Morys valda Evans, 1955

Zhang, Jing, Cong, Qian, Shen, Jinhui & Grishin, Nick V., 2022, Taxonomic changes suggested by the genomic analysis of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera), Insecta Mundi 2022 (921), pp. 1-135 : 68

Morys valda Evans, 1955 confirmed status, is the type species of Morys Godman, 1900

Proposed for a single species Apaustus valerius Möschler, 1879 (type locality Colombia), genus Morys Godman, 1900 was diagnosed among other characters by genitalia agreeing with those of Morys valda Evans, 1955 , figured “from Mexican examples” ( Godman and Salvin 1900a). Godman’s descriptions of Morys and A. valerius do not apply to Cobalopsis , the genus to which A. valerius belongs (see above). Therefore, it is apparent that Godman incorrectly associated the holotype of A. valerius , which is a female of Cobalopsis (see above), with specimens of a taxon later named Morys valerius valda by Evans and elevated to species by Llorente et al. (1990). Due to genetic differences, for example, COI difference 2.7% (18 bp) we confirm the species status of M. valda . Thus, Godman’s application of the name A. valerius to these specimens is a misidentification. To secure the applicability of Godman’s description and ensure stability in continuing usage of the genus name, under Article 70.3.2. of the ICZN Code we fix the type species of Morys as Morys valda Evans, 1955 , misidentified as Apaustus valerius Möschler, 1879 in the original description of the genus Morys (type species by monotypy) by Godman in Godman and Salvin (1900a). Below, we propose to treat Morys as a subgenus of Lerema Scudder, 1872 .