Arcas Swainson, 1832

Martins, Ananda Regina P., Duarte, Marcelo & Robbins, Robert K., 2019, Phylogenetic Classification of the Atlides Section of the Eumaeini (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae), Zootaxa 4563 (1), pp. 119-134 : 125-126

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4563.1.6
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8E2935BD-3608-4BE1-B565-AE50966EE510
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5932758
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0390D93D-7B06-FFAE-FF5B-FC03FCDE7F10
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Arcas Swainson, 1832
status

Treatment

Arcas Swainson, 1832 View in CoL

Type species: Papilio imperialis Cramer

The species currently placed in Arcas have been recognized as a distinct and widespread Neotropical group for more than a century ( Godman & Salvin 1887 –1901; Draudt 1919 –1920). Nicolay (1971) first revised the genus, recognizing seven species. In the ensuing decades, other names were proposed, leading to the phylogenetic revision in Robbins et al. (2012) and the recognition of nine species.

The study of Martins et al. (2018) identified ten synapomorphies for Arcas ( Table 1, Fig. 8), but the emerald green ventral wings, long hindwing tails, and deep anal lobe cleft are conspicuous characterizing traits ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES 1–7 and 9 View FIGURES 9–15 ). The genus can also be recognized by its male and female genitalic structures.

The phylogenetic results in Martins et al. (2018) differ from those in Robbins et al. (2012) in the position where the genus is rooted. The grouping A. splendor + A. alleluia + A. gozmanyi was a monophyletic lineage previously, but because of the changed rooting, is now a paraphyletic group.

Arcas imperialis (Cramer, 1775) (Papilio) , type locality: Surinam

actaeon (Fabricius, 1775) ( Papilio ), type locality:?, suppr. (ICZN, Op. 1058)

venus (Fabricius, 1781) ( Papilio ), type locality: Surinam, repl. name

oakesii (Butler, 1884) ( Theritas ), type locality: Colombia

magnifica Austin & K. Johnson, 1995, type locality: Brazil (RO)

Distribution and Habitat. Mexico to Argentina and southern Brazil in wet lowland forest up to about 1,000 m elevation.

Arcas ducalis (Westwood, [1851] ( Thecla ), type locality: Brazil

Distribution and Habitat. Brazil from RJ to RS in wet lower montane forest in the north and at lower elevations in the south.

Arcas cypria (Geyer, 1837) (Theritas) , type locality: Mexico (YUC)

paphia (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865) ( Pseudolycaena ), type locality: Colombia

publica (Röber, 1923) ( Thecla ), type locality: Colombia

Distribution and Habitat. Mexico to Venezuela and Colombia in wet lowland forest.