Niconiades peri ( Evans, 1955 ) Zhang & Cong & Shen & Grishin, 2022

Zhang, Jing, Cong, Qian, Shen, Jinhui & Grishin, Nick V., 2022, Taxonomic changes suggested by the genomic analysis of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera), Insecta Mundi 2022 (921), pp. 1-135 : 60

Niconiades peri ( Evans, 1955) , new status, new combination

Evans (1955) named peri (type locality Brazil: Para) as a subspecies of Neoxeniades bajula ( Schaus, 1902) (type locality Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Nova Friburgo), apparently without examining N. bajula males. Above, we transferred N. bajula to Rhinthon Godman, 1900 (type species Proteides chiriquensis Mabille, 1889 , a junior subjective synonym of Hesperia osca Plötz, 1882 ). Inspection of R. bajula syntype in the USNM reveals the lack of secondary sexual organs on wings (contrary to Evans’ key), but N. b. peri holotype (examined in BMNH) possesses a characteristic 3-partite brand as described by Evans, in addition to a number of wing patters differences. Therefore, N. b. peri is a species distinct from R. bajula . Furthermore, male genitalia of N. b. peri differ significantly from those of Rhinthon or Neoxeniades Hayward, 1938 (type species Neoxeniades musarion Hayward, 1938 ). The three-pronged distal end of valva and elaborate aedeagus structure, together with the brands, place peri in Niconiades Hübner, [1821] (type species Niconiades xanthaphes Hübner, [1821] ) to form Niconiades peri ( Evans, 1955) , new status, new combination. By placing N. b. peri in Niconiades , we add another genus to the classic blue-white-black fulgerator mimicry complex named after Telegonus fulgerator (Walch, 1775) . This accurate mimicry is the reason for errors in taxonomic classification.