Penaincisalia saraha ( Johnson, 1992 ), 2004

Prieto, Carlos, Bálint, Zsolt, Boyer, Pierre & Micó, Estefanía, 2008, A review of the “ browni group ” of Penaincisalia with notes on their distribution and variability (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Eumaeini), Zootaxa 1941 (1), pp. 1-24 : 20-22

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.1941.1.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/18028E68-FFA1-AA53-6296-BFDFFBFCFE95
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Penaincisalia saraha ( Johnson, 1992 )
status

Treatment

Penaincisalia saraha ( Johnson, 1992)

( Figs. 6–9, 27 View FIGURES 26–33 , 35 View FIGURES 34–43 , 45 View FIGURES 44–49 , 51)

Pons saraha Johnson, 1992: 25 , Figs. 20, 116.

Thecloxurina pantanosa Johnson & Adams, 1993: 1 , figs Plate II, 2A, 1 A. Type: holotype female, COLOMBIA: Depto. Cauca, between Leticia and Puracé km 131, 2850m, eastern slope of Central Cordillera , 9 August 1979, Leg. M. Adams & G. Bernard, speciemen #M79 407, deposited in BMNH.

Pons pantanosa ( Johnson & Adams, 1993) Bálint & Wojtusiak, 2001: 379 .

Penaincisalia saraha ( Johnson, 1992) Robbins, 2004 : pag. 121.

Type material “ Pons saraha ”: Holotype Male: ECUADOR Carchi, vicinity Tufino, 3500m, Leg. De Lafebre , deposited in AME.

Taxonomic history: P. saraha was described by Johnson (1992) on the basis of the male holotype specimen from Ecuador. Later, Johnson & Adams (1993) described a brown female as Thecloxurina pantanosa . Bálint & Wojtusiak (2001) transferred T. pantanosa to Pons , but it was erroneously associated with P. magnifica . Subsequently Robbins (2004) synonymized P. saraha with P. pantanosa . We have collected more male and female specimens of P. saraha in the type locality and examined material from Ecuador and confirm that the opposite sexes described as different taxa were correctly associated by Robbins (2004).

Diagnosis: P. saraha can be confused with P. browni as both species possess very similar dorsal and ventral wing surfaces. However, P. saraha has an orange hindwing fringe while in P. browni this fringe is entirely white or it contains only some orange scales. In the P. saraha male hindwing CuA1 cell there is a triangular orange patch, which never turns up in examining P. browni specimens. The outer margin of P. saraha male hindwings is rounder and the purple on the dorsal surface is darker than in P. browni . The androconial brand is darker and rounder than in P. browni . However the major difference among both species is the shape of the ventral keel in the valvae, which is wide and rounded in P. browni while it is small and pointed in P. saraha . The female of P. saraha is most readily distinguished from other “ browni group” females by having entirely brown dorsal surface. These two similar species flies together in several localities in Colombia and Ecuador.

Identification. Male. Dorsal surface: both wings dark purple except for a black border (approximately 4mm) at submarginal and marginal area of wings, forewing androconial cluster (approximately 1/3 – 1/4 discal cell length) oval in shape and dark gray. Ventral surface: ground color of both wings brown, slightly incurved dark brown forewing medial band. Forewing submarginal elements appear as a diffuse band. Distance between medial and submarginal bands is less than two times length between submarginal band and wing margin (at CuA2 cell level), hindwing discal margin appears as an irregular, zigzag dark brown medial band crossing the wing and sometimes bordered by white scales, hindwing submarginal elements appear as in the forewing. Hindwing fringe entirely formed from red orange scales.

Body: Thorax dark brown, abdomen dark brown dorsally and orange ventrally.

Genitalia: Eighth abdominal tergite simple and in shape rectangle; caudal extension of valvae in lateral view approximately 1/3 length of valvae. Ventral keel of the valvae small and pointed ( Fig. 35 View FIGURES 34–43 ).

Female. Wing shape: hindwing apex rounded and anal tail occurring as a lateral lobe accompanied with a long tail extending from vein CuA2. Dorsal surface: Both wings brown. Ventral surface: Ground color of both wings light brown. Basal disc, medial and submarginal bands as in the male.

Genitalia: Posterior region of ductus bursae two times longer than anterior region. The anterior and posterior sections of ductus bursae are not divided for a conspicuous membranous area.

Distribution: Spatial: Known from several localities in Ecuador and the “central cordillera” of Colombia ( Fig. 51), and western Venezuela; inhabiting upper cloud forests from 3000m to 3700m. Temporal: Known from January, February, August, September and October.

Biology: Colombian males were usually encountered perching or flying as solitary individuals or in groups on hilltops. They rested on trees 4 meters above the ground from middle day to mid afternoon. Nothing is known about early stages and host plants.

Remarks: Because of their great similarity and their sympatry, the species triad P. browni - P. saraha - P. vittata were confused. It would be an appealing study to detect the factors which control the biology of these taxa. Very recently two male specimens were collected in western Venezuela (see material examined). On the basis of the characters provided by the male genitalia valvae keel and wing pattern we identify these specimens as P. saraha .

Material examined (38 ♂, 7♀)

COLOMBIA: Caldas: 1 ♂ CP: Manizales, Alto de Letras , 3700m, 06.VIII.06, m849, Leg. C. Prieto / Cauca: 2 ♂ * CP: PNN Puracé, Pilimbalá , 3100m, 21–22.IX.06. m945, m953. Leg. C. Prieto ./ 1 ♀ * CP: PNN Puracé , 3300m, 1999, Leg. C. Prieto, m033 . / Chocó: 1 ♂ IAvH: Sipí, alto río Garrapatas , 800m (!?), 2.IV.96, Leg. J. Salazar, Leg. SM –5676. IAvH 9547 ./ 1 ♀ CP: PNN Puracé , VIII. 2007, 3350m. Leg. Prieto & Pyrcz .

ECUADOR: Tungurahua: 8 ♂ * HNHM : Tungurahua volcán, vía Baños– Pondoa , 3200m – 3375m, 17–20. I. 2002. Leg. Wojtusiak & Garlacz. / 1 ♀ HNHM : Tungurahua volcán, vía Baños- Pondoa , 3200m – 3375m, 17–20. I. 2002. Leg. Wojtusiak & Garlacz. / 20 ♂ MZUJ : Prov . Tungurahua, Volcán Tungurahua, Baños-Pondoa road, 3200–3400m, 17–20.I.2002, Leg. J. Wojtusiak & Garlacz. / 1 ♀ MZUJ : Prov . Tungurahua, Baños , I.2005, 3500m, Leg. O. Velastegui. / 1 ♀ * MZUJ : Prov . Tungurahua, Baños , I.2005, 3500m, Leg. O. Velastegui. / 1 ♀ MZUJ : Prov . Tungurahua, Laguna de San Borja , 3400m, 2005, Leg. O. Velastegui. / 1 ♀ HNHM : Tungurahua volcán, vía Baños- Pondoa , 3200m – 3375m, 17–20. I. 2002. Leg. Wojtusiak & Garlacz ./ Napo: 2 ♂ * MZUJ : Prov . Napo, Papallacta , las termas, 20.VIII.04, 3550m, Leg. Wojtusiak & Pyrcz ./ Imbabura: 1 ♂ MZUJ : Imbabura-Lita , 900m (!?), X.2001, Leg. J. Wojtusiak ./ Azuay: 1 ♂ PB: Azuay, Gualaceo vs Limón road km 24, 3200m, XII.2003, Leg. E. Aldas .