Brassolis haenschi Stichel

Garzón-Orduña, Ivonne J. & Penz, Carla M., 2009, Phylogeny of Dynastor and Brassolis butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae): a tough nut to crack, Zootaxa 2134, pp. 1-22 : 7

Brassolis haenschi Stichel

( Fig. 2 E–F, 7C, 8L, 9H)

Diagnosis: Recognized by a combination of seven characters: (1) in males, dorsal FW postmedial band mostly orange, interspersed with white, and distal edge of discal cell usually highlighted by a brown line; in females, postmedial band dark orange, distal edge of discal cell highlighted by a wider brown line (orange postmedial band bifurcated); (2) in males, ventral FW thin brown submarginal lines usually absent; (3) in males, small ventral FW eyespot in cell M1 lacking a pupil; (4) dorsal HW postmedial band very faint or absent, in males, absent in females; (5) in females, wings are darker and rounder than in other species of Brassolis ; (6) in lateral view, male tegumen taller and broader than other Brassolis ; (7) in ventral view, posterior flap of the female sterigma round, more heavily sclerotized than other Brassolis .

Distribution: From Venezuela to Peru ( Casagrande 2004).

Subspecies: Casagrande (2004) listed three subspecies: nominal haenschi (type locality Ecuador), maritimus Stichel ( Venezuela), and rufescens Rothschild ( Peru).

Remarks: In Venezuela, males may have one incomplete ventral FW thin submarginal line (A. Neild pers. comm.).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Brassolis species in dorsal (left) and ventral (right) views. (A & B) Male and female B. sophorae from French Guiana. (C & D) Female and male B. sophorae from Ecuador. (E & F) Male and female B. haenschi from Ecuador. (G) Male B. sophorae from Trinidad. (H) Male B. sophorae from Peru. (I & J) Male and female B. dinizi from Paraiba and Ceará respectively (Brazil). (K) Male B. sophorae from Santa Catarina (Brazil). (L) Male B. sophorae from Paraguay.