Opoptera arsippe ( Hoppfer, 1874 )

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 arsippe ( Hoppfer, 1874)

( Fig. 1 G, 1K, 2G, 4G, 5G, 5J)

Type locality. Peru.

Diagnosis. Male FW length range 41.7–43.7 mm (based on specimens in Appendix 1). Wings with orange-brown background. FW with a thin orange postmedial band that can be disjointed at cell M3, and a reduced distal arm that does not reach the apical white spots. HW margins with very shallow depressions, as compared to other species of Opoptera . HW with a conspicuous orange marginal band, including the tail. Males lack a thin hairpencil inside HW discal cell, but instead have a conspicuously long, broad and dark hairbrush in the cell that extends over the open scent organ next to vein Cu2. The scent organ next to Cu2 consists of a shallow concavity on the wing surface.

Distribution. Peru, Bolivia? ( Casagrande 2004).

Remarks. I was unable to obtain females of this species for examination. Casagrande (2004) lists two subspecies; the nominal arsippe from Peru, and bracteolata Stichel from Bolivia, elevated here to full species (see below).

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.