Elina vanessoides Blanchard, 1852

Matz, Jess & Brower, Andrew V. Z., 2016, The South Temperate Pronophilina (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae): a phylogenetic hypothesis, redescriptions and revisionary notes, Zootaxa 4125 (1), pp. 1-108 : 27-28

Elina vanessoides Blanchard, 1852

( Figs. 5 C; 14A–C; 25)

Holotype: (male) BMNH #809684 (Specimen examined) Type Location: Chiloé Island, Chile

Distribution. Can be found in Chile from Auraucanía province to the southernmost border of Los Lagos province in February and March at 20–1100m ( Fig. 25).

Diagnosis. Most similar to Elina montrolii , but smaller, with distinct ocelli on the ventral side of the hindwing, and the ocelli between M1-M2 and M2-M3 on the forewing unpupillated. Ripple pattern on the ventral side of both wings is not as high contrast as in E. montrolii . Postmedian band of the hindwing is deckle-edged on both sides with the proximal border edged in white to ivory and bearing an oval, black, unpupillated ocellus ringed in maize yellow between Rs-M1, M1-M2, CuA1-CuA2. Either one or two similar ocelli are found between CuA2-1A+2A and occasionally between M2-M3.

Redescription. Head: Antennae 10–12mm and sparsely covered in dark coffee scales, terminating in a spatulate club. Eyes oval and hairy, length approximately 1.6X width. Palps with a longitudinal cream to ivory stripe along the median with the dorsal side and ventral side piliform scales dark coffee to black. Terminal palp segment cylindrical and about one-third the length of the second segment.

Thorax dark sepia, nearly black with iridescent black scales and covered in barnwood grey piliform scales that are tipped with ivory. Abdomen dark chocolate with warm medium brown piliform scales dorsally and ventrally ivory to dark chocolate with ivory piliform scales. Foreleg tarsi club-like and with two segments in both sexes. Midlegs and hindlegs with four rows of amber spines on the tibia and tarsus.

Forewing ( Fig. 5 C): Wingspan 35–40mm. Termen slightly concave. The distal end of the discal cell sinuate with the cubital end straighter than the radial end. Males with an androconial patch extending along the cubitus from M3 to just past CuA2 and about 3mm at the widest. Dorsal side dark chocolate to dark chocolate brown, rust orange over the discal cell, and yellow-orange over the postmedian band. Fringe scales are dark chocolate layered over ivory, giving the false appearance of crenulation at the termen. Apical ocelli between M1-M2 and M2-M3 are present as indistinct unpupillated round patches of dark coffee brown. Ventral side dark chocolate brown and rust orange over the discal cell with an orange-yellow to mustard yellow postmedian band. Ripple pattern appears at the costa, extending over the radials where the postmedian band is white at each distal and proximal edge and dark chocolate brown in the center. Postmedian band has an irregular border edged in dark coffee brown that is wide at the costal end, narrow between M3-CuA1, wider between CuA1-CuA2, and narrow again at the inner margin. Apical ocelli between M1-M2 and M2-M3 appear as on the dorsal side, but with the edges a little more defined.

Hindwing ( Fig. 5 C): Wing trapezoidal, termen slightly convex and scalloped. Inner margin excavated between anal vein and 1A+2A. Dorsal side dark chocolate brown with a patch of rust orange between M1-CuA1 over the postmedian band. Postmedian band appears slightly lighter than the rest of the wing between from the costa to M1 and from CuA1 to the tornus with an irregular dark coffee brown border along the distal edge. Fringe scales are as in the forewing and long piliform scales appear at the base and over the discal cell, extending to the median and toward the inner margin. Ventral side with a ripple pattern superimposed over all design elements, dark chocolate and dark coffee from the base to the median, cream and ivory at the proximal edge of the postmedian band, chocolate and dark chocolate from the center to distal edge of the postmedian band, and returning to dark chocolate and dark coffee from the distal edge of the postmedian band to the termen. A lavender patch with a chocolate ripple pattern is situated between the costa and M2 and from the termen to the center of the postmedian band. Postmedian band is deckle-edged on both sides with a thin, crisp outline in dark coffee brown. An oval, black, unpupillated ocellus ringed in maize yellow is situated between Rs-M1, M1-M2, CuA1-CuA2. Either one or two similar ocelli are found between CuA2-1A+2A and occasionally between M2-M3.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 14 A–C): Uncus widest at the base, narrowing gradually toward the distal end and approximately 1.1X the length of the tegumen. Gnathos wide, narrowing gradually toward an acute distal end, serrate at both dorsal side and ventral side edges, and a little less than half the length of the uncus. Pedunculus Ushaped. Saccus U-shaped and more than half the length of the gnathos. Valvae triangular, widest at the median and narrowing gradually toward the proximal end. Aedeagus nearly even in width and truncate at the proximal end.

Specimens examined. Chile, Araucanía Province, (MGCL) 1 male, (CU) 1 male, 1 female; Chile, Los Lagos Province, (BMNH) Holotype 809684 Chile, Chiloe, (BMNH) 809674, (UJ) 2 males; Argentina, unknown province (incorrect?) (BMNH) 809692

Figures

FIGURE 5. Composite habitus images of Elina and Nelia species. The left side of each specimen is the dorsal surface, the right side is the ventral surface. A, B: Elina montrolii (Feisthamel, 1839) male (A) and female (B) (MZUJ); C: Elina vanessoides Blanchard, 1852 male (CUIC); D, E: Nelia nemyroides (Blanchard, 1852) male (D) and female (E) (CUIC); F, G: Nelia calvertii (Elwes, 1903 )) lectotype male (BMNH # 809740) (F), female paralectotype (BMNH # 809739) (G).

FIGURE 14. Male genitalia of Elina and Nelia species. See Fig. 2 for labels of parts. All to the same scale. A – C: Elina vanessoides Blanchard, 1852 (CUIC); D – F: Elina montrolii (Feisthamel, 1839) (CH 25 - 1); G – I: Nelia nemyroides (Blanchard, 1852) (CUIC); J – L: Nelia calvertii (Elwes, 1903) (CUIC).