Brassolis isthmia daisye, Bristow, 2008

Bristow, C. Roger, 2008, A review of the genus Brassolis Fabricius in Colombia and Ecuador with description of two new taxa (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), Zootaxa 1806 (1), pp. 47-58 : 52-53

Brassolis isthmia daisye ssp. nov.

( Plate 2 , figs. 9–12; Plate 3 , figs. 7–9)

Identification (see the above plates for detailed wing pattern). Like wallengreni ssp. nov., the wing pattern is typical of all isthmia subspecies with a broad, orange, forewing band that crosses the apical part of the cell, but encloses two small (one very small), dark brown spot at the cell apex. In the male, the forewing band extends from just above the tornus (unlike i. wallengreni and granadensis ) up to the cell and, in some specimens, only a short distance (c. 1–2 mm) beyond the apical part of the cell ( Plate 3 , fig. 12). Additionally, the outer margin of the forewing band in space M 3 –Cu 1 is convex (like granadensis and nominate isthmia ). The hindwing is a fairly uniform chocolate-brown, but there is some slight variation in colour density with the outer margin being a slightly lighter colour. On the underside, there are three, round to elliptical, sub-marginal spots. Of these spots, the distal one of the only two males examined is pear-shaped (round in the females), with an inner, narrow, well-defined, dark brown line, the median one is rounder, much smaller, indistinct, and has only a diffuse brown ring, whilst the one towards the proximal margin is also round, but has a diffuse dark brown ring. B. i. daisye is most easily distinguished from nominate isthmia in the female. In the female, the forewing band crosses the upper part of the cell (occupying a bigger area than nominate isthmia ) and then extends proximally sub-parallel to the costal margin ( Plate 3 , fig. 8). On the forewing underside, the median orange band just touches the top of the cell; the proximal part of the forewing band in the cell almost encloses an irregular, dark brown spot. The forewing length of the holotype is 52 mm; others range from 49–55 mm. The two males examined range from 43–44 mm.

Types: Holotype female: COLOMBIA: Chicorral , 1920, Pomeroy in BMNH ; Paratypes: female: COLOMBIA: Chaparral , 600 m, 20/05/1993, Rozo in ICNO ; female, COLOMBIA: Honda , 250 m, 00/04/ 1957, Schmidt-Mumm in IAVH ; female, COLOMBIA: Nariño, 240 m, 25/09/1993, Jaramillo in ICNO ; male, COLOMBIA: Mariquita , 00/08/1992, Moreno in UPI ; male COLOMBIA: Remedios Casabe , 800 m, 00/01/ 1959, Schmidt-Mumm in IAVH .

Not included as types are: COLOMBIA: male, Guayabetal in UPI ; female Sierra de Macarena , 00/01/ 1951, Richter in ICNO ; Río Guayapas , 00/01/1951, Richter in ICNO ; COLOMBIA: female, El Centro in AMNH .

Etymology. Named after my only granddaughter, Daisy; I hope that in later life she will be fired with enthusiasm for these beautiful and intriguing creatures.

Distribution. In the central Magdalena Valley (between 3° and 7°N) at altitudes ranging from 240 to 800 m. Dated specimens are for January, April, May, August and September. The validity and status of specimens from the ‘Sierra de Macarena’, ‘Guayabetal’ and the ‘Río Guayapas’ in the Oriente is uncertain.

Figures

PLATE 2 (isthmia and granadensis). 1,2. Brassolis isthmia isthmia female, PANAMÁ: Taboga Island, BMNH. 3,4. Brassolis isthmia isthmia Lectotype male, PANAMÁ: Lion Hill, BMNH. 5,6. Brassolis granadensis Paralectotype female, COLOMBIA: Río Magdalena, BMNH. 7,8. Brassolis granadensis Lectotype male, COLOMBIA: Río Magdalena, BMNH. 9,10. Brassolis isthmia daisye Holotype female, COLOMBIA: Chicorral, BMNH. 11,12. Brassolis isthmia daisye Paratype male, COLOMBIA: Mariquita, UPI. 13,14. Brassolis isthmia wallengreni Holotype female, ECUADOR: Paramba, BMNH. 15,16. Brassolis isthmia wallengreni Paratype male, ECUADOR: Tinalandia, BMNH

PLATE 3 (details). 1,2. Brassolis granadensis female, COLOMBIA: Otanche, JFL. 3. Brassolis granadensis male, COLOMBIA: Río Magdalena, BMNH. 4,5. Brassolis isthmia isthmia female, PANAMÁ: Taboga Island, BMNH. 6. Brassolis isthmia isthmia Lectotype male, PANAMÁ: Lion Hill, BMNH. 7,8. Brassolis isthmia daisye Paratype female, COLOMBIA: Chaparral, ICNO. 9. Brassolis isthmia daisye Paratype male, COLOMBIA: Mariquita, UPI. 10,11. Brassolis isthmia wallengreni Paratype female, ECUADOR: Tinalandia, CRB. 12. Brassolis isthmia wallengreni Paratype male, ECUADOR: Balzapamba (Paralectotype male of Brassolis granadensis), BMNH. 13. Brassolis haenschi haenschi male ECUADOR: Macas, ZMUC. 14. Brassolis haenschi haenschi male ECUADOR: Macas, ZMUC. 15. Brassolis haenschi haenschi male ECUADOR: Macas, ZMUC.