Philaethria pygmalion metaensis Constantino & Salazar

Constantino, Luis Miguel & Salazar, Julian A., 2010, A review of the Philaethria dido species complex (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae) and description of three new sibling species from Colombia and Venezuela, Zootaxa 2720, pp. 1-27 : 11-12

Philaethria pygmalion metaensis Constantino & Salazar , n.ssp.

( Fig. 12 )

Diagnosis. P. pygmalion metaensis is recognized from P. pygmalion pygmalion by the dark brown inner postdiscal band on the ventral surface of the hind wing which is wider, the FW postmedial green area larger, and the HW postcellular spots smaller. P. pygmalion metaensis flies in open areas (savannas in the Orinoco basin) unlike P. pygmalion pygmalion that flies in dense forest in the Amazon basin.

Description. Forewing length 49–52 mm in males and 52–55 mm in females. Sexes similar. Dorsal forewing ground color black with light green-lemon bands like in P. dido . Ventral surface of the hindwings with inner postdiscal band dark brown and wide (narrower in P. pygmalion pygmalion ), bone white medial postdiscal band very narrow, outer postdiscal band black. Postcellular spots small (larger in P. pygmalion pygmalion ). Submarginal band dark brown. HW submarginal cellular spots diffuse and continuous. Ventral side of forewing with anal cell bar black. Postmedial green area large with the band between veins M2- M3 large (very reduced or almost absent in P. pygmalion pygmalion ). Subapical spot large and rounded.

Type material. Holotype male: COLOMBIA: Meta, Rio Ariari, 450 m, 20 August 1989, L. M. Constantino leg. Deposited in MHNUC. Allotype female: COLOMBIA: Meta, Rio Ariari, 21 August 1989, L. M. Constantino leg. ( MHNUC). Paratypes: 1 male, COLOMBIA: Meta, Villavicencio, 500 m, 25 August 1989, L.M. Constantino leg. (CFC), 1 male, Meta, Rio Ariari, 450 m, J. A. Salazar leg. (JAS)

Haploid chromosome number: n=29 (voucher specimen fig.12) for material examined from Rio Ariari (Meta)

Etymology: The name refers to the Department of Meta in Eastern Colombia in which this subspecies is found.

Distribution and habitat. P. pygmalion metaensis flies in open areas and grasslands in the vast savanna of the Orinoco basin (Rio Meta, Rio Ariari, Llanos Orientales) and along the eastern slope of the Cordillera Oriental in Colombia. It is possible that P. pygmalion metaensis may occur in the state of Apure in Venezuela, down the Orinoco river since both countries share the same savanna ecosystem (Llanos Orientales) but no records available from Venezuela were found for this subspecies. P. pygmalion metaensis flies sympatrically with P. dido dido in E. Colombia.

Host plant. reared on Passiflora edulis (Passifloraceae) in E. Colombia (Meta) (Gregory Nielsen pers. comm.).

Immature stages. fifith instar larva ( Fig. 42 g) like P. pygmalion pygmalion .

Figures

FIGURES 12 - 21. 12. P. pygmalion metaensis, ssp. nov., 3 Holotype. Rio Ariari, Meta, Colombia. 13. P. neildi neildi, sp. nov., 3 Holotype. Barinas, Venezuela. 14. P. neildi neildi, sp. nov., Ƥ Allotype. Barinas, Venezuela. 15. P. neildi winhardi, ssp. nov., 3 Holotype. Sierra Nevada de Sta Marta, Colombia. 16. P. neildi tachiraensis, ssp. nov. Holotype. 3 N. Tamá, Tachira, Venezuela. 17. P. neildi tachiraensis, ssp. nov. Allotype. Ƥ San Cristobal, Tachira, Venezuela. 18. P. andrei andrei, holotype 3 Carapa, Macouria. Fr. Guiana. 19. P. andrei andrei, allotype Ƥ Carapa, Macouria, Fr. Guiana. 20. P. andrei orinocensis, ssp. nov., 3 Holotype. Delta Amacuro, Rio Orinoco, Venezuela. 21. P. ostara araguensis, ssp. nov., Ƥ Allotype. Catica, Aragua, Venezuela.

FIGURE 42. A, B. P. dido dido, Rio Madre de Dios, Perú. C. P. dido dido, Mato Grosso Brazil. D. mating of P. diatonica. E – F. Larva of P. dido chocoensis, Colombia. G – H. Larva of P. pygmalion, Villavicencio, Colombia. I. egg of P. dido chocoensis. J. Pupa of P. dido dido, Villavicencio, Colombia. K. Pupa of P. andrei, Fr. Guiana. L. Larva of P. diatonica, ACG Guanacaste, Costa Rica. M. Passiflora vitifolia, host plant of P. dido chocoensis, Rio Anchicayá, Colombia. Photos: Adrian Hoskins, H. Koloska, Gill Carter, B. Jimenez, Gregory Nielsen, Daniel Janzen, Christian Brevignon, Fredy Montero, Luis M. Constantino.