Cithaerias pyritosa (Zikán), Zikan

Penz, Carla M., Alexander, Laura G. & Devries, Philip J., 2014, Revised species definitions and nomenclature of the rose colored Cithaerias butterflies (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae), Zootaxa 3873 (5), pp. 541-559 : 555-557

Cithaerias pyritosa (Zikán)

( Figs 5 g–i, 7b, 8e, 9)

Cithaerias similigena D’Almeida Callitaera pireta amaryllis Bryk

Type material: Lectotype is in the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil http:// www.butterfliesofamerica.com/L/ih/n_ cithaerias 0037_i.htm (last accessed 22 June 2014).

Distribution. Colombia east of the Andes, and Brazil, and might be sympatric with C. aurorina (see Constantino 1995) and C. aurora . See map ( Fig. 9 ) for examined specimens.

Diagnosis. We define this species based on the following combination of characters (numbered in Fig. 5 g): (1) male HW submarginal band well separated from marginal band, slightly staggered, usually merging with marginal band in cell M2 to form a brown triangle (arrow in Fig. 5 g); (2) male HW postmedial band that outlines the ocellus complete across cells Rs through M2; (3) male HW postmedial band somewhat broad, slightly arched in each cell; (4) male HW scaling dense, deep rose with overtones of iridescent purple in some specimens, and usually localized in cells M3, Cu1 and Cu2 (absent or barely entering cell M2); (5) female similar to male but with wider brown bands and lighter color scaling (lacking the purple sheen), wing pattern of the single specimen available to us seems indistinguishable from C. aurora . Male genitalia ( Fig. 7 b): note the extremely long phallus and saccus—unique to this species, plus the narrow rounded subscaphium that bears well-sclerotized small spines. Female genitalia ( Fig. 8 e): the rectangular sterigma is smaller and more deeply concave than in C. aurora , and it bears an extremely large ostium bursae. Note also the enlarged antrum plus ductus bursae.

Variation in wing pattern. Although few specimens were available to us, some variation was observed. In males the coloration can be pure rose ( Brazil) or have overtones of purple ( Colombia), and the brown scale-less triangle below M 2 may be solid (brown bands amalgamated; Fig. 5 g) or open (brown bands not amalgamated; Fig 5 h).

Subspecies. None.

Remarks. Although it is not possible to evaluate the length of the phallus and saccus from the original description of C. pyritosa , based on type specimen photographs and localities, we concur with Lamas (1998) that C. similigena and C. pireta amaryllis are synonyms of C. pyritosa . The male genitalia photograph of C. similigena in D’Almeida (1951) is quite similar to C. pyritosa in Fig. 7 b, but the phallus is proportionately longer. It is also important to note that the proportions of the male genitalia parts in lateral view illustrated by Constantino (1995) do not match those in D’Almeida (1951; as C. similigena ) nor this study ( Fig. 7 b). This variation warrants further examination.

Material examined: MALE: 1M Brazil, Amazonas, Tonantins, August 1923 M. Clifton dissection slide 239 ( CMNH); 1M Colombia, Amazonas, Rio Tacana, 1–13 November 1946 ( CMNH); 1M Colombia, Amazonas, Rio Loreto Yacu, 8 July–16 August 1981, dissection CMP 14-04 ( LACM); 2M Colombia, Leticia, 19 November 1975 ( USNM). FEMALE: 1F Colombia, Amazonas, Rio Tacana, 1–13 November 1946, dissection CMP 14-20 ( CMNH); 1F Brazil, 30 June 1919 (specimen has an unusual number of eyespots, identification is tentative) ( CMNH).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Male genitalia in lateral and ventral views, tegument and uncus in dorsal view, and subscaphium in ventral view. Valva setae shown on one side only. When not clearly visible in the lateral view illustration, the phallus was shown separately. Given that the two parts of the subscaphium (subanal plate and adjacent sclerotized area) rest on the membranous diaphragma, the variation in the shape of the subanal plate includes preparation artifacts. Scale bar Scale bar 1 mm for all images. a, C. aurorina dissection CMP 13 - 13; b, C. pyritosa dissection CMP 14 - 04.

FIGURE 8. Female genitalia in ventral view, including schematic representation of papilla anales and abdomen outline. Scale bar Scale bar 1 mm for line drawings only. a, C. pireta dissection CMP 13 – 28, the arrow indicates lateral portion of the sterigma that is much reduced (and not illustrated) in other species; b – c, C. cliftoni dissections CMP 13 – 35 and 13 – 29; d, C. aurora dissection CMP 13 – 33; e, C. pyritosa dissection CMP 14 – 20. f, characteristic aspect of a mated female; note that the scaling anterior to the sterigma have been lifted by the mating plug.

FIGURE 9. Map showing the collecting localities of examined specimens (excluding dubious localities).

FIGURE 5. a – e, C. aurora; f, C. aurorina; g – i, C. pyritosa; dorsal view on the left, ventral on the right. Collecting localities and genitalia dissection codes appear below each specimen.