Catasticta semiramis willmotti Bollino & Lamas

Lamas, Gerardo & Bollino, Maurizio, 2004, Revisional notes on the " amastris " group of Catasticta Butler, 1870 (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), with descriptions of new species and subspecies, Zootaxa 605, pp. 1-19 : 14

Catasticta semiramis willmotti Bollino & Lamas , ssp. n. (plate 2, figs. 15–16)

Holotype: male, Ecuador, Zamora­Chinchipe, km 21 Loja­Zamora road, 2250 m (K. R. Willmott), presently in BMLI, to be deposited in a public institution in the future.

Description: FW length: 25.5 mm

Dorsal surface: Ground color of both wings brown with a complete series of brownish discal and submarginal spots, suffused with black scales on FW. HW distal third of costal cell yellowish, basal two thirds brown. HW discal band evident, postdiscal spots small and nearly obsolete, marginal lunules nearly indistinguishable from ground colour.

Ventral surface: As in s. palla , but FW discal band spots wider.

Female: Unknown.

Diagnostic characters: C. semiramis wilmotti is distinguishable from s. palla by the dorsal HW discal band evident and clearly marked in the anal area (nearly absent and constantly brown, like the ground­color, in the anal area in s. palla ), and dorsal HW postdiscal spots nearly obsolete and sub­ovate (conspicuous and elongated in s. palla ).

Paratypes (2 males): 1 male, Ecuador, Azuay, Gualaceo­Limón (East), 2200 m, 31.VIII.2003 (J. Wojtusiak & T. Pyrcz), in MBLI; 1 male, Ecuador, Zamora­Chinchipe, Quebrada Las Dantas, near Romerillos, 1700m, (K. R. Willmott), in KWJH.

Additional specimens, not included in the type series: 1 male, Ecuador, Zamora­Chinchipe, Valladolid, X.1995; 2 males, Ecuador, Loja, Cordillera Lagunillas, San Andreas, 2100­2500 m, 20.V.1998 (A. Jasinski); all in AJWP.

Distribution: Apparently restricted to mid elevations (1700–2300 m) in south Ecuador, from Cordillera Las Lagunillas (Loja) northward to the eastern slopes of the Morona­Santiago mountains, though it will certainly occur in extreme northern Peru as well. Both Ecuadorian subspecies appear to be parapatric in Azuay/Morona­Santiago, with palla flying at 3000 m, whereas willmotti occurs at 2200 m.

Derivatio nominis. Named after Keith R. Willmott (The Natural History Museum, London), in appreciation of his important research on the biodiversity of Ecuadorian butterflies.