Johnsonita johnbanksi Bálint, 2003

Bálint, Zsolt, Boyer, Pierre, Cerdeña, José, Larico, Jackie Farfán, Brudecka, Jadwiga Lorenc-, Prieto, Carlos & Pyrcz, Tomasz W., 2021, Contributions to the knowledge of Neotropical Lycaenidae: taxonomy of Johnsonita Salazar & Constantino, 1995 with descriptions of seven new species (Theclinae Eumaeini), Zootaxa 4963 (1), pp. 11-57 : 26-27

Johnsonita johnbanksi Bálint, 2003

( Figs 9 , 18C–D , 21G–I , 24C–D , 32 )

Johnsonita johnbanksi – Bálint 2003: 243.

Type material. Described on the basis of the MUSM holotype male from Peru, set dorsally, in perfect condition, labelled as: “ PERU [//] Amazonas, Chachapoyas [//] Molinopampa-Granada [//] 12.08.2001, 3100 m [//] Leg. B. Calderon [//] Coll. M. Bollino ” (white label, printed). Paratypes (n=6) all from PERU: three CEP-MZUJ paratypes (two males and “ allotype ” female, dissected: male: gen. prep. 382/ J. Lorenc; female: gen. prep. 373/ J. Lorenc), two HNHM paratypes – all from the type locality; and one NMW paratype female from Pedro Ruiz Gallo; all examined .

Material examined (n=6), all from PERU. Amazonas, Molinopampa, 29.VI.1998, J. Wojtusiak & T. Pyrcz ( CEP – MZUJ: male); Amazonas, Pomacocha, 2150 m, 13.VI.2000, Calderon ( CB: 2 males, female); Amazonas, Alto Rio Nieva , 2200–2500 m, VI.2002, B. Calderon ( CEP – MZUJ: female); Amazonas, Chachapoyas, Molinopampa, 2300 m, IX.2002, B. Calderón ( HNHM: male); San Martín, Jorge Chavez, Serranoyacu area , 1500–1600 m, 23.VII. 2006, O. Duviols ( CB: male)

Redescription. Wings. FW costa length: 13–15 mm (n=5, CEP – MZUJ material), apical area of costa and outer margin slightly convex, resulting in a somewhat rounded shape; dorsal wing surface colouration pale azure, black border inner margin reaching the erection of vein M3; HW dorsal surface discal area structurally coloured, and with patch of hairy androconial scales, ventral FW submedial and medial pattern running parallel, HW medial pattern composed of light ruptive dashes supplemented distally with dark spots, postmedial line complete and running from costa to tornus as a faint band; ventral HW submedial area at costa with discal area colour, postmedial pattern composed by conspicuous brown arrow-head markings, inner margin medial area with brown scaling. Androconia present in FW ventral surface postbasal area below the Cubitus and in the HW dorsal wing surface on the discalis where there is a fur and amongst them there are specialized scales. Genitalia. Male valva with rounded costal margin flip and extremely pointed and long valval terminus. Female ductus thin with mostly parallel edges but at 2/3 length divergent, no lower plate, upper plate symmetric and large with thinly sclerotized frame with a single spine.

Diagnosis. This is another species easy to distinguish from congeners on the basis of the dorsal HW androconia and the ventral HW surface with such contrasted pattern, unique in the genus.

Distribution. Geographical: PERU (Amazonas) ( Fig. 32 ); spatial: recorded between 1500–3100 m a.s.l; temporal: recorded in January–February, June and August–September.

Note. Dorsal HW surface discal area in female specimens is covered by long hair-like scales but amongst them there are no specialized scales. The species was dedicated to John Banks (London, UK) who produced many films on butterflies, including South American fauna released in 1996 ( Bálint 2009).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Johnsonita johnbanksi Bálint, 2003 imagines (left column: recto, right column: verso). A–B: male (Peru: Amazonas), C–D: paratype female (Peru: Amazonas) (CEP–MZUJ specimens) (scale bar: 10 mm).

FIGURE 18. Johnsonita genitalia armatures, entire male organs in lateral (left column) and ventral (right column) views. A–B: J. ianusca, Ecuador, Azuay, Cuenca; C–D: J. johnbanksi, Peru, Molinopampa; E–F: J. johnsoni, Ecuador, Riobamba-Macas via Atillo; G–H: J. pardoa, Venezuela, Táchira, P. N. Tama (CEP–MZUJ specimens) (CEP–MZUJ specimens) (scale as indicated).

FIGURE 21. Entire Johnsonita female organs in lateral (left column), ductus in lateral (central column) and ventral (right column) views. A–C: J. chlamydem, Peru, Amazonas, Rodriguez de Mendoza; D–F: J. iacinta, Peru, Pasco-Oxapampa, La Antena; G–I: J. johnbanksi, Peru, Mendoza–Llanuayco; J–L: J. johnsoni, Ecuador, Azuay, Gualaceo-Limón road (CEP–MZUJ specimens) (scale as indicated).

FIGURE 24. Johnsonita mail traits in dorsal hindwing (left column) and ventral forewing subcubital patches (right column) indicated by arrow. A–B: J. oxalida, C–D: J. johnbanksi, E–F: J. subcunicula, G: J. auda.

FIGURE 32. Johnsonita distributions based on museum material examinded. J. johnbanksi = yellow triangle, J. johnsoni = green square, J. pardoa = red circle.