Siderus diringeri Faynel, Robbins & Fåhraeus, 2024

Faynel, Christophe, Fåhraeus, Christer, Ramirez, Juan-Jose & Robbins, Robert K., 2024, The genus Siderus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in French Guiana: four newly discovered species and conspicuous male genitalia polymorphism, Zootaxa 5519 (1), pp. 38-58 : 45-47

Siderus diringeri Faynel, Robbins & Fåhraeus sp. nov.

( Figures 8, 9 , 19 , 25 , 29 )

Diagnosis and description. Male mean FW length: 13.2 mm (n = 2). Siderus diringeri sp. nov. is the smallest Siderus in French Guiana. Despite few characteristic wing elements ventrally, it is easily distinguished from other Siderus species by the following characters. Both sexes ( Figs 8, 9 ) have a VHW red spot in Cu1–Cu2, otherwise only present in S. leucophaeus and S. parvinotus ( Figs 6, 7 ). Siderus diringeri sp. nov. differs from these two species by (1) a beige ventral ground color (gray in the others); (2) a VHW black anal lobe bordered anteriorly by much fewer red scales compared to S. leucophaeus and S. parvinotus ; and (3) blue scales in VHW cell Cu2-2A between the anal lobe and the cubital spot (grayish scales in the others). Males are light blue dorsally with a large black apex and the double androconial spot inside and outside the discal cell. Male genitalia ( Fig. 19 ) have rounded valvae at base with elongate extension, one cornutus at the penis end, a short saccus not pointed at its end. Females ( Fig. 9 ) are dull blue dorsally with the same ventral wing pattern as the males. Female genitalia ( Fig. 25 ) look like S. leucophaeus ( Fig. 23 ) with ductus seminalis arising from the back of the bursa; ostium bursae short and circular; two signa in the middle of the corpus bursae with thorn-shaped spines pointing anteriorly.

Type material. Holotype ♂ ( Fig. 8 ): “ Guyane française Cacao // Sentier de la source 37m (11h00) // 04°33’36”N 52°27’46”W // 24 octobre 2019 Coll. DIRINGER” [white rectangular label, printed in black], “prep. gen. CF n°695” [white rectangular label, printed in black], “CF-LYC-1593” [orange rectangular label, printed in black], “Holotype ♂ // Siderus diringeri // Faynel, Robbins & Fåhraeus, 2024” [red rectangular label, printed in black]. Will be deposited in MNHN.

Paratypes: COSTA RICA. Guanacaste. 1♀, Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, Mundo Nuevo, Mamones , 10.7707, -85.4287, 365 m, 09.X.2014, DNA 14-SRNP-57138 ( USNM) . Puntarenas. 1♂, Miramar Resort , 01.IX.1974, Haber leg. ( USNM) . PANAMA. Panamá. 4♂, Cerro Campana , I.1966 (150m), 04.I.1964 (610m), 13.I.1965 (460m), 26.XII.1963 (610m), Small leg. ( USNM) ; 1♂, same locality, 25.I.1966, Nicolay leg., RKR Genitalia 1990:33 ( USNM) ; 3♀, same locality, 24.XII.1963, 22.II.1964 (610m), 31.XII.1967 (460m), Small leg. ( USNM) ; 3♀, same locality, 28–29–30.I. 1965, Nicolay leg. ( USNM) . Canal Area. 4♂, Farfan , 8°56’N, 79°35’W, 24–25.XII. 1962, 06.I. 1963, 03.II. 1963, Small leg. ( USNM) ; 1♂, same locality, 14.II.1963, Nicolay leg. ( USNM) ; 3♀, same locality, 25–26.XII.1962, 20.I.1963, Small leg. ( USNM) ; 1♂, Ft Calyton , 05.V.1963, Small leg. ( USNM) ; 1♂, Rodman , 8°58’N, 79°35’W, 11.I.1973, Small leg. ( USNM) . VENEZUELA. Bolivar. 1♀, Bochinche Res. Forestal Imataca , 200m, 6–13.XII.1974 ( MIZA) . TRINIDAD. 1♂, Forest Reserve , V.2000, S. Alston-Smith leg. 1♀, Trinidad, Lalaja Ridge , X.1990, S. Alston-Smith leg. (Collection Scott Alston-Smith, Trinidad and Tobago) ; 1♀, Lalaja Ridge , VII.1999, S. Alston-Smith leg. (Collection Scott Alston-Smith, Trinidad and Tobago) ; 1♀, Moreau, Nr Moruga , IX.2011, J. Morrall leg. (Collection John Morrall, UK) . FRENCH GUIANA. 1♂, Roura , route de Kaw PK 37, sur Varronia schomburgkii , 15.XI.2003, Y. Diringer leg. (Collection Diringer, France) ; 1♀, Saül, Limonade , 29.X.2001, Coll. C. Faynel n° 1197, DNA CF-LYC-1125 & BC-MNHN-LEP01314 ( Fig. 9 , ex. CF, leg. to MNHN) . ECUADOR. Esmeraldas. 1♀, 12 km N of Selva Alegre , 0°51.5′N, 78°51.2′W, 165 m, 30.V.2017, Busby leg. ( RCB) . Napo. 1♀, 14 km Tena-Puyo Road , 1°06.7′S, 77°46.9′W, 600 m, 13.X.2011, Aldas & Busby leg. ( RCB) . PERU. Ucayali. 2♂, Santa Sofia , 150 m, VIII.2005 ( AMC) ; 1♀, same locality, IX.2005 ( AMC) . Madre de Dios. 1♂, Parque Manu, Pakitza , 11°55’48”S, 71°15’18”W, 340m, 12.X.1990, Robbins leg., RKR Genitalia 1999:153 ( USNM) ; 3♀, same locality, 22.IX.1989, Robbins leg., 13.X.1991, Hauser leg., 03.X.91, Mielke leg. ( USNM) ; 1♀, same locality, 08.IX.89, Robbins leg., RKR Genitalia 1992:168 ( USNM) . BRAZIL. Pará. 1♀, Serra do Tiracambu, BR 222 - KM 48, Ligne de crêtes, 13.VI.2004, Pierre Jauffret leg., coll. CF n° 10122, DNA RCCFF12 ( CF) . Rondônia. 1♂, 62 km S Ariquemes, Rancho Grande , 10.53°S, 62.80°W, 165m, 19–29.IX.1996, Harris leg. ( USNM) ; 1♀, 63 km S Ariquemes, vicinity Caucaulandia , 10°32’S, 62°48’W, 160–350m, 10.X.1991, Kemner leg. ( USNM) .

Distribution. Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Trinidad, French Guiana, Ecuador, Peru (UC, MD), Brazil (PA, RO).

Natural history. This species is associated with lowland rainforests. In Panama and Peru, it occurs in seasonally dry forest. In French Guiana, adults feed on flowers of Varronia schomburgkii ( Boraginaceae ).

Remarks. The females have been associated with males based on small size and the same ventral wing pattern. The barcoding of the female from French Guiana did not give a sequence in spite of two attempts (samples ID CF-LYC-1125 and BC-MNHN-LEP01314) but the one from Pará confirmed its identity. This species was listed as Siderus 773 [n. sp.] from Panama ( Robbins 2004) and cited as a new island record for Trinidad as “ Siderus n. sp. 8 MS” ( Cock & Robbins 2016, p. 17–18).

Etymology. Dedicated to our colleague Louis Diringer who regularly explores French Guiana and has a passion for Lycaenidae . He and his son Yvan collected the two known male Guianese specimens. The latinized name ‘diringeri’ is considered masculine.

Figures

FIGURES 6–16. Siderus adults from French Guiana, dorsal face at left. 6. S. leucophaeus ♂. 7. S. parvinotus ♂. 8. S. diringeri sp. nov., HT ♂. 9. S. diringeri sp. nov., PT ♀. 10. S. bisignatus sp. nov., HT ♂. 11. S. toussaint sp. nov., HT ♂. 12. S. toussaint sp. nov., PT ♀. 13. S. athymbra ♂. 14. S. athymbra ♀. 15. S. castelain sp. nov., HT ♂. 16. S. castelain sp. nov., PT ♀.

FIGURES 17–21. Siderus male genitalia (new species). Posterior part on top, left lateral view with penis (on the left), ventral view with setae drawn only on right uncus and right valva and penis removed (on the right). 17. Siderus bisignatus sp. nov., HT (French Guiana). 18. Siderus bisignatus sp. nov., PT (Peru, LO). 19. Siderus diringeri sp. nov., HT (French Guiana). 20. Siderus castelain sp. nov., HT (French Guiana). 21. Siderus toussaint sp. nov., HT (French Guiana).

FIGURES 23–26. Siderus female genitalia showing very similar aspect. Posterior part on top, left lateral view on the left, ventral view on the right. 23. Siderus leucophaeus. 24. S. toussaint sp. nov., PT (French Guiana). 25. Siderus diringeri sp. nov., PT (French Guiana). 26. Siderus castelain sp. nov., PT (French Guiana).

FIGURES 29–32. Distribution map of the new Siderus new species. 29. Siderus diringeri sp. nov. 30. Siderus bisignatus sp. nov. 31. Siderus castelain sp. nov. 32. Siderus toussaint sp. nov.