, non-destructive examination of the C. aurorina lectotype genitalia may provide conclusive identification (its abdomen seems intact). It might also provide evidence that C. merolina is a synonym of C. aurorina . See Historical Information, Constantino (1995) and Lamas (1998) for additional details.

Material examined: MALE: 1M Colombia, Amazonas, Rio Loreto Yacu, 11 April 1983, dissection CMP 13- 13 (UFL).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Male genitalia in lateral and ventral views, tegument and uncus in dorsal view, and subscaphium in ventral view. Valva setae shown on one side only. When not clearly visible in the lateral view illustration, the phallus was shown separately. Given that the two parts of the subscaphium (subanal plate and adjacent sclerotized area) rest on the membranous diaphragma, the variation in the shape of the subanal plate includes preparation artifacts. Scale bar Scale bar 1 mm for all images. a, C. aurorina dissection CMP 13 - 13; b, C. pyritosa dissection CMP 14 - 04.

FIGURE 9. Map showing the collecting localities of examined specimens (excluding dubious localities).

FIGURE 5. a – e, C. aurora; f, C. aurorina; g – i, C. pyritosa; dorsal view on the left, ventral on the right. Collecting localities and genitalia dissection codes appear below each specimen.