Eurema agave (Cramer, 1777)

Nieves-Uribe, Sandra, Llorente-Bousquets, Jorge & Flores-Gallardo, Adrián, 2025, Exochorionic morphology in two species of white Eurema (Pieridae: Coliadinae) and its taxonomic contrast on Euremina proposals, Zootaxa 5621 (1), pp. 111-130 : 120-130

Eurema agave

( Figures 2–3 ). Chorion 853 µm long and 283 wide; three times as long as its maximum diameter; a length (l)/width (w) ratio almost 1/3 (h=7). Color N 00 A 10 M 00. Semifusiform and slightly oblong chorion, with convex base and apex; the apical region is somewhat wider than the basal region ( Fig. 2 A ). The micropyle or micropylar polygon is irregularly hexagonal and surrounded by a rosette of seven petals, one of them anchored to one of the six micropylar openings ( Fig. 2 B – i ). The micropylar polygon is depressed with respect to the rosette, but both have rounded edges ( Fig. 2 B ). The petals show a conspicuous anchorage to the polygon although all have thin lateral walls ( Fig. 2 B ). Petals do not exhibit texture as the foils ( Fig. 2 B – C ). The perimicropylar region shows an irregular wreath of 10 foils in a poorly defined semi-ring; the foils have curved edges and four to six irregular sides ( Fig. 2 C ). The walls of the foils and the external ones of the rosette have almost the same thickness as the rest of the exochorionic grid ( Fig. 2 B – D ). No transition zone posterior to the wreath is distinguished, only the most apical polygons with a marked rough texture compared to those of the perimicropylar zone ( Fig. 2 C – ii, D). The apical pores, possibly aeropyles or hydropyles, start in the cells adjacent to the wreath; they are semicircular and located singly at the vertices of the polygons ( Fig. 2 D – E ). There are 4 – 6 aeropyles at vertices aligned in an apex-equator direction ( Fig. 2 C ), with an incipient rough texture in the lumen of the polygons ( Fig. 2 E – iii). Axes and ribs are not distinct towards the equator, but a grid of irregular polygons with four to six sides ( Fig. 2 , Fig. 3 A ). Almost all of the polygons show the same size ( Fig. 3 A ), although the apical ones are slightly more elongated ( Fig. 2 A, D, E ). A subtle rough texture is present, without forming striae ( Fig. 3 A – i ). The micro-grid is absent. Parallel to the chorionic equator, we recorded 18—20 polygons ( Fig. 2 A ). The grid goes from one pole to another ( Fig. 2 A ), conspicuous from the apex, and fades slightly towards the base ( Fig. 3 B ). The prebasal zone exhibits the same texture, but is more tenuous or with little relief ( Fig. 3 B – C ). The grid keeps its thickness until reaching the base, where aeropyles are observed at some vertices; 3–5 by alignment ( Fig. 3 B – ii, C). In the basal area, the grid and texture are blurred, so it is recorded as almost smooth ( Fig. 3 B ).

Eurema agave :

Ecuador: Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Jesús del Gran Poder, Bosque en recuperación Tanti ( 0°18’25” S, 79°03’26” W), 867 msnm, 15-IV-2011, J. Llorente y C. Hernández-Mejía (ABD-199) .

Figures

FIGURE 2. Chorion of Eurema agave: A. Chirography, B–E. SEM micrographs. A. Exochorion in lateral view; B. Micropyle; C. Perimicropylar region; D. Apex; E. Apical polygons with aeropyles. i. Petal anchored to the micropyle; ii. Texture in the wreath; iii. Roughness in the most apical cells.

FIGURE 3. SEM micrographs of the chorion of Eurema agave agave: A. Equatorial grid; B. Base; C. Basal grid with aeropyles. i. Roughness in equator polygons; ii. Basal aeropyle.