Penaincisalia purpurea ( 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 : 18-19

Penaincisalia purpurea ( Johnson, 1992)

( Figs. 14–17, 29 , 40–41 , 46 , 55)

Pons purpurea Johnson, 1992: 24 , figs 19, 115; D´Abrera (1995): Pag. 1140; Bálint & Wojtusiak (2001): Figs 5, 6. Thecloxurina amazona Bálint & Wojtusiak, 2003: 380 , figs. 37– 38 holotype female, Perú, Amazonas, Chachapoyas,

Molinopampa, Granada, 12.VIII.01, 3100m, Leg. B. Calderón, Coll. M. Bollino, deposited in MUSM. Penaincisalia purpurea ( Johnson, 1992) Robbins, 2004 : pag. 121

Type material “ Pons purpurea ”: Holotype male, PERU: Agualani, S. E. 9000 ft, March 1904, Leg. Ockenden, deposited in BMNH.

Taxonomic history: P. purpurea was described by Johnson (1992) based on a male specimen from Peru. Thecloxurina amazona was described also on the basis of a single but female specimen from northern Peru ( Bálint & Wojtusiak, 2003). Robbins synonymized P. purpurea and T. amazona and transferred both taxa to Penaincisalia .

Diagnosis: The superficially closest species, P. caeruleonota , has a similarly colored male dorsal surface and shaped androconia, but in P. purpurea the forewing apical area is more pointed and in the hindwing tornus the blue scaling is lacking. The ventral medial band in the forewing is straight and dark brown with hardly or not at all visible discal spot (bent and lighter brown with conspicuous discal spot in P. caeruleonota ).

Identification. Male. Dorsal surface: Both wings dark purple except for a broad black distal border (approximately 3 mm on forewing and 5 mm on hindwing) at submarginal and marginal area of wings. Forewing androconial cluster big (approximately 1/3 – 1/4 length of the discal cell) oval in shape and dark gray to black. Ventral surface: Ground color of both wings reddish brown, forewing medial band straight and brown. Forewing submarginal elements appear as six small and differentiated brown spots. Distance between medial and submarginal bands with two times length as between submarginal band and wing margin (at CuA2 cell level). Hindwing discal margin appears as an irregular, zigzag brown medial band crossing entire wing surface. Hindwing submarginal elements appear as in forewing.

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

Genitalia: Eighth abdominal tergite simple and in shape rectangle; valval caudal extension long, in lateral view approximately 1/3 total valval length. Ventral keel blunt and ascendant.

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 iridescent blue with a broad black distal border (approximately 4mm in width) in submarginal and marginal wing areas. Ventral surface: Ground color of both wings reddish brown. Basal disc, medial and submarginal bands as in male.

Genitalia: ductus bursae hardly robust and sclerotized, anterior portion expanded, reminiscent of an inverted funnel ( Fig. 46 ).

Distribution: Spatial: Known from several localities in Peru and Ecuador ( Fig. 55). Temporal: Known from February, March, April, May and October.

Biology: Nothing is known about the early stages and host plant.

Remarks: We have examined the holotype of P. purpurea and a large series of specimens from Peru (deposited in PB collection) and from Ecuador (deposited in JFLC). The Peruvian males have ventral wing surface ground color reddish brown, and the shape of the male genital valval keel differs notably, with the caudal extension much longer and prominent ( Fig. 41 ) than in Ecuadorian males ( Fig. 40 ). Because at this moment there is weak support for treating amazona as distinct, hence we follow Robbins’ treatment. However, knowing the consistency of the valvae shape in the other members of this group, a future more precise study could demonstrate that the males we associate with T. amazona vary substantially of those males of P. purpurea , and eventually indicate these phenotypes constitute two biological species.

Material examined (27 ♂, 6 ♀)

PERÚ: 1 ♂ HNHM: Cuzco : S. Luís, 70km östl. V. Cuzco , S.O, 2800m, XI.1973, Leg. Köning / 5 ♂ * PB: Abra Acjanaco vs Pillcopata Km 10, 24.II.2005, 3000/ 3100m, Leg. Boyer . / 5 ♂ PB: Acjanaco vs Boca Manu, 3000m, 15.IV.2005, Leg. Duviols, Boyer ./ 1 ♂ PB: Carrizales, 3200m, Malaga vs Quillabamba, Marzo 2005, Leg. Böttger. / Pasco : 1 ♂ PB: La Antena, Oxapampa , 2700m, Abril, 2005, Leg. J. Bötger ./ 3 ♂ PB: (Pasco), La Antena , près de Oxapampa, 2500/ 2700m, Leg. J. Böttger ./ 5 ♀ PB: (Pasco), La Antena , près de Oxapampa, 2500/ 2700m, Leg. J. Böttger ./ 1 ♀ * HNHM: Junín , Las Vegas, N 2 km, Oroya-Junín road, 3850m, 16.VIII.2002, Leg. T. Pyrcz .

ECUADOR: Loja: 10 ♂ * JFLC: Yangana , Loja, 2500–2900m, X.00, Leg. I. Aldas. / 1 ♂ HNHM: vía Loja-Cuenca km 50, 3100m, 12.III. 200?, Leg. M. Bollino .

Figures

FIGURES 26–33. Androconial clusters of the “browni group”. 26, P. browni; 27, P. saraha; 28, P. caeruleonota; 29, P. purpurea (Ecuador); 30, P. magnifica; 31, P.cuiva; 32, P.regala; 33. P. vittata.

FIGURES 34–43. Left valva in lateral view. 34, P. browni; 35, P. saraha; 36, P. caeruleonota (Loja, Ecuador) indicating the ventral keel; 37, P. caeruleonota (“Volcan Cabogana”, Ecuador); 38, P. vittata; 39, P.regala; 40, P. purpurea (Ecuador); 41, P. purpurea (Perú); 42, P.cuiva; 43, P. magnifica.

FIGURES 44–49. Female genital structures of the “browni group”. 44, P. browni (indicating the relation of posterior (p) and anterior (a) regions of the ductus bursae; 45, P. saraha; 46, P. purpurea; 47, P. magnifica; 48, P.cuiva; 49, P. vittata.