A New Species Of Moneuptychia Forster (lepidoptera: Satyrinae, Euptychiina) From The Highlands Of Southeastern Brazil.

This paper describes a new species of Moneuptychia Forster from the summits of the Mantiqueira and Espinhaço mountain ranges in southeastern Brazil, details the morphology of adults and immatures of this species, and discusses the definition of the genus Moneuptychia.36919-2

One-note samba: the biogeographical history of the relict Brazilian butterfly Elkalyce cogina

[Aim] Biogeographically puzzling taxa represent an opportunity to understand the processes that have shaped current species distributions. The systematic placement and biogeographical history of Elkalyce cogina, a small lycaenid butterfly endemic to Brazil and neighbouring Argentina, are long-standing puzzles. We use molecular tools and novel biogeographical and life history data to clarify the taxonomy and distribution of this butterfly.[Location] South America, with emphasis on the Atlantic Rain Forest and Cerrado biomes (Brazil and Argentina).[Methods] We gathered a data set of 71 Polyommatini (Lycaenidae) samples, including representatives of all described subtribes and/or sections. Among these, we contributed new sequences for E. cogina and four additional relevant taxa in the target subtribes Everina, Lycaenopsina and Polyommatina. We inferred a molecular phylogeny based on three mitochondrial genes and four nuclear markers to assess the systematic position and time of divergence of E. cogina. Ancestral geographical ranges were estimated with the R package BioGeoBEARS. To investigate heterogeneity in clade diversification rates, we used Bayesian analysis of macroevolutionary mixtures (bamm).[Results] Our results confirm the hypothesis that E. cogina belongs to the subtribe Everina and not Lycaenopsina, but unexpectedly recovered it as the sister group to the rest of Everina, with an estimated divergence time of approximately 10 Ma. Ancestral geographical range reconstruction points to an old colonization from Asia, the centre of diversity for the Everina, to the New World. The Neotropical Polyommatina lineage diversified to produce almost 100 species in multiple genera, whereas the E. cogina lineage did not diversify at all. Such lack of diversification is unique among the seven Everina/Polyommatina lineages that colonized the New World. We also show that the larvae of E. cogina feed on Fabaceae, supporting the identification of this host-plant family as the ancestral state for the whole group.[Main conclusions] The age and biogeographical reconstruction of the Elkalyce lineage are similar to those of the Neotropical lineage of Polyommatina and suggest that both travelled via the route proposed by Vladimir Nabokov (Asia-Beringia-North America-South America). This coincidence suggests that the climatic conditions at c. 10 Ma favoured dispersal from Asia to the Neotropics and that later events may have erased traces of these butterfly lineages in North America.Funding was provided by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (project CGL2013-48277-P). G.T. is supported by the grant BP-A00275 (AGAUR-Generalitat de Catalunya), Marie Curie Actions FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IOF (project 622716) and the grant 1.50.1617.2013 at Saint Petersburg State University; L.A.K. was supported by CAPES (3200-14-0); A.V.L.F. thanks ICMBio for research permits (SISBIO no. 10802-5), CNPq (fellowship 302585/2011-7 and grant 564954/2010-1), RedeLep-SISBIOTA-Brasil/CNPq (563332/2010-7), the National Science Foundation (DEB-1256742), BR-BoL (MCT/CNPq/FNDCT 50/2010) and FAPESP (grant 2012/50260-6 and BIOTA-FAPESP Programs 2011/50225-3 and 2013/50297-0).Peer Reviewe

A new genus, Atlanteuptychia gen. nov., for Euptychia ernestina (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae)

Atlanteuptychia Freitas, Barbosa & Mielke, gen. nov. is proposed for Euptychia ernestina Weymer, 1911 and illustrated. This taxon lacks the posterior projection of the tegumen, a synapomorphy of Euptychia Hübner, 1818, and does not share morphological synapomorphies with Cyllopsis R. Felder, 1869 and Paramacera Butler, 1868, two Central American genera apparently closely related to Euptychia ernestina, based on molecular data. This evidence supports the proposition of a new genus endemic to the Atlantic Forest, A. ernestina stat. nov.66166

The Amazon river is a suture zone for a polyphyletic group of co-mimetic heliconiine butterflies

The Amazon basin contains few obvious geographic barriers, yet it is the most biodiverse region on Earth. One hypothesis to explain its diversity is that the very large rivers promote allopatric divergence. Consistent with this, maps of heliconiine butterflies made from museum specimens show high subspecies richness close to the Amazon river, suggesting that it may produce or maintain intra-specific phenotypic variability. However, museum data are subject to strong spatial biases (the ‘Wallacean shortfall' of distribution data), raising the possibility that this pattern is a sampling artefact. To test this, we systematically collected along a ~900 km north–south transect running through central Amazonia. We found a significant association between phenotypic diversity and major rivers, with distance from the Amazon river explaining 61% of the variance in the mean polymorphism of 25 species. This association is partly because many species exhibit different phenotypes on either side of the river. Nonetheless, we also find sites with high polymorphism close to the river, indicating continual cross-river dispersal. Our results strongly suggest the presence of a suture zone (a region where multiple species have hybrid zones) near the city of Manaus. However, the effect of the river on spatial patterns of intra-specific phenotypic diversity depends on a species' mimetic phenotype. Rather than being absolute barriers, our results support the idea that rivers can act as partial barriers that trap moving hybrid zones, resulting in a suture zone. As such, the wide Amazonian rivers help generate and maintain colour pattern diversity, but to date there is no evidence that they lead to speciation in our study group

Two New Species of \u3ci\u3eHermeuptychia\u3c/i\u3e from North America and Three Neotype Designations (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae)

Abstract Two new species of Hermeuptychia Forster, 1964 are described. Hermeuptychia sinuosa Grishin, sp. n. (type locality Guatemala: El Progreso, Morazán) is an isolated member of the genus that does not readily fit into known species groups, as suggested by its distinct male and female genitalia and COI DNA barcode sequences. It is distinguished from its congeners by prominently wavy submarginal lines, rounder wings and distinctive genitalia, and can typically be identified by a white dot, instead of an eyespot, near the ventral hindwing apex. Hermeuptychia occidentalis Grishin, sp. n. (type locality Mexico: Guerrero, Acapulco) belongs to the Hermeuptychia sosybius group as indicated by the presence of androconia on the dorsal surface of the wings, genitalia and COI DNA barcodes, and in addition to DNA characters, differs from its relatives in the shape of the uncus and female genitalia. Neotypes of Oreas strigata canthe Hübner, [1811] (type locality Suriname: Gelderland, Suriname River), Megisto acmenis Hübner, 1823 (type locality Argentina: Buenos Aires), and Satyrus cantheus Godart, [1824] (type locality USA: Florida, Pinellas County, St. Petersburg) and lectotype of Euptychia celmis var. bonaërensis [sic] Burmeister, 1878 (type locality Argentina: Buenos Aires) are designated. These designations establish Hermeuptychia canthe as a valid species widely distributed in South America from Colombia to Bolivia and southeast Brazil, Euptychia celmis var. bonaërensis [sic] Burmeister, 1878 as a junior objective synonym of Yphthimoides acmenis, and S. cantheus as a junior subjective synonym of Hermeuptychia sosybius (Fabricius, 1793). Papilio camerta Cramer, 1780 is treated as nomen dubium requiring further studies to determine an identity that is consistent with the original description, as it may be conspecific with Paryphthimoides poltys (Prittwitz, 1865) instead of being a Hermeuptychia species as currently assumed. Resumen Se describe dos nuevas especies de Hermeuptychia Forster, 1964. Hermeuptychia sinuosa Grishin, sp. n. (localidad tipo Guatemala: El Progreso, Morazán), es un componente aislado del género que no encaja fácilmente en los grupos de especies conocidas, como lo indica su distintiva genitalia masculina y femenina y las secuencias de ADN del código de barras COI. Se distingue de sus congéneres por tener líneas submarginales prominentemente onduladas, alas más redondas y genitales diferentes, y se puede identificar típicamente por un punto blanco, en lugar de una mancha ocular, cerca del ápice ventral del ala anterior. Hermeuptychia occidentalis Grishin, sp. n. (localidad tipo México: Guerrero, Acapulco) pertenece al grupo de Hermeuptychia sosybius como lo indica la presencia de androconia en las alas anteriores, la estructura genital y secuencias de ADN de la región del código de barras COI, y además de caracteres del ADN, se diferencia de sus parientes en la forma del uncus y la genitalia femenina. Se designa neotipos para Oreas strigata canthe Hübner, [1811] (localidad tipo Surinam: Gelderland, Río Surinam), Megisto acmenis Hübner, 1823 (localidad tipo Argentina: Buenos Aires), y Satyrus cantheus Godart, [1824] (localidad tipo Estados Unidos: Florida, Pinellas County, St. Petersburg), y el lectotipo de Euptychia celmis var. bonaërensis [sic] Burmeister, 1878 (localidad tipo Argentina: Buenos Aires). Estas designaciones establecen a Hermeuptychia canthe como una especie válida ampliamente distribuida en América del Sur desde Colombia hasta Bolivia y el sureste de Brasil, a Euptychia celmis var. bonaërensis [sic] Burmeister, 1878 como sinónimo objetivo más reciente de Yphthimoides acmenis, y a S. cantheus como sinónimo subjetivo más reciente de Hermeuptychia sosybius (Fabricius, 1793). Papilio camerta Cramer, 1780 es tratado como un nomen dubium requiriendo más estudios para determinar una identidad que sea consistente con la descripción original, ya que puede ser coespecífica con Paryphthimoides poltys (Prittwitz, 1865) en lugar de ser una especie de Hermeuptychia como se asume actualmente. COI = c oxidase subunit

A new subspecies of Adelpha messana (C. Felder & R. Felder) from the Brazilian Atlantic forest (Nymphalidae: Limenitidinae)

Article published in the journal Tropical Lepidoptera Research

Morphology And Behavior Of The Early Stages Of The Skipper, Urbanus Esmeraldus, On Urera Baccifera, An Ant-visited Host Plant.

The Neotropical genus Urbanus (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) contains around 34 described species, and is widely distributed from the extreme southern United States to Argentina. Here, we describe the larval morphology and behavior of Urbanus esmeraldus (Hübner)(Hesperiidae) in Urera baccifera (Urticaceae), a plant producing food rewards and fleshy fruits that attract ants (including predacious species) in a Brazilian forest. Larvae pass through five instars and construct two kinds of leaf shelters. Experiments with ejected fecal pellets showed that these can serve as cues to ground-dwelling ants that climb onto host plants and potentially attack the larvae. Manipulation with pellets placed at different distances suggests that ejection behavior decreases larval vulnerability to ant predation. Larval preference for mature leaves may be related with increased predation risk at ant-visited young leaves. The study shows that a combination of natural history and experimental data can help understand the life history of a butterfly using a plant with high predation risk.125

The effects of four types of anthropogenic disturbances on composition and abundance of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea)

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is currently reduced to about 12% of its original range. Among the components that make up its great diversity, there are species with the potential to be bioindicators, which can be very important for conservation-oriented studies. This study compares the species composition, abundance and sex ratio of terrestrial isopods in sites that show different anthropogenic disturbance histories and are located within four reserves in the Atlantic Forest of southwestern Brazil. Our study explores these crustaceans as indicators of anthropogenic disturbance. The influence of one of the following factors was explored in each protected area: 1) history of vegetation harvesting, 2) trail management, 3) Eucalyptus planting, and 4) edge effect. A total of 2,217 individuals of six species (Atlantoscia sp., Benthana werneri Lemos de Castro, 1958, Pseudodiploexochus tabularis (Barnard, 1932), Pudeoniscus obscures Lemos de Castro, 1973, Styloniscus spinosus (Patience, 1907), and Trichorhina sp.) were captured in pitfall traps. The composition of isopod species was different between most of the contrasting sites within reserves, and was similar among the less disturbed sites of different reserves. The total number of isopod individuals and the sex ratio were not different between the contrasting sites within most of the reserves and only the sex ratio of Atlantoscia sp. differed between contrasting sites of one protected area. Upon an individual analysis of each species, S. spinosus (an exotic species) was most abundant in more disturbed sites. The distributions of B. werneri and Atlantoscia sp. over time were relatively synchronous, except where S. spinosus was abundant. Our results also indicate that the exotic species S. spinosus may benefit from the vegetation mosaic produced by disturbance, so differences in abundance of this species may be useful for bioindication. A change in the spatial and temporal structure of Oniscidea communities caused by anthropogenic disturbance may have a cascade effect on ecological cycles because terrestrial isopods play a fundamental role in nutrient cycling.637