Exochorionic morphology in two species of white Eurema (Pieridae: Coliadinae) and its taxonomic contrast on Euremina proposals Author Nieves-Uribe, Sandra 0000-0002-6497-9639 Museo de Zoología (Entomología), Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, 04510, CDMX, México; s.nieves.uribe@outlook.com Author Llorente-Bousquets, Jorge 0000-0003-0876-0533 Museo de Zoología (Entomología), Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, 04510, CDMX, México; & Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC. 20013 - 7012 USA. llorentebousquets@gmail.com Author Flores-Gallardo, Adrián 0000-0002-3144-163X Museo de Zoología (Entomología), Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, 04510, CDMX, México; emileusher@hotmail.com text Zootaxa 2025 2025-04-14 5621 1 111 130 https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5621.1.5 journal article 309294 10.11646/zootaxa.5621.1.5 000c3d00-0f47-41e4-a0b8-99dfc8974da3 1175-5326 15219949 13B8294E-23E5-4408-9612-F1EBF0094A9D Eurema albula celata ( Fig. 4 B , Figs. 5–6 D – F ). Chorion of 1287 µm long and 358 wide, 3.6 times longer than its maximum width at the equator ( Fig. 4 B ), and approximate ratio w/l of 1/4 (h=10). Color N 00 A 10 M 00 . Semifusiform—like an elongated ellipsoid—with a weak, slightly convex base and a thin but convex apex; the basal region is 1.5 times wider than the apical region ( Fig. 4 B ). The micropyle is a very irregular trapezoid with at least four micropylar openings, surrounded by a rosette of four petals ( Fig. 5 D ). This polygon is barely depressed with respect to the rosette, both with rounded vertices ( Fig. 5 D – E ). The petals have a subtle anchorage with the central polygon and thinner lateral walls than the external ones—the closest area to the micropyle is the thinnest ( Fig. 5 D – iii). The petals do not show texture and have conspicuous walls, while the foils show the opposite ( Fig. 5 D – E ). The perimicropylar region exhibits an irregular wreath of 16 foils in a not well-defined semi-ring; all the foils have four to six irregular curved edges. The walls of the foils are incipient and do not protrude from the exochorion, with some of them recorded only as areas without texture ( Fig. 5 E – iv). No transition zone is visible after the wreath ( Fig. 5 E – F ); and it continues with apical polygons with aeropyles at their vertices and a conspicuous micro-grid ( Fig. 5 F – v , Fig. 6 D ). The aeropyles are semicircular and occur singly at the vertices of the polygons in a zigzag pattern ( Fig. 5 F , Fig. 6 D ). There are 6–8 aeropyles at vertices aligned in an apex-equator direction ( Fig. 5 F ); the micro-grid is of 4–6 rounded polygons per macro-grid cell and has a subtle rough texture in its lumen ( Fig. 5 F , Fig. 6 D ). Towards the equator, 17–19 nearly straight axes are recorded in lateral view ( 34–39 in total), with fusions and bifurcations mainly at the poles ( Fig. 4 B ). 65–72 ribs, mostly straight, with some diagonal ones throughout the exochorion ( Fig. 4 B ). The axes and the diagonal ribs protrude slightly from the chorionic wall, whereas the straight ribs and micro-grid remain in the same visual plane ( Fig. 6 E ). The ribs are slightly thicker than the micro-grid, so their differentiation is subtle with SEM, although slightly more conspicuous by staining ( Fig. 4 B , Fig. 6 E ). Almost all the macro-grid cells are irregular with four to six sides ( Fig. 4 B , Fig. 6 E ) and of the same size, although the apical polygons are narrower ( Fig. 4 B ). The micro-grid is composed of six elliptical polygons per macro-grid cell ( Fig. 6 E ), with a faint rough texture within the micro-grid polygons ( Fig. 6 E ). Both grids maintain their thickness from pole to pole, which fades slightly towards the prebase ( Fig. 6 F ), where it is only recorded as a texture with little relief. Basal aeropyles are not recorded ( Fig. 6 F ). In the basal zone, the edges of the polygons and the texture are blurred and only scarce roughness is visible ( Fig. 6 F ). Eurema albula celata : México : Veracruz : San Andrés Tuxtla , Estación de Biología Los Tuxtlas ( 18°35’05.64” N , 95°04’26.16” W ), 148 msnm, 21-VI-2022 , K. L. Pillado (ABD-2294); L. J. Vega (ABD-2295); no mature exochorion: A. Luis (ABD-2296), A. Arellano (ABD-2297) .