Rhamma arria (Hewitson, 1870)

Prieto, Carlos & Vargas, Maria A., 2016, Elfin butterflies of the genus Rhamma Johnson (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae): A review of the Colombian species, Zootaxa 4093 (3), pp. 323-342 : 334-335

Rhamma arria (Hewitson, 1870)

( Figures 7, 8 , 32 , 44 , 53 , 65 )

Thecla arria Hewitson, 1870: 213 , 448, Plate LXXXV, figs. 729, 730; Draudt 1919–1924: 758, pl. 153f. Holotype examined. Thecla mirma Hewitson, 1870: 212 , 444, Plate LXXXV, figs. 719, 718, 720. Holotype examined.

Rhamma arria Hewitson, 1870 : Johnson 1992; Robbins 2004.

Rhamma mirma Hewitson, 1870 : Johnson 1992; Robbins 2004.

Rhamma mishma (Hewitson, 1878) . Misidentification in Johnson 1992: 111, fig. 139. Shapiroana aurifera Johnson, 1992: 151 , figs. 68A, 163A. Image of the holotype examined. Shapiroana macphersoni Johnson, 1992: 152 , figs. 68c, 163c. Image of the holotype examined. Paralustrus paccius Johnson, 1992: 158 , figs. 72, 167.

Rhamma argentopicta Le Crom & Johnson, 1997: 7 . Ph. XV, fig. 1C.

Type material. Holotype male, Ecuador, Hewitson coll., 79-69 Thecla arria . 1, /B.M Type, No. Rh 602,/ Type / B. M. (N. H.), Rhopalocera, No. v 1535, /Genitalia by K. Johnson, ix ’83. Deposited in BMNH.

Taxonomic history and remarks. With the exception of R. commodus , this is the most widely distributed species of the genus. After reviewing specimens from several geographic localities, comparing holotypes, and dissecting genitalia structures of specimens that could be identified as R. mirma , R. aurifera , and R. argentopicta , it is impossible to objectively assign most individuals to one of the published names; therefore, it is logical to treat this spectrum of phenotypes as variants of Rhamma arria .

Distribution and variability. Rhamma is widely distributed in Colombia, flying on the three mountain ranges from the south in Nariño to the northern Colombian mountains of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía del Perijá. The food plant is Tibouchina semidecandra Cogn. (Melastomataceae) , known popularly in Colombia as “siete cueros”; it is cultivated as an ornamental tree (Callaghan 2008).

Diagnosis. Males of R. arria are immediately identifiable by the dorsal forewing pattern that includes light blue scales only below vein CuA2 and an irregular ochre band across the ventral hindwing from the costa to vein CuA2.

Material examined (28♂, 13♀). CAUCA: 5♂, CP: Puracé, Pueblo, 2700 m, 21/08/07, C. Prieto; 5♀, CP: Puracé, Pueblo, 2700 m; 3♂, CP: Totoró, La horqueta, 2800 m, 16/06/2013, C. Prieto; 1♂, CP: San/der. De Quilichao, Los Tigres, 2500 m, 05/09/2009; 5♂, CP: PNN Munchique, 2600–2800 m, C. Prieto. VA L L E: 6♂, CP: Cali, K-18, San Antonio, 2100 m, C. Prieto; 1♂, 3♀, CP: PNN Farallones, Pico de Loro, 2800 m, 02/08/07, C. Prieto; 1♀, CP: Tenerife, Páramo los Dominguez, 3300 m, 21/07/2013, C. Prieto. MAGDALENA: 4♀, CP: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, San Lorenzo, 2700 m, 02/05/2014, C. Prieto. CESAR: 1♂, CP: Manaure, Sabana Rubia, 3000 m, 22/04/2015. GUAJIRA: 2♂, CP: Guajira, Villanueva, Serrania del Perijá, 2600 m, 23/12/2014, C. Prieto.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Adults depicted in dorsal (left) and ventral (right) aspect: 1. Rhamma hybla male (Antioquia); 2. Rhamma hybla female (Antioquia); 3. Rhamma adunca male (Cauca); 4. Rhamma adunca female (Cauca); 5. Rhamma adunca male (Belmira, Antioquia); 6. Rhamma adunca female (Cauca); 7. Rhamma arria male (Valle); 8. Rhamma arria female (Valle); 9. Rhamma livida male (Cauca); 10. Rhamma livida female (Cauca).

FIGURES 30 – 35. Male genitalia armatures in lateral (left) and ventral (right) views: 30. Rhamma hybla; 31. Rhamma adunca; 32. Rhamma arria; 33. Rhamma livida (arrows point a., vinculum strut strongly developed and b., vinculum forming a 90 degree angle); 34. Rhamma oxida; 35. Rhamma comstocki.

FIGURES 42 – 50. Female genitalia (ductus bursae and bursa copulatrix): 42. Rhamma hybla (arrows point a., strongly developed lamella postvaginalis, terminating in serrate configurations b., ductus bursae lightly sclerotized in the middle so that it appears to be transparent and c., dendritic, fan shaped signa) 43. Rhamma adunca; 44. Rhamma arria; 45. Rhamma livida; 46. Rhamma oxida; 47. Rhamma comstocki; 48. Rhamma shapiroi; 49. Rhamma bilix; 50. Rhamma anosma.

FIGURES 51 – 62. Androconial brands (arrows point the scent pad): 51. Rhamma hybla; 52. Rhamma adunca; 53. Rhamma arria; 54. Rhamma livida; 55. Rhamma oxida; 56. Rhamma comstocki; 57. Rhamma shapiroi; 58. Rhamma mishma; 59. Rhamma bilix; 60. Rhamma anosma; 61. Rhamma familiaris; 62. Rhamma commodus.

FIGURES 63 – 66. Distributional maps of Colombian Rhamma. 63. Rhamma adunca; 64. Rhamma andradei, Rhamma anosma; 65. Rhamma arria; 66. Rhamma bilix.