Philaethria neildi tachiraensis 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 : 14

Philaethria neildi tachiraensis Constantino & Salazar , n. spp.

(Fig. 16,17)

Diagnosis. P. neildi tachiraensis is recognized from P. neildi neildi by the narrow HW inner postdiscal band terra cotte ( P. neildi neild has the inner postdiscal band wider) the medial postdiscal band white, HW postcellular spots very large and FW postmedial green area very large. Discal, medial and postmedial green areas on ventral side of wings do not have silver reflection as in P. dido . This subspecies flies in premontane and montane forest habitats between 100–1200 m in the state of Tachira and Serrania de Perijá in Venezuela. P. neildi tachiraensis contains a haploid chromosome number of n = 52

Description. Forewing length 56–59 mm in males and 58–60 in females. Dorsal side of thorax and abdomen black, ventral side of abdomen and torax white. Dorsal forewing ground color black with green-lemon bands like in P. dido . Ventral surface of hindwings with submarginal band terracotta with scattered white scales. HW inner postdiscal band terracotta, medial postdiscal band white wider (narrow in the nominal species), HW postcellular spots very large and FW postmedial green area very large (in P. d id o are small). HW submarginal cellular spots white and well developed and fused together.The forewing anal cell bar is brown (black in P. dido ). FW medial cell bar terracotta with scattered white scales. HW inner radial sector bar terracotta. Both sexes similar, but female much larger in size.

Type material. Holotype male: VENEZUELA: Táchira, Rio Frio, 600 m, Sierra El Tamá, Parque Nacional El Tamá, August 1985, F. Romero leg. ( MIZA), Alotype female: VENEZUELA: Táchira, Via Chorro del Indio, 1.100 m, ca San Cristobal, May 1985, F. Romero leg. ( MIZA). Paratypes: VENEZUELA: 1 male, Táchira, via Chorro del Indio, 1100 m, May 1987, F. Romero leg. (CFR), Táchira, 1 female, via chorro del Indio, 1100 m, ca San Cristobal, June 1982, F. Romero leg. (CFR), 1 female, Táchira, via chorro del Indio, 1100 m, ca San Cristobal, May 1988, F. Romero leg. (CFR), 2 males, Táchira, La Parada, 1200 m, June 1987, F. Romero leg. (CFR), 1 hembra, Táchira, La Fundación, 1200 m, 2 April 1992, N. Flauger leg. ( CNF), 1 male, Táchira, La Fundación, via Los Naranjos, 1050 m, J. Salcedo leg. ( MIZA). 1 male, Zulia, Sierra de Perijá, 3 January 1951 ( MIZA), 1 female, Kusarí, Sierra de Perija, 3 January 1951 ( MIZA).

Etymology: The name refers to the state of Táchira in Venezuela, the type locality where this subspecies is found.

Distribution and habitat. P. neildi tachiraensis occurs along the Sierra El Tamá between the states of Táchira and Apure in Parque Nacional El Tamá and up to Sierra de Perija in the state of Zulia, between 600–1200 m in premontane forest habitats. It is possible that P. neildi tachiraensis may occur in the Department of Norte de Santander inColombia along the Venezuela-Colombian border. P. neildi tachiraensis flies sympatrically with P. ostara meridensis .