Aricoris emeryi Callaghan, Lemes & Kaminski, 2020

Lemes, José R. A., Callaghan, Curtis J. & Kaminski, Lucas A., 2020, A new species of Aricoris Westwood, 1851 (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) from the Neotropical Cerrado savanna, Zootaxa 4786 (3), pp. 409-416 : 410-413

Aricoris emeryi Callaghan, Lemes & Kaminski , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–4 , 9–17 )

Diagnosis. Within the constantius group, Aricoris emeryi sp. nov. readly differs from A. constantius , since the latter has a straight line separating the proximal and distal halves of the HW, and from A. monotona , which lacks ocelli in the marginal area of the wings. Aricoris emeryi sp. nov. resembles A. tutana ( Figs 5–8 ) by the presence of conspicuous marginal ocelli, but differs from the latter by the absence of orange bristles at the dorsal region of the prothorax and thorax ventrally. Furthermore, A. emeryi sp. nov. has a band of light yellowish scales at the postdiscal area of the FW, especially noticeable on the dorsal surface. The brownish color pattern is usually darker in A. tutana than in A. emeryi sp. nov., although this character must be used carefully, since older specimens are more worn out than young ones, mainly females. In addition, the presence of greasy wings can mask diagnostic characters. The male valva is unique among the species in the constantius group for having a pointed projection at the superior medial region in lateral view ( Fig. 9 ), and with a lateral spine-shaped projection at the anterior region of valvae, in ventral view ( Fig. 10 ).

Male description. Head: Brown dorsally, long yellowish-brown scales at the frontoclypeus and labial palpi. Galea black and robust. Labial palpi creamy, flattened laterally, curved upwards. Antennae brown, cylindrical segments. Length of antennae surpassing half the length of the FW. Thorax: Dark brown, covered by bands of long yellowish-brown scales dorsally and ventrally. Legs brown. FW length and shape: Average length 20.5 mm, range 20–21 mm (n = 2). Triangular, costal and outer margin slightly rounded and inner margin straight. DFW: Proximal half dark brown, distal half lighter, separated by an irregular line, bordered by a band of light yellowish scales at the postdiscal area. The irregular line “breaks” between the veins R 2 -M 1, expands distally between M 2 -M 3 and breaks again between M 3 -CuA 1. Veins dark brown. Fringe brown with a dark marginal line basally. Presence of a row of seven brown ocelli at the marginal area, slightly surrounded by yellowish scales. VFW: Ground color light brown. Irregular line with dark brown scales separating proximal and distal half, bordered by a subtle band of light yellowish scales in the postdiscal area. Irregular line and fringe as on DFW. Discal cell with three irregular spots surround- ed by dark scales. Presence of two darker spots between CuA 2 -2A. Presence of a row of seven light brown ocelli at the marginal area surrounded by slightly yellowish scales. HW size and shape: Average hindwing length 15.5 mm, range 15–16 mm (n = 2). Outer margin rounded. DHW: Proximal half dark brown, distal half lighter, separated by an irregular line, as on FW, bordered by a band of light yellowish scales in the postdiscal area. Fringe as on FW. Presence of a row of seven large black ocelli, all surrounded completely by yellowish scales at the marginal area, and an eighth ocellus at the region of the tornus, that is remarkably smaller than the others. VHW: Ground color light brown. Irregular line with dark brown scales separating basal and distal halves, bordered by a subtle band of light yellowish scales at the postdiscal area. Fringe as on DHW. Presence of a row of eight black ocelli at the marginal area surrounded by faint yellowish scales. The fourth and fifth ocelli, between space M 3 -CuA 1 and CuA 1 -CuA 2, usually slightly marked. Genitalia ( Figs 9–10 ): Uncus in lateral view slightly rounded, wider than long; in dorsal view lobes are narrow separated with a U-shaped area between them. Scaphium long. Tegumen in lateral view wider than long, inferior distal projection which connects with the gnathos long. Gnathos with hook-shaped tips directed upwards. Valvae in lateral view with a pointed projection at the superior medial region and extensive membranous area at center; in ventral view, anterior region slightly enlarged, with a lateral spine-shaped projection, and posterior region thinner, with two to four spines at the tip. Saccus-shape variable, approximately 2.5 times longer than wide, connected with the arm of tegumen by a membranous area. Aedeagus long, three times the length of tegumen + uncus, pointed.

Female description. Average forewing length 18.71 mm, range 18–21 mm, average hindwing length 16 mm, range 15–17 mm (n = 3). The females differ from the males in the following: Head: The galea is brown and slender. FW shape: Outer margin slightly more rounded. DFW: Background color lighter and yellowish scales surrounding ocelli more conspicuous. VFW: Background color lighter. DHW and VHW: Background color lighter. Genitalia ( Figs 11–13 ): Corpus bursae membranous, with a pair of two elongated signa of approximately same size. Signa pointed posteriorly, anterior region wider and concave with short tips. Ductus bursae membranous or with sclerotized zones along it, length slightly less than twice the length of the corpus bursae. Sterigma funnel-shaped. Lamella postvaginalis slightly bilobed and lamella antevaginalis with two regions more sclerotized (as Fig. 12 ). Papillae anales slightly longer than wide, with setae at outer edge, connected to the sterigma by a membranous area about twice the length of the papillae anales.

Distribution ( Fig. 14 ). This species is endemic to the Cerrado savanna, with records in the Brazilian states of Distrito Federal, Goiás, Minas Gerais and São Paulo.

Habitat and biology ( Figs 15–17 ). This butterfly inhabits areas of rocky outcrops named “ cerrado rupestre ”

( Fig. 15 ). Populations are very local. Males defend small territories in the afternoon and perch upside down near the ground ( Fig. 16 ). Adults land with open or semi-open wings, moving and displaying conspicuous ocelli and spots dorsally and ventrally. Females were observed feeding on flowers of Myrtaceae ( Fig. 17 ) and Malpighiaceae .

Etymology. This species is named in memorium of the entomologist Eduardo de Oliveira Emery (1972–2017). In addition to having collected the holotype and most of the type series, Emery collected intensively in central Brazil and was responsible for one of the most important butterfly collections in the Cerrado, recently donated to the DZUP. The name is a masculine noun in the genitive case.

Type material. Holotype ( Figs 1–2 ). Male deposited in DZUP with the following labels (labels separated by “/” and lines inside same label separated by “-”) : / HOLOTYPUS / HOLOTYPUS—ARICORIS EMERYI—Callaghan, Lemes & Kaminski, 2020/ Brasil, Distrito Federal—Parque Nacional de Brasília—Data : 22/11/2009 — Eduardo de Oliveira Emery / EX COLEÇÃO EDUARDO EMERY / DZ 33.967 /.

Allotype ( Figs 3–4 ). Female deposited in DZUP with the following labels (labels separated by “/” and lines inside same label separated by “-”) : / ALLOTYPUS / ALLOTYPUS—ARICORIS EMERYI—Callaghan, Lemes & Kaminski, 2020/ Brasil, D[istrito] F[ederal], Brasília—Granja Torto , 18.IX.2018 — L. A. Kaminski leg./ DNA-voucher—LAK-505/ GENITALIA nº 2019- 11 ♀ —J. R. A. Lemes / DZ 47.131 /.

Paratypes. BRAZIL— Distrito Federal: Brasília (Fazenda Água Limpa), 1♀, 21.ii.1976, Gifford leg., DZ 16.306 ( DZUP); ( Granja Torto ), 2♂ , 20.ix.2018, L. A. Kaminski leg., DNA-voucher LAK-506, DNA-voucher LAK-507, DZ 47.132, DZ 47.133 ( DZUP); ( Parque Nacional de Brasília ), 2♂ , 15.xi.2009, E.O. Emery leg., genitalia #1024, ( CJC); 3♂ , 15.xi.2009, Ex-coll. Eduardo Emery, E.O. Emery leg., DZ 33.968, DZ 33.969, DZ 33.971 ( DZUP); 2♂ , 22.xi.2009, E.O. Emery leg., genitalia #1139, ( CJC); 2♂ , 22.xi.2009, Ex-coll. Eduardo Emery, E.O. Emery leg., DZ 33.970, DZ 33.972 ( DZUP). Goiás : Formosa (Fazenda Itiquira), 1♀ , 21.x.1971, K.S. Brown leg., GENITALIA nº 2017- 18 ♀ J. R . A. Lemes ( ZUEC). Goiás (Cachoeira das Andorinhas), 1♂ , 27.iii.2013, J.Y.O. Carreira leg., DNA-voucher LAK-170, GENITALIA nº 2016-06 ♂ J. R . A. Lemes ( CLK); 1♀ , xii.1976, ex-coll. Gifford, Gifford leg., GENITALIA nº 2017- 16♀ J. R . A. Lemes, DZ 16.348 ( DZUP); ( Serra Dourada ), 1♂ , 23– 26.iv.1973, C.J. Callaghan leg., ( CJC). Pirenópolis , 1♂ , 11.v.2012, L.A. Kaminski leg., DNA-voucher LAK-165, GENITALIA nº 2016-02 ♂ J. R . A. Lemes ( CLK); 1♂ , 28.i.2012, C.J. Callaghan leg., genitalia #1140, ( CJC); 1♂ , 20.xi.2010, A. Freitas leg. ( ZUEC). Santo Antônio de Goiás , 1♀ , 28.iii.2013, J.Y.O. Carreira leg., DNA-voucher LAK-169, GENITALIA nº 2016- 10♀ ( CLK). Minas Gerais : Araguari, 1♂ , xii.1931, R . Spitz leg., GENITALIA nº 2017- 26 ♂ J. R . A. Lemes, MZUSP 46870 ( MZUSP). Diamantina , 1300 m, 2♀ , 26–28.xi.1988, O. and E.J. Mielke leg., GENITALIA nº 2017- 29 ♀ and 2017- 30 ♀ J. R . A. Lemes, OM 19.561 , OM 19.562 ( OM). Pirapora , 2♂, no collection data, GENITALIA nº 2017- 25 ♂ J. R . A. Lemes, MZUSP 54432 , MZUSP 54433 ( MZUSP). São Paulo : Patrocínio Paulista (Parque Estadual das Furnas do Bom Jesus), 1♀ , 22.ii.2001, K.S. Brown leg., DNA-voucher LAK-467; 1♀, 22.ii.2001, K.S. Brown leg., DNA-voucher LAK-383, GENITALIA nº 2017- 10♀ J. R . A. Lemes ( ZUEC) .

Figures

FIGURE 14. Map of South America and detail of central and southeastern Brazil (red rectangle) showing the geographical distribution of Aricoris emeryi sp. nov. (red circles). Brazilian states: BA, Bahia; ES, Espírito Santo; GO, Goiás; MG, Minas Gerais; RJ, Rio de Janeiro; SP, São Paulo.

FIGURES 1–8. Habitus of Aricoris species. Aricoris emeryi sp. nov.: Holotype male in dorsal (1) and ventral (2) views; allotype female in dorsal (3) and ventral (4) views. Aricoris tutana (Godart, [1824]): male in dorsal (5) and ventral (6) views (DZ 16.369, Fazenda Água Limpa, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil); female in dorsal (7) and ventral (8) views (DZ 16.762, Pico das Almas, Rio de Contas, Bahia, Brazil). Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURES 9–13. Male and female genitalia of Aricoris emeryi sp. nov.: Male genitalia in lateral (9) and ventral (10) views (paratype DZ 16.348, Pirenópolis, Goiás, Brazil) (red arrow in fig. 9 indicates the pointed projection at the upper medial region of valvae and in fig. 10 indicates the lateral spine-shaped projection of valvae). Female genitalia, ventral view, sterigma in lateral view (11), details of the sterigma (12) and corpus bursae (13) in ventral view (paratype DZ 16.348, Cachoeira das Andorinhas, Goiás, Goiás, Brazil). Legend: PA, papillae anales; ST, sterigma; DB, ductus bursae; CB, corpus bursae; LP, lamella postvaginalis; LA, lamella antevaginalis; SI, signum; SP, spermatophore. Asterisks represent the most sclerotized area of the lamella antevaginalis. Scale bars = 1 mm (Figs 9–10), 2 mm (Fig. 11) and 0.2 mm (Figs. 12–13).

FIGURES 15–17. Habitat and adults of Aricoris emeryi sp. nov. in Parque Estadual da Serra dos Pirineus, Pirenópolis municipality, state of Goiás, Brazil. General view of the “cerrado rupestre” (15); male in a typical posture with semi-opened wings, showing conspicuous ocelli and spots dorsally and ventrally (16); female feeding on flowers of an unidentified Myrtaceae (17).