Philaethria neildi neildi Constantino & Salazar

Constantino, Luis Miguel & Salazar, Julian A., 2010, A review of the Philaethria dido species complex (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae) and description of three new sibling species from Colombia and Venezuela, Zootaxa 2720, pp. 1-27 : 12-14

Philaethria neildi neildi Constantino & Salazar , n. sp.

(Fig. 13,14)

Diagnosis. P. n e i l d i is one of the largest Philaethria species reaching a wingspan of 56–60 mm from base to apex ( P. dido dido has a mean wingspan of 49 mm). P. neildi is recognized from P. dido dido by the VHW inner postdiscal band terracotta, (red in P. dido , and brown in P. o s t a r a and P. browni ), medial postdiscal band white, HW postcellular spots very large and FW postmedial green area very large. VHW submarginal cellular spots white and well developed and separated by a black line. DFW green subapical spot well developed. Discal, medial and postmedial green areas on ventral side of wings do not have silver reflection as in P. dido . This species flies in premontane and montane forest habitats between 100–1500 m along the Cordillera de Merida in Venezuela unlike P. dido dido that flies in lowland rain forest in the Amazon basin (100–200 m).

Description. Forewing length 56–58 mm in males and 58–60 in females. Dorsal side of thorax and abdomen black, ventral side of abdomen and thorax white. Dorsal forewing ground color black with green-lemon bands like in P. dido . Ventral surface of hind wings with sub marginal band terracotta with scattered white scales. VHW inner postdiscal band terracotta and wide (brown and very narrow in P. ro m e ro i), medial postdiscal band white (cream and wide in P. romeroi and narrow in P. browni ), HW postcellular spots very large and FW postmedial green area very large (in P. d i d o are small). The forewing anal cell bar is brown (black in P. dido ).VFW medial cell bar terra cotta with scattered white scales. VHW inner radial sector bar terracotta. Both sexes similar, but female much larger in size.

Haploid chromosome number: n=52 (voucher specimen fig.15) from N. Colombia.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 37 ): As illustrated. Saccus long and slightly curved distally (short in P. dido ), vinculum stout, slightly curved and swollen, tegumen rounded distally with setae at the base of the uncus; uncus long and straight, tapering gradually to pointed tip; gnathos long and curved distally; valvae with a long basal hook curved forward, reaching the medial area of the uncus; valvae with a swollen arm with a round head armed with microspines all over; aedeagus long and straight, tapering gadually to pointed tip.

Type material. Holotype male: VENEZUELA: Barinas, ca. km 20 San Miguel, 950 m, 26 October 1998, A. Neild leg. Deposited in MIZA. Alotype female: VENEZUELA: Barinas, ca. km 20 San Miguel, 950 m, 26 October 1998, A. Neild leg. ( MIZA). Paratypes: VENEZUELA: 1 male, Barinas, La Chimenea, 1500 m, 28 May 1973, J. Salcedo leg. ( MIZA). 2 males, 1 female, Aragua: Rancho Grande, 1100 m, August 1987, F. Romero leg. (CFR) Etymology: This species is named for Andrew Neild, author of the series Butterflies of Venezuela, who collected the type material and whose collection supplied important information on the distribution of this species. Distribution and habitat. P. neildi neildi occurs along the Cordillera de Merida on the eastern slope in the state of Barinas, between 900–1500 m in premontane forest habitats and along the Cordillera de La Costa in the state of Aragua. P. n e il di flies sympatrically with P. o s t a r a and P. browni at high altitudes.

Host plant and immature stages. unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 32 – 41. Male genitalia, with aedeagus removed in lateral view. 32. P. diatonica. 33. P. dido 34. P. constantinoi. 35. P. wernickei. 36. P. pygmalion. 37. P. neildi. 38. P. andrei. 39. P. o s t a r a. 40. P. browni. 41. P. romeroi. Scale line 1 mm.