Oenomaus andi Busby & Faynel

Faynel, Christophe, Busby, Robert C. & Robbins, Robert K., 2012, Review of the species level taxonomy of the neotropical butterfly genus Oenomaus (Lycaenidae, Theclinae, Eumaeini), ZooKeys 222, pp. 11-45 : 19-20

Oenomaus andi Busby & Faynel sp. n. Figs 8, 9, 24, 29, 42, 43, 47

Type-locality.

Ecuador: Zamora Chinchipe Prov., Zamora (ridge W. of town), 4°04.5'S, 78°58.1'W, 1450 m. The ridge west of Zamora rises rather sharply from the city and is accessed by a dirt road which goes up to about 1300 m. The top of the ridge is still forested but a significant part of the surrounding land has been turned into pasture.

Type-specimen.

Holotype ♂ (Fig. 8) labeled as "ECUADOR / Zamora Chinchipe Prov. / Zamora (ridge W. of town) / 18. ix. 2000 (1450m) / leg. Robert C. Busby" [rectangular, white, printed], "GENITALIA NO. / 2009: 344♂ / C. FAYNEL" [rectangular, green, printed] "Holotype ♂ / Oenomaus andi / Busby & Faynel, 2012" [rectangular, red, printed]. Deposited in USNM.

Paratypes: Ecuador.3♀: Morona-Santiago, 1 km E Río Abanico, 1600 m, 2°15.4'S; 78°11.7'W, 15.IX.2003, Robert C. Busby leg., gen. prep. CF n°416 (RCB) (Fig. 9); Morona-Santiago, 14 km W. of Macas, 1600m, 28.IX.1998, Río Abanico, leg. Robert C. Busby (RCB); Zamora Chinchipe, Zamora (ridge W. of town), 4°04.5'S, 78°58.1'W, 1450 m, 06.X.2007, D. H. Ahrenholz, R. C. Busby leg. (RCB).

Other specimen examined.

Bolivia. 1♀: La Paz, Nor Yungas, Caranavi, 1500 m, XII. 2004, gen. prep. CF n°445 (MC 253).

Description, diagnosis and recognition as a distinct species.

Male FW length: 16.3 mm (N = 1). Female FW length: 16.7 mm (SD = 0.8, N = 2). Wing pattern (Figs 8, 9) and genitalia (Figs 24, 29) illustrated. The ventral wing pattern of Oenomaus andi is similar to that of many other Oenomaus , but this species is distinguished by (1) a white spot on the basal side of VHW cell Rs-M1, (2) an elongated double valvae of equal size, (3) a large posterior part of the saccus in lateral view, (4) a swollen terminal end of the penis, and (5) modified anterior and posterior edges of the male 8th tergum (detailed under remarks).

Etymology.

This species is named for Andrea (Andi) Busby, wife of Robert Busby, in appreciation for her long standing support of his research. The name is a feminine noun in apposition.

Remarks.

Valvae structure in Oenomaus andi is very similar to that found in Oenomaus gaia Faynel, suggesting that this new species belongs to the Oenomaus cortica subgroup (as characterized by Faynel and Moser 2008). Species in this subgroup have a modified 8th tergum (except for Oenomaus druceus Faynel & Moser, 2008). In the male of Oenomaus andi (Fig. 42), the posterior edge of the 8th tergum has a deep depression in the middle, while the anterior edge is shaped like a wide “W”. In the female, the posterior edge is nearly straight but is split in the middle. The anterior edge is similar to that of the male, but is laterally sclerotized (Fig. 43). The white spot on the basal side of VHW cell Rs-M1 occurs in only a few other Oenomaus species including Oenomaus geba (Hewitson), Oenomaus melleus (Druce), Oenomaus morroensis Faynel & Moser, and Oenomaus jauffreti Faynel & Moser. Regardless of whether the presence of this spot is evidence of relationship, it is very useful for separating Oenomaus andi from the other species of the Oenomaus cortica subgroup.

Habitat and distribution.

Oenomaus andi is a species of montane forest (> 1300 m) that is recorded from Ecuador to Bolivia (Fig. 47).

Behavior.

A male and two females were attracted to traps baited with rotting fish (vouchers in RCB).