Pronophila obscura Butler

Viloria, Angel L., Pyrcz, Tomasz W. & Orellana, Andrés, 2010, A survey of the Neotropical montane butterflies of the subtribe Pronophilina (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) in the Venezuelan Cordillera de la Costa, Zootaxa 2622, pp. 1-41 : 23

Pronophila obscura Butler ( Figs. 29, 30 )

Pronophila obscura Butler, 1868: 184 , pl. 4, fig. 10. Syntype (s) in BMNH [examined].

Geographic range: Species: CC, ST; Subspecies: SL, SI.

Altitudinal range: 1200–1700 m

Remarks: It is one of two representatives of the genus Pronophila in the CC, both endemic. They can be immediately recognized by the fact that P. obscura has a uniform dark brown FW and HWD, whereas P. thelebe Doubleday has a conspicuous white subapical patch. P. obscura occurs at considerably lower elevations; therefore they practically never occur together in nature. P. obscura can locally be very common at the right altitude. It keeps inside dense forest and has never been observed wandering into wider trails and open, secondary areas. P. obscura is closely related to P. cuchillaensis Viloria & Camacho from the Serranía del Turimiquire, which is possibly only a local subspecies of P. o b s c u r a. It is also related to P. unifasciata Lathy , a widespread polytypic Andean species, and P. t i m a n t h e s Salvin from Costa Rica and Panama.

Material examined: DISTRITO FEDERAL: 1 male: Caracas, 920 m, XII.1971, J. Mal, leg., MIZA; ARAGUA: 8 males: Tiara, 1200 m, 24.V.1994, J. Clavijo, A. Chacón and Q. Arias leg., MIZA; 1 male: Rancho Grande, 900 m, 10.VII.1952, F. Fernández Y. leg., MIZA; 1 male: Rancho Grande-Portachuelo, 1100 m, 23.V.1971, F. Fernández Y. leg., MIZA; 1 male: carretera Maracay-Choroní, 05.IX.1970, J. Salcedo and J. A. Clavijo leg., MIZA; 1 male: Caserío El Bigote al norte de Paya, 1000 m, 14.IX.1988, L. D. Otero leg., MIZA; 1 male: Villa de Cura, Est. Exp. Cataurito, 900 m, 21.X.1982, J. DeMarmels leg., MIZA; 1 male: same data but 05.XI.1987, J. DeMarmels leg., MIZA; 1 male: Tiara, Campamento Rangel, 1200 m, 20.II.1986, F. Fernández y J. Clavijo leg., MIZA; 1 male: carretara Choroní, 1400 m, 04.VIII.1952, JRR leg., MIZA; 1 male: Rancho Grande, 900 m, 10.VII.1952, F. Fernández Y. leg., MIZA; 1 male: Rancho Grande, 1100 m, 07.VII.1952, F. Fernández Y. leg., MIZA; 1 female: Palmarito - El Castaño, 800 m, 10.V.1989, L. D. Otero leg., MIZA; 1 female: Tiara, 1200 m, 23. VI.1994, J. DeMarmels and A. Chacón leg., MIZA; 1 female: Rancho Grande-Portachuelo, 1100 m, 20.IX.1969, J. Salcedo and J. A. Clavijo leg., MIZA; 1 female: Rancho Grande, 1100 m, 01.IX.1977, F. Fernández and J. Clavijo leg., MIZA; 1 female: same data but 25.IX.1952, F. Fernández Y. leg., MIZA; 1 female: Alto de Tiara, 1200 m, 30.VII.1952, J. A. González leg., MIZA; 1 female: Rancho Grande, 1100 m, 12.IX.1975, J. Clavijo leg., MIZA; 1 female: Villa de Cura, Est. Exp. Cataurito, 27.X.1981, J. DeMarmels leg., MIZA; 1 male: carretera Maracay-Choroní, 1000 m, VI.1982, F. Romero leg., FRR; 1 male and 1 female: same data but 1250 m, IV.1975, FRR; 1 male: same data but 1200 m, VIII.1982, FRR; 1 male: same data but 1550 m, IX.1988, FRR; 1 male: same data but X.1965, FRR; 1 female: same data but 1550 m, V.1974, FRR; 1 female: same data but 1550 m, VIII.1990, FRR; 1 female: same data but 1260 m, IX.1975, FRR; 1 female: same data but 1300 m, V.1984, FRR; 1 female: same data but 1200 m, VIII.1994, FRR; 1 female: same data but X.1968, FRR; 1 male: Rancho Grande, Portachuelo, 1100 m, IX.1988, F. Romero leg., FRR; 1 male: Rosario de Paya, 1200 m, X.1993, F. Romero leg., FRR; 1 male: N. of Rancho Grande, 1500 m, 01.V.1975, M. Adams leg., BMNH; MIRANDA: 1 male: Pasaquire, 11.IV.1985, J. DeMarmels leg., MIZA; 1 male: Qda. Pajarito - Altamira, Avila, 1000 m, 20.III.1982, J. DeMarmels leg., MIZA; 1 female: Qda. Pasaquire, 30.X.1981, J. DeMarmels leg., MIZA; 1 male: San Pedro de los Altos, VI.1967, F. Romero leg., FRR; CARABOBO: 3 males: Cerro El Café-Valencia, 700–1200 m, 17.XII.1980, L. D. Otero and C. L. Ortega leg., MIZA; 1 male: same data but 03.XII.1980, L. D. Otero and C. L. Ortega leg., MIZA; 1 female: Cerro El Café-Valencia, 1100 m, 27.IX–03.X.1981, L. D. Otero, J. B. Rodríguez and C. L. Ortega leg., MIZA; 1 male: Bejuma, Palmichal, 1200 m, VI.1992, FRR.

Figures

FIGURES 29 – 36. Adult satyrine butterflies from the Cordillera de La Costa, Venezuela (left: dorsal, right: ventral); 29. Pronophila obscura Butler (male, Cerro San Isidro); 30. P. obscura Butler (female, vía Maracay-Choroní); 31. Pronophila thelebe Doubleday (male, vía Capachal); 32. P. thelebe Doubleday (female, vía Capachal); 33. Mygona irmina (Doubleday) (male, Los Colonos); 34. M. irmina (Doubleday) (female, Los Colonos); 35. Thiemeia phoronea phoronea (Doubleday) (male, vía Naranjal); 36. T. phoronea phoronea (Doubleday) (female, vía Naranjal).