Oenomaus atesa (Hewitson)

Faynel, Christophe, Busby, Robert C. & Robbins, Robert K., 2012, Review of the species level taxonomy of the neotropical butterfly genus Oenomaus (Lycaenidae, Theclinae, Eumaeini), ZooKeys 222, pp. 11-45 : 23

Oenomaus atesa (Hewitson)

Distribution, habitat, and remarks.

Oenomaus atesa is a widespread species that has been recorded from Mexico, Panama, western Ecuador, French Guiana, Venezuela, Colombia, eastern Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil (AM, DF, MG, RJ, SP, SC). The vast majority of museum specimens were collected in the lowlands, but males have also been found at 1375-1700 m in western Ecuador and at 2200 m in western Colombia ( Prieto and Dahners 2006).

New material examined.

Venezuela.- 1♀: Venezuela, Aragua, Rancho Grande, 1100 m, 29.V.1985, S.S. Nicolay leg., gen. prep. CF n°404 (USNM). Ecuador.- 2♂: Pichincha 5 km Nanegal-García Moreno Rd, 0°09.2'N, 78°39.4'W, 4.VI.2008, 1375-1700 m, Robert C. Busby leg., gen. prep. CF n°340 (RCB);Napo Province, 14 km S of Tena, 17-18.X.1996, 600 m, Robert C. Busby leg., gen. prep. CF n°347 (RCB). 1♀: Río Chuchuví, Lita vers San Lorenzo km12, 700 m (provincia de Esmeraldas), VIII.2001, Euclides Aldaz leg. (PB). Peru.- 1♀: LO, 180 m, San Salvador, 5 km NNW Contamana, 08°19'S, 75°01'W, 27.XI.2002, D.H. Ahrenholz leg., gen. prep. CF n°403 (USNM). Brazil.- 1♂: DF, Parque do Gama, 950 m, 14.V.1969, S.S. Nicolay leg., gen. prep. CF n°405 (USNM ENT 00180586).

Intraspecific variation.

Despite substantive geographical variation in Oenomaus atesa , we lack sufficient material to determine if this variation might represent more than one species. Females from Venezuela and western Ecuador have more extensive dorsal blue and a somewhat lighter color than females from Panama, French Guiana, eastern Ecuador, and Peru. In addition, males from western Ecuador have more blue on the dorsal forewings than males from eastern Ecuador. However, this variation is small compared to that between males of Oenomaus atesa and Oenomaus lea . For example, the forewing dorsal blue area never reaches the cells from vein R3 to Cu1 as it does in Oenomaus lea . Structure of the female genitalia also varies geographically. Females from Venezuela and Peru have two processes at the posterior end of the lamella postvaginalis while a female from French Guiana had none (see Faynel 2006, p. 29).

Behavior/biology.

Males exhibited territorial behavior on a hilltop in Panama (Canal Area, Gamboa, Cerro Pelado) from 13:15 to 15:30 hours (19 males, 10 different days during the months of January, February, March, April, August, September, October, and December, 15 vouchers in USNM). Similarly, territorial males on a hilltop in Brazil (Santa Catarina, Villa Nova, Serrinha) were observed from 14:40 to 14:55 hours (3 males, March, 3 vouchers in USNM).

Female.

Females are associated with males by their ventral wing pattern, which is unique among the Eumaeini . Characters were noted for distinguishing the ventral wing pattern of Oenomaus atesa from that of Oenomaus lea .

COI DNA sequence.

One male of Oenomaus atesa from French Guiana has been barcoded (CF-LYC-003).