Pedaliodes pisonia (Hewitson)

Viloria, Angel L., Pyrcz, Tomasz W. & Orellana, Andrés, 2010, A survey of the Neotropical montane butterflies of the subtribe Pronophilina (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) in the Venezuelan Cordillera de la Costa, Zootaxa 2622, pp. 1-41 : 19-20

Pedaliodes pisonia (Hewitson)

( Figs. 17, 18 )

Pronophila pisonia Hewitson, 1862: 6 –7, pl. 3, fig. 21. Lectotype (female) in BMNH [designated by Viloria et al., 2001] [examined].

Pedaliodes pisonia (Hewitson) ; Butler, 1867: 267.

Geographic range: Species: CC (monotypic).

Altitudinal range: 1400–1800 m.

Remarks: The taxonomy and systematics of P. pisonia were discussed in detail by Viloria et al. (2001). This species appears to be restricted to the Cordillera de la Costa but is replaced in the Cordillera de Mérida and the Colombian Andes by the closely related P. phrasiclea Grose-Smith (Pyrcz, 1999a) and P. zingara ( Heredia & Viloria, 2004). They differ basically only in the absence of red scaling in P. p i s o n i a. Their sexual characters such as androconia and male genitalia are practically identical, and after thorough study the two might prove to be conspecific. P. pisonia occurs in the lower section of cloud forests, generally at 1400–1600 m, but there are reports of it at 1000 m or even below. In the Serranía del Litoral, it was not frequently seen but was reported from numerous localities in the Cerro El Avila, near Choroní, north of Colonia Tovar and in the western part of the range north of Bejuma. The previous report of Viloria et al. (2001) that P. pisonia does not come to baits is inexact. In fact, it can be lured to dung and rotten fruit baits when strategically placed near the spots where adults are active. P. pisonia is also related to P. ro r a i m a e Strand from the Pantepui ( Viloria & Pyrcz, 1995; Pyrcz & Fratello, 2005).

Material examined: ARAGUA: 2 males: Henrí Pittier National Park, vía Choroní, 1400–1700 m, 28.XI.1988, R. Murphy leg., TWP; 1 male: Henrí Pittier National Park, vía Choroní, 1200 m, VIII.1994, F. Romero leg., TWP; 1 male: Tiara, 1200 m, 18.X.1994, J. DeMarmels, Q. Arias and A. Chacón leg., MIZA; 1 male: same data but 17.V.1994, MIZA; 4 males and 1 female: same data but 23. VI.1994, MIZA; 1 male and 1 female: same data but 24.V.1994, MIZA; 5 males: same data but 26.V.1994, MIZA; 3 males: same data but 25–27.XI.1992, MIZA; 1 female: same data but 30.IX.1993, J. DeMarmels, A. Chacón and F. Vásquez leg., MIZA; 1 female: same data but 22.IV.1997, A. Chacón leg., MIZA; 1 female: same data but 17.I.1995, J. Clavijo, A. Chacón and S. Johnson leg., MIZA; 1 female: same data but 15. II.1995, F. Cerdá y A. Chacón leg., MIZA; 1 female: same data but 16.III.1993, A. Chacón leg., MIZA; 1 female: Tiara, Campamento Rangel, 1200 m, 20.II.1986, F. Fernández Y. and J. Clavijo leg., MIZA; 1 male: Tasajera, al sur de La Victoria, 1300 m, 15.X.1985, F. Fernández Y. and J. Clavijo leg., MIZA; 1 male: Tasajera - Tejerias, VIII.1985, F. Romero leg., FRR; 9 males and 2 females: carretera Maracay-Choroní, 1200 m, VIII.1994, F. Romero leg., FRR; 2 males: same data but VI.1994, FRR; 1 female: Colonia Tovar, 1900 m, IV.1993, F. Romero leg., FRR; 1 male: Colonia Tovar, Cuesta del Puerto Maya, 1850 m, 05.III.2010, T. Pyrcz, MZUJ; CARABOBO: 2 males and 2 females: 15 km N. Bejuma, Cerro San Isidro, 19.II.1996, ex coll. F. Romero, TWP; 2 males: 15 km N. Bejuma, Cerro San Isidro, 1550–1600 m, 10.VIII.2003, T. Pyrcz leg., TWP; MIRANDA: 1 male and 2 females: Altos de Pipe - IVIC, 1600–1650 m, 24.XI.2004, T. Pyrcz leg., TWP; 1 female: Altos de Pipe - IVIC, 1650 m, 11.VIII.2000, A. Viloria leg., TWP.

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 20. Adult satyrine butterflies from the Cordillera de La Costa, Venezuela (left: dorsal, right: ventral); 11. Pedaliodes prytanis (Hewitson) (male form, vía Naranjal); 12. P. prytanis (Hewitson) (female form, vía Naranjal); 13. P. prytanis (Hewitson) (male form, vía Naranjal); 14. P. prytanis (Hewitson) (female form, vía Naranjal); 15. P. prytanis (Hewitson) (female form, Los Colonos); 16. P. p r y t a n i s (Hewitson) (female form, Los Colonos); 17. Pedaliodes pisonia (Hewitson) (male, Altos de Pipe); 18. P. p i s o n i a (Hewitson) (female, Altos de Pipe); 19. Panyapedaliodes panyasis (Hewitson) (male, Colonia Tovar); 20. P. panyasis (Hewitson) (female, Colonia Tovar).