Alesa beneluzi Gallard & Fernandez, 2015

Santos, Wildio Ikaro Da Graça, Dolibaina, Diego Rodrigo, Dias, Fernando Maia Silva, Mielke, Olaf Hermann Hendrik & Casagrande, Mirna Martins, 2023, A review of the South American metalmark genus Alesa Doubleday, 1847 (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae: Eurybiini) with the description of two new species, Zootaxa 5284 (1), pp. 77-120 : 85-86

Alesa beneluzi Gallard & Fernandez, 2015

Figs 5–6 , 93

Alesa beneluzi Gallard & Fernandez, 2015 . Bull. Soc. ent. France 120 (2): 135, 137, figs 3, 4 (male v, d); holotype male, French Guiana, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, route d’Apatou, PK 26, piège lumineux, 15-III-2013, S. Fernandez [leg.,]; MNHN.— Gallard, 2017. Riodinidae Guyane, p. 57, pl 10, figs J, I (male d, v).

Diagnosis. Alesa beneluzi is the largest species of the genus with male forewing length of 28mm, n=1, and can also be distinguished by the wings upper side with golden green bands and spots, with shiny scales; forewing upper side postdiscal and submarginal bands wide, occupying most of the space between veins; forewing and hindwing underside ground color pinkish brown; hindwing underside postbasal band straight and not reaching the end of Sc+R 1, and discal band irregular, reaching the end of Rs; postdiscal band sinous; genitalia not examined. Female unknown.

Type material. The holotype male of A. beneluzi was collected in a light trap at the route d’Ápatou , Km 26, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, French Guiana, by Sérgio Fernandez in March 15, 2013, and it is currently deposited at the MNHN .

Distribution. Alesa beneluzi in currently known only from its type locality, an area of tropical Amazon forest lowland in Fench Guiana (Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni) ( Fig. 93 ).

Comments. Alesa beneluzi is one of the last species described for the genus, and it is one of the three species of Alesa only known from the holotype. The species was described based on a male specimen from French Guiana, one of the best sampled areas for Riodinidae in the Neotropics. The wing pattern of A. beneluzi presents a mix of characters observed in different species included in the “ prema group”. For example, A. beneluzi has the wings bands pattern generally similar to A. prema , however, the wings upper side green bands are similar to A. rothschildi and A. juliae sp. nov.. In addition, the evenly rounded hindwing of A. beneluzi differs greatly from the triangular hindwing with projected tornus of A. prema . The male genitalia of A. beneluzi was not examined and the female is not known.

The only known specimen of A. beneluzi was collected in a light trap at 23:30h. Although the uncommon method of capture, this species probably is diurnal and the light trap sampling was accidental. Gallard & Fernandez (2015) suggest that the rarity and the rounded wings of A. beneluzi are probably related to their slow flight associated with forest canopy habitats, such as in its congener A. rothschildi .

Examined material. FRENCH GUIANA — Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni: Rota d’Ápatou (km 26), light trap, 15.III.2013, 1 male, Sérgio Fernandez leg. ( MNHN) (examined from images) .

Figures

FIGURES 93. Geographic distribution of Alesa beneluzi, A. rothschildi and A. juliae sp. nov..

FIGURES 1–6. Males of species of “prema group”, part I, in dorsal and ventral views (left to right). 1–2, A. prema Brazil, Acre: Mâncio Lima, Parque Nacional Serra do Divisor (DZ 34.804). 3–4, A. esmeralda Colômbia, Cauca: river Villalobos (holotype, CJS). 5–6, A. beneluzi French Guiana, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni: route d’Apatou (holotype, MNHN). Scale bar: 1cm.