Thecloxurina loxurina (Felder and Felder, 1865)

Bálint, Zsolt, Vértesy, Zofia & Biró, László P., 2005, Microstructures and nanostructures of high Andean Penaincisalia lycaenid butterfly scales (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): descriptions and interpretations, Journal of Natural History 39 (31), pp. 2935-2952 : 2941

Thecloxurina loxurina

( Figures 1D , 5 )

The dorsal colour is iridescent Lyons Blue ( Figure 1D ). The scales are tile- or shovelshaped with slight anterior dentation ( Figure 5A ) or are not dentate ( Figure 5B ). The dentate tile-shaped scales are long with a length/width ratio of 3/1 (150/ 50 mm); the shovelshaped scales are wider with a length/width ratio of 5/3 (100/ 60 mm). The non-dentate scales are intermediate with a length/width ratio of 2/1 (120/ 60 mm). The slightly toothed scales possess moderate longitudinal ridges with flutes. They merge with curved cross ribs with rectangular shaped microcells. The space between the cross ribs is approximately 0.5 mm, but slightly irregular. The microcells are widely open, nanostructured material fragments and the trabeculae, plus the reverse surface of the scale, can be clearly seen ( Figure 5C ). There are identically microstructured scales with pepper-pot nanostructures ( Figure 5D ). The square-ended and non-dentate scales possess high longitudinal ridges with very closely set v-shaped cross ribs ( Figure 5E ). They form rectangular, but very narrow and almost completely closed, microcells. The spaces between the cross ribs are less than 0.3 mm wide; their sequence is regular. The microcells have a single circular nanostructure opening below their base. Pepper-pot nanostructures can be seen beneath the openings ( Figure 5F ).

Figures

Figure 1. Lycaenid butterfly species investigated showing male dorsal wing surfaces. (A) Penaincisalia aurulenta Johnson, 1990 (Peru: PN Huascarán, Quebrada Demanda; HNHM); (B) Penaincisalia perezi Bálint, 2001 (Peru: PN Husacarán; Llanganuco; HNHM paratype); (C) Penaincisalia culminicola (Staudinger, 1894) (Peru: PNB Huascarán, Llanganuco; HNHM); (D) Thecloxurina loxurina (Felder and Felder, 1865) (Ecuador: Carchi, Res. Forest. Golondrinas; HNHM); (E) Thecloxurina atymna (Hewitson, 1870) (Ecuador: Zamora, Cord. Lagunillas; HNHM); (F) Thecloxurina atymna (Hewitson, 1870) (Ecuador: Azuay, Cuenca; HNHM).

Figure 5. Scanning electron micrographs of Thecloxurina loxurina scale microstructures. (A) Tile- or shovel-shaped scales with anterior dentation; (B) no anterior dentation; (C) moderate longitudinal ridges with flutes, curved cross ribs, pepper-pot layers; (D) deep-laying pepper-pot layers; (E) high longitudinal ridges, very closely set v-shaped cross ribs; (F) microcells with small circular opening in abyss.