Brassolis granadensis Stichel, 1902

Bristow, C. Roger, 2008, A review of the genus Brassolis Fabricius in Colombia and Ecuador with description of two new taxa (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), Zootaxa 1806 (1), pp. 47-58 : 53-54

Brassolis granadensis Stichel, 1902

( Plate 2 , figs. 5–8; Plate 3 figs. 1–3)

In the original description of B. granadensis , the type series consisted of 4 males and 1 female from ‘Colombien (?Muzo)’ and 3 males and 2 females from Ecuador (Balzapamba) caught by Haensch. In the Rothschild Collection in the BMNH there is a male with a round red ‘Type’ label, a rectangular red ‘Typus’ label, a white, rectangular, printed label ‘ Colombia, R. Magdalena s e.c. Stichel’, and a handwritten ‘ Br. granadensis Stich. ’. This, which corresponds with the figured specimen, has been designated lectotype. At first sight, the Ecuadorian specimens of the granadensis type series do not appear to be in the BMNH. However, within the series of Brassolis sophorae ardens in the Rothschild Collection are 2 males, similar to lectotype granadensis , and 1 female ( Plate 2 , figs.13&14) from Balzapamba bearing Stichel’s characteristic red ‘typus’ label. As no mention of Balzapamba was made in the original description of ardens, it would appear that these 2 males and 1 female are not part of the type series of ardens, but granadensis . I believe that these three specimens, which match other specimens from west of the Andes in Ecuador, and differ significantly from ardens which occurs east of the Andes, are some of the Ecuadorian types of granadensis . However, although the Colombian and Ecuadorian specimens are similar, there are some consistent small, but significant, differences and I believe that there is a mixed type series and that two taxa are involved: granadensis and isthmia wallengreni ssp. nov. As granadensis is partially sympatric in the Magdalena Valley with an undescribed isthmia taxon, herein named daisye ssp. nov., I am re-instating granadensis as a species.

B. granadensis is most readily identified by the female. Where the forewing band approaches the costal margin, the outer margin of the band is elongated into a flame-like structure (most evident from below—see Plate 3 , fig. 1). In the male, the forewing band extends a short distance (2–3 mm) beyond the distal margin of the cell ( Plate 3 , fig. 3), a feature that it shares with nominate isthmia and i. daisye, but not with i. wallengreni) ( Plate 3 , fig. 12). Additionally, the forewing band in space Cu 1 -Cu 2 extends right up to the cell ( Plate 3 , fig. 12), a character that it shares with wallengreni, but not with nominate isthmia or i. daisye. The forewing band is very slightly wider than any of the subspecies of isthmia .

Plausible locality data for B. granadensis is only known from a limited area (male, Guamoco in AMNH; female, Payande, 20/03/1974, Steinhauser in FLMNH, a male, Otanche, 00/07/ 1983 in MNHN, and 2 males Otanche 00/11/1988 and 00/08/1986, Urbina in JFL) between Latitude 4 and 6°N in the central Magdalena Valley. A male from San José del Guaviare in the JFL Collection is presumably mislabelled .

Figures

PLATE 2 (isthmia and granadensis). 1,2. Brassolis isthmia isthmia female, PANAMÁ: Taboga Island, BMNH. 3,4. Brassolis isthmia isthmia Lectotype male, PANAMÁ: Lion Hill, BMNH. 5,6. Brassolis granadensis Paralectotype female, COLOMBIA: Río Magdalena, BMNH. 7,8. Brassolis granadensis Lectotype male, COLOMBIA: Río Magdalena, BMNH. 9,10. Brassolis isthmia daisye Holotype female, COLOMBIA: Chicorral, BMNH. 11,12. Brassolis isthmia daisye Paratype male, COLOMBIA: Mariquita, UPI. 13,14. Brassolis isthmia wallengreni Holotype female, ECUADOR: Paramba, BMNH. 15,16. Brassolis isthmia wallengreni Paratype male, ECUADOR: Tinalandia, BMNH

PLATE 3 (details). 1,2. Brassolis granadensis female, COLOMBIA: Otanche, JFL. 3. Brassolis granadensis male, COLOMBIA: Río Magdalena, BMNH. 4,5. Brassolis isthmia isthmia female, PANAMÁ: Taboga Island, BMNH. 6. Brassolis isthmia isthmia Lectotype male, PANAMÁ: Lion Hill, BMNH. 7,8. Brassolis isthmia daisye Paratype female, COLOMBIA: Chaparral, ICNO. 9. Brassolis isthmia daisye Paratype male, COLOMBIA: Mariquita, UPI. 10,11. Brassolis isthmia wallengreni Paratype female, ECUADOR: Tinalandia, CRB. 12. Brassolis isthmia wallengreni Paratype male, ECUADOR: Balzapamba (Paralectotype male of Brassolis granadensis), BMNH. 13. Brassolis haenschi haenschi male ECUADOR: Macas, ZMUC. 14. Brassolis haenschi haenschi male ECUADOR: Macas, ZMUC. 15. Brassolis haenschi haenschi male ECUADOR: Macas, ZMUC.