Penaincisalia regala ( Le Crom & Johnson, 1997 ), 2004

Prieto, Carlos, Bálint, Zsolt, Boyer, Pierre & Micó, Estefanía, 2008, A review of the “ browni group ” of Penaincisalia with notes on their distribution and variability (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Eumaeini), Zootaxa 1941 (1), pp. 1-24 : 19-20

Penaincisalia regala ( Le Crom & Johnson, 1997) revised status

( Figs 22–23, 32 , 39 , 54 )

Pons regala Le Crom & Johnson, 1997: 1 , fig. 1A, 1B; Plate VI A, VI B.

Penaincisalia regala ( Le Crom & Johnson, 1997) Robbins, 2004: 121 .

Type material “ Pons regala ”: Holotype male, deposited in FSCA. COLOMBIA: El Tablazo, Subachoque , Cundinamarca, 3450m, 6.III.94, Leg. J. F. Le Crom.

Taxonomic history: P. regala was described by Le Crom & Johnson (1997) on the basis of eight male specimens and a female, all from Colombia. Bálint & Wojtusiak (2001) synonymized P. regala with P.saraha , based on examining the figures supplied to the original description. Lately, Robbins (2004) considered P. regala as synonym of P. browni , probably based on the features of the females of those two species. However, P. regala is an endemic species of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia and we consider it as a valid species.

Diagnosis: The male of P. regala is most readily distinguished from other “ browni group” species by having small, round white androconial brands. P. regala can be confused with P. browni but differ from that by having a sky blue dorsal surface and by a smaller, rounder and lighter androconial brand (oval, large big and grayish in P. browni ).

Identification. Male. Dorsal surface: Both wings sky blue except for a narrow distal black border (approximately 1mm wide) in submarginal and marginal wing areas, forewing androconial brand small (approximately 1/5 discal cell length), round in shape and white. Ventral surface: Both wings ground color reddish brown, medial band straight and brown. Forewing submarginal elements appear as six small and differentiated brown spots, hindwing discal margin appears as short, irregular, zigzag brown medial band crossing entire wing surface, hindwing submarginal pattern as in forewing.

Body: Thorax and abdomen dark brown dorsally, orange ventrally.

Genitalia: Eighth abdominal tergite simple and in shape rectangle; valval caudal extension in lateral view with approximately 1/3 length valval length. Ventral keel pointed.

Female. Wing shape: hindwing apex rounded and anal tail occurring as a lateral lobe accompanied with a long tail extending from vein CuA2 terminus. Dorsal surface: Both wings light blue with a broad black distal border (approximately 4mm) at submarginal and marginal wing areas. Ventral surface: Ground color of both wings reddish brown. Basal disc, medial and submarginal bands as in male.

Genitalia: Posterior region of ductus bursae two times longer than anterior region. The anterior and posterior sections of ductus bursae are not divided by a conspicuous membranous area.

Distribution. Spatial: Known from two localities in Colombia (Departments of Cundinamarca and Santander) ( Fig. 54 ). Temporal: Known from January, March, November and December.

Biology: Males were usually encountered perching or flying as solitary individuals or in groups on hilltops. Nothing is known about early stages or host larval plants.

Material examined: (14 ♂, 4 ♀)

COLOMBIA: Cundinamarca: 14 ♂ * JFLC: El Tablazo, 3450m, I.94. Leg. J. F. Le Crom / 3 ♀ * JFLC: El Tablazo, 3450m, I.94. Leg. J. F. Le Crom . / Santander: 1 ♀ UJ: Encino, Leg. G. Fagua .

Figures

FIGURE 54. Distribution of P.regala and P. vittata.

FIGURES 26–33. Androconial clusters of the “browni group”. 26, P. browni; 27, P. saraha; 28, P. caeruleonota; 29, P. purpurea (Ecuador); 30, P. magnifica; 31, P.cuiva; 32, P.regala; 33. P. vittata.

FIGURES 34–43. Left valva in lateral view. 34, P. browni; 35, P. saraha; 36, P. caeruleonota (Loja, Ecuador) indicating the ventral keel; 37, P. caeruleonota (“Volcan Cabogana”, Ecuador); 38, P. vittata; 39, P.regala; 40, P. purpurea (Ecuador); 41, P. purpurea (Perú); 42, P.cuiva; 43, P. magnifica.