Rhamma oxida (Hewitson, 1870)

Prieto, Carlos & Vargas, Maria A., 2016, Elfin butterflies of the genus Rhamma Johnson (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae): A review of the Colombian species, Zootaxa 4093 (3), pp. 323-342 : 326-327

Rhamma oxida (Hewitson, 1870)

( Figures 11, 12 , 34 , 46 , 55 , 72 )

Thecla oxida Hewitson, 1870: 212 , 445, plate LXXXV, figs. 719, 718, 720; Draudt 1917–1924: 759; pl. 153f. Rhamma disjuncta Johnson, 1992: 147 , figs. 65, 160. Image of holotype examined.

Type material. Lectotype male, “ Ecuador. Hewitson Coll.79-69., Thecla oxida 3.”, “ Type ”, “B.M. Type No. Rh.606”, “Genitalia K. Johnson xi 1983 ”. Deposited in BMNH.

Taxonomic history and remarks. This species was described briefly by Hewitson (1870) from an indeterminate number of specimens from Ecuador. Johnson (1992) designated it as the type species of the genus Rhamma . The later author described R. disjuncta from the mountains of Costa Rican, a species subsequently synonymized by Robbins (2004) with R. oxida . Even though the holotype of R. disjuncta is most similar to the holotype of R. catamarca Johnson, 1992 , we prefer to follow Robbins’ concept until new material of both species is available for study.

Distribution and variability. This species is widely distributed in Ecuador; some specimens have been collected in southern Colombia. We were unable to assess variability. This species has been reared on Lupinus mutabilis Sweet in Ecuador (Arregui-Garcia, 1985).

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from the mostly similar species, R. comstocki , by a conspicuous androconial brand on dorsal forewing that is faint in the upper margin of the discal cell of R. comstocki .

Material examined (6♂, 3♀). CAUCA: 5 ♂, 3 ♀, CP: Totoró, La Horqueta, 2800 m, 15/06/2013; C. Prieto. NARIÑO: 1 ♂, JFLC: Ipiales, 2400 m, x/1993, J.v. Benavides.

Figures

FIGURES 11 – 19. Adults depicted in dorsal (left) and ventral (right) aspect: 11. Rhamma oxida male (Cauca); 12. Rhamma oxida female (Cauca); 13. Rhamma comstocki male (Cundinamarca); 14. Rhamma comstocki female (Cundinamarca); 15. Rhamma comstocki male (Cesar); 16. Rhamma comstocki female (Cundinamarca); 17. Rhamma shapiroi male (SNSM, Magdalena); 18. Rhamma shapiroi female (SNSM, Magdalena); 19. Rhamma mishma male (SNSM, Magdalena).

FIGURES 30 – 35. Male genitalia armatures in lateral (left) and ventral (right) views: 30. Rhamma hybla; 31. Rhamma adunca; 32. Rhamma arria; 33. Rhamma livida (arrows point a., vinculum strut strongly developed and b., vinculum forming a 90 degree angle); 34. Rhamma oxida; 35. Rhamma comstocki.

FIGURES 42 – 50. Female genitalia (ductus bursae and bursa copulatrix): 42. Rhamma hybla (arrows point a., strongly developed lamella postvaginalis, terminating in serrate configurations b., ductus bursae lightly sclerotized in the middle so that it appears to be transparent and c., dendritic, fan shaped signa) 43. Rhamma adunca; 44. Rhamma arria; 45. Rhamma livida; 46. Rhamma oxida; 47. Rhamma comstocki; 48. Rhamma shapiroi; 49. Rhamma bilix; 50. Rhamma anosma.

FIGURES 51 – 62. Androconial brands (arrows point the scent pad): 51. Rhamma hybla; 52. Rhamma adunca; 53. Rhamma arria; 54. Rhamma livida; 55. Rhamma oxida; 56. Rhamma comstocki; 57. Rhamma shapiroi; 58. Rhamma mishma; 59. Rhamma bilix; 60. Rhamma anosma; 61. Rhamma familiaris; 62. Rhamma commodus.

FIGURES 71 – 73. Distributional maps of Colombian Rhamma. 71. Rhamma mishma; 72. Rhamma oxida; 73. Rhamma shapiroi.