Telemiades contra Evans, 1953

(Figs 102–105, 167, 214)

Telemiades centrites contra Evans, 1953 . Cat. Amer. Hesp. 3, p. 25; [holo] type male, Chimbo, Ecuador; BM(NH).—Bridges, 1983. Lep. Hesp. 1, p. 27; 2, p. 36.—Bridges, 1988. Cat. Hesp. 1, p. 45; 2, p. 59.— Mielke, 2004. Hesperioidea, p. 56, in Lamas (ed.). Checklist: Part 4A, Hesperioidea–Papilionoidea, in Heppner (ed.). Atlas Neotrop. Lep. 5A.— Mielke, 2005. Cat. Amer. Hesperioidea 3, p. 744.—Garwood & Lehman, 2013. Butt. C. Amer. 3, Hesp., p. 60, figs (d, v).

(no genus) contra; Beattie, 1976. Rhop. Direct., p. 117.

Type material. Telemiades centrites contra Evans, 1953 was described based on the male [holo]type from Chimbo, Ecuador, and from a female from Balzapamba, Ecuador. The male holotype is deposited at the NHMUK and illustrated on Butterflies of America (Warren et al. 2018) with the following labels: / Type H T [verso from the same label:] contra Evans / Chimbo Equateur M.de Mathan 1891/ R. Oberthür Coll. Brit. Mus. 1931–136/ [label with genitalia attached]/ BMNH(E) #1236501/.

Diagnosis. FW length: males 25–26 mm (n=3) and females 28 mm (n=1). Telemiades contra resembles T. chrysorrhoea and T. gallius but is distinguished from the first by the presence of the three apical hyaline spots in R 3 –R 4, R 4 –R 5, and R 5 –M 1 in FW, and by the latter by the yellow fringes in VHW. Additionally, T. contra has its known distribution in South America, while T. chrysorrhoea and T. gallius occurs in Central America.

Distribution. Telemiades contra is known from the Ecuatorian Provinces of Bolívar, Morona Santiago, and Pastaza.

Taxonomic discussion. Originally, Telemiades contra was described as a subspecies of T. centrites by Evans (1953). However, the morphology of the male genitalia of T. contra (examined) differs from the illustration of T. centrites (Evans 1953) . Several wing characters already discussed, also distinguish the two species. In addition, Li et al. (2019) justified its new species status by molecular data. T. centrites and T. contra may occur in sympatry, since both species have been found in the Ecuadorian provinces of Bolívar and Pastaza. Since only a single female specimen of T. contra was available for examination, this material was not dissected and for this reason, no illustrations are provided for the female genitalia of this species.

Examined material. ECUADOR: Bolivar— Balzapamba, XI–1893 a II–1984, 1 female, M. de Mathan leg., NHMUK 010242183 (NHMUK); Chimbo, III–1905, 1 male, M. de Mathan leg., BMNH(E) 1236501* (NHMUK). Morona–Santiago— Macas, Parque Nacional Sangay, 02° 12’S, 78° 10’W, 1250 m, 8–I–2012, J.–C. Petit leg. (CEB). Pastaza— Canelos, 1 male, Buckley leg., NHMUK 010242184 (NHMUK); Baños a Canelos, IX–X–1894, 1 male, M. de Mathan leg., NHMUK 010242185 (NHMUK) .