Opoptera bracteolata Stichel, 1901

Penz, Carla M., 2009, The phylogeny of Opoptera butterflies, and an assessment of the systematic position of O. staudingeri (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), Zootaxa 1985, pp. 1-20 : 13

Opoptera bracteolata Stichel, 1901 , NEW STATUS

( Fig. 1 H, 4H, 5H)

Type locality. Bolivia.

Diagnosis. Male FW length range 39.8–41.3 mm (based on specimens in Appendix 1). Wings with orange-brown background. FW orange postmedial band markedly reduced, broken into a series of independent spots that do not reach the anterior FW margin. HW with a thin orange marginal band. Males have a thin hairpencil inside HW discal cell, contrasting other species in the aorsa -group.

Distribution. Bolivia ( Casagrande 2004).

Justification for new status. Opoptera bracteolata shows important differences from O. arsippe that justify full species status. These two taxa have distinctive, easily diagnosable wing color patterns, and males have different wing scent organs (compare Fig. 1 H and G). Opoptera bracteolata and O. arsippe also have rather different male genitalia ( Fig. 4 H and G, 5H and G), and such structural differences further support the notion that they are separate species. It is unknown to me whether these two taxa overlap geographically. Note that the specimen listed by Penz (2007) as O. arsippe actually corresponds to O. bracteolata .

Remarks. I was unable to obtain females of this species for examination.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Opoptera adult males, dorsal side on the left, ventral side on the right. Scale bar next to A = 1 cm. (A) syme, Brazil, São Paulo. (B) sulcius, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Taió. (C) fruhstorferi, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Taió. (D) aorsa, Brazil, Paraná, Toledo. (E) hilaris, Middle Ecuador. (F) staudingeri, Costa Rica, Heredia, Puerto Viejo. (G) arsippe, Peru, Chuchurras. (H) bracteolata, Bolivia. Schematic representation and photographic detail of the HW discal cell region showing male sent organs. Venation terminology is given in I. Dashed lines represent the scent-pocket next to vein Cu 2. (I) sulcius, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Taió; note thin hairpencil inserted into scent-pocket. (J) hilaris, Bolivia; note the three hairbrushes. (K) staudingeri, note the broad hairbrush inside discal cell. (L) arsippe, Peru, Chuchurras; note the open scent organ and long HW discal cell hairbrush.

FIGURE 4. Opoptera male genitalia in lateral view. Scale bar next to A = 1 mm. (A) syme, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Nova Friburgo, 01 - 43 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (B) sulcius, Brazil, São Paulo, Pinhal, 06 - 12 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (C) fruhstorferi, South Brazil, 01 - 60 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (D) aorsa, Brazil, Paraná, Toledo, 08 - 17 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (E) hilaris Ecuador, Oriente, 08 - 34 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (F) staudingeri, Costa Rica, Heredia, Puerto Viejo, 01 - 57 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (G) arsippe, Peru, Chuchurras, 06 - 22 Dissected by C. M. Penz. (H) bracteolata, Bolivia, 01 - 59 Dissected by C. M. Penz. Detail of the valva apex in lateral view, localities same as in F, G and H. Setae omitted. Scale bar next to H = 1 mm. I, staudingeri. J, arsippe. K, bracteolata.