Zaretis delassisei, CHOIMET, 2009

Dias, Fernando Maia Silva, Janzen, Daniel, Hallwachs, Winnie, Chacón, Isidro, Willmott, Keith, Ortiz-Acevedo, Elena, Mielke, Olaf Hermann Hendrik & Casagrande, Mirna Martins, 2019, DNA barcodes uncover hidden taxonomic diversity behind the variable wing patterns in the Neotropical butterfly genus Zaretis (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Charaxinae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 185, pp. 132-192 : 166-167

ZARETIS DELASSISEI CHOIMET, 2009

( FIGS 10E, F, 21; SUPPORTING INFORMATION, APPENDIX S6)

Type material

The holotype of Zaretis delassisei Choimet, 2009 was not examined, but it has the following label data: Ecuador, Pichincha, Pacto, 1000 m, VI-2008, Delassise leg. ( Choimet, 2009) (XC).

Diagnosis

Zaretis delassisei is highly distinctive and can be distinguished easily from all other species of Zaretis by the wing shape and coloration ( Fig. 10E, F). This species is likely to be sympatric with Z. ellops , Z. pythagoras , Z. crawfordhilli sp. nov., Z. elianahenrichae sp. nov. and Z. mirandahenrichae sp. nov., in Trans-Andean South America. Males can be distinguished from all above cited species by the wing shape, with the FW apex slightly falcate and the HW tornal projection at 2A being weakly developed; by the wing coloration, with the FW basal area reddish brown, and most of the post-median, and all submarginal and marginal areas coalesced, dark brown, and the HW basal, median and post-median areas reddish brown, suffused with variable dark brown along the outer margin; by the post-median band being dark brown and continuous; and by the wings having a purplish sheen on the upperside when viewed obliquely; the female is unknown.

Discussion

Zaretis delassisei is a distinctive species, described based on a single specimen collected in western Ecuador and deposited in the XC. One specimen of this species was illustrated by Checa (2008: 38, fig. 4) before its description, identified as ‘ Zaretis sp. ’. Zaretis delassisei appears to be rare and localized. There is little intraspecific variation, as can be deduced from the limited series of specimens available. As far as we know, the female remains unknown.

Distribution

Restricted to Trans-Andean South America wet rainforest habitats in western Ecuador, from ~ 400 to 1000 m elevation. It is likely to occur in southwestern Colombia in similar environments ( Fig. 21).

Examined material

See Supporting Information, Appendix S1.