Boyeriana Pyrcz, Espeland & Willmott, 2023

Pyrcz, Tomasz W., Willmott, Keith R., Lachowska-Cierlik, Dorota & Mrozek, Artur, 2023, Phylogeny and systematics of the " Pronophila clade, ″ with 2 new genera to resolve the formerly polyphyletic genus Pseudomaniola (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae:, Insect Systematics and Diversity 7 (5), pp. 1-20 : 10-14

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1093/isd/ixad020
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/5C772166-6C31-FFE9-FCF7-FE488818B6EF
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Boyeriana Pyrcz, Espeland & Willmott
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Boyeriana Pyrcz, Espeland & Willmott n. gen. Type-species: Oxeoschistus mirabilis Butler, 1873

Diagnosis and description. Adults of Boyeriana n. gen. ( Fig. 10A–H View Fig ) differ from Pseudomaniola stat. rev. mostly by their underside color pattern, with usually 3 fully-developed, Forewing venter apical ocelli (except for B. clethra n. comb., as stated above), similar to Daedalma Hewitson , or to the 4 ocelli of Junea , but which are otherwise obsolete in Pseudomaniola stat. rev., Oxeoschistus , Fahraeusia n. gen. and other related genera; the Hindwing venter ground color is grey-brown, with a wide, darker median band and fully developed submarginal ocelli in each cell (except, again, for B. clethra ), compared to the russet ground color that is chequered with white patches in Pseudomaniola . The Forewing dorsum androconial patch is large, covering the median one-third of the wing. The antennae are longer than in Pseudomaniola stat. rev., reaching twofifths the length of the forewing, approximately the same length as in Fahraeusia n. gen. Sexual dimorphism is slight.

The venation pattern of Boyeriana n. gen. does not differ from that of Pseudomaniola and other genera of the Pronophila clade discussed here.

The most notable diagnostic characters for this genus are in the male genitalia ( Fig. 5A–F View Fig ), which are marked by: a stout tegumen, larger than in Pseudomaniola stat. rev., with a flat dorsum, compared to the humped dorsum in Pseudomaniola stat. rev.; a stout uncus, in some species swollen and humped, considerably thicker than in Pseudomaniola stat. rev.; a thick and up-curved gnathos; a massive valva with a thin and elongated apical half, similar to Apexacuta Pyrcz , compared to the blunt, club-like apical part of the valva in Pseudomaniola stat. rev.; the aedeagus is thin and tubular with a smooth surface, one-third longer than in Pseudomaniola stat. rev.

Female genitalia ( Fig. 9E and F View Fig ) are similar to Pseudomaniola except that the posterior apophysis is short and pointed; and corpus bursae is smaller, with wide signa converging towards the distal end, approximately one-third the length of corpus bursae.

The genitalia of the taxon described originally as Pseudomaniola mirabilis extrema ( Pyrcz 2004) show more similarities with B. ilsa and B. loxo than with the nominate P. mirabilis ; in particular the uncus is swollen and humped, and the gnathos is distinctively up-curved, and the apical half of the valva is much more elongated with an up-curved tip, similarly to B. loxo . In consequence, we propose a new status, alongside a new combination, Boyeriana extrema n. stat., n. comb.

The differences in scale morphology and organization between Boyeriana n. gen. and Pseudomaniola were described under the latter genus ( Figs. 7 View Fig and 8 View Fig ).

Etymology. This genus is dedicated to the French lepidopterist Pierre Boyer in recognition for his enormous contribution to the knowledge of Neotropical butterflies in general and the Pronophilina in particular, especially as a co-author of many scientific papers on that subtribe.

The genus is strictly Andean and ranges from south-western Venezuela (El Tamá range) to south-central Bolivia (Yungas de Cochabamba). In contrast to Pseudomaniola , it does not penetrate into the peripheral ranges isolated from the Andean backbone, such as the Cordillera de Mérida, the Sierra de Perijá or the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta nor, obviously, Central America. The species of Boyeriana n. gen. occur typically in mid-elevation cloud forests, from 2,200 to 2,600 m. a.s.l., and, exceptionally, as low as 1,600 m a.s.l. ( B. ilsa n. comb.) or as high as 3,200 m a.s.l. ( B. loxo n. comb.). They are usually uncommon or rare, and are associated with well-preserved patches of cloud forest, but they are readily attracted to baited traps. Their flight is faster than Pseudomaniola or Fahraeusia n. gen.

Check-list of the species and subspecies of Boyeriana n. gen. with references to genus level nomenclatorial changes in chronological order.

Boyeriana mirabilis ( Butler, 1873) n. comb. Oxeoschistus mirabilis Butler, 1873: 222 View in CoL . Catargynnis mirabilis (Butler) View in CoL ; Thieme, 1907: 154. Pseudomaniola mirabilis (Butler) ; Pyrcz, 2004: 533. Boyeriana loxo ( Dognin, 1891) n. comb. Oxeoschistus loxo Dognin, 1891: 132 View in CoL .