Thereus praxis (Godman & Salvin, 1887)

Faynel, Christophe, Huertas, Blanca, Crom, Jean-François Le, O’Brien, Richard & Fåhraeus, Christer, 2025, Diagnostic male secondary sexual structures and wing patterns in the Thereus genena species group (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae) with the description of nine new species from Colombia, Peru, Brazil and French Guiana, Zootaxa 5728 (2), pp. 201-246 : 236-237

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5728.2.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2E6171E0-E7A7-430E-BCC0-2C583209A94F
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F8303331-AF31-EA04-ABEF-FAC59DF0E811
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Thereus praxis (Godman & Salvin, 1887)
status

Treatment

Figures 29, 30 View FIGURES 23–33 , 47 View FIGURES 34–49 , 63 View FIGURES 60–65 , 76 View FIGURES 66–77 , 86 View FIGURES 86–87 , 90-93, 96, 97 View FIGURES 90–98

Thecla praxis : Godman & Salvin: 1887: 52

Type material. Originally described from four male specimens in the Godman & Salvin collection, now in the NHMUK, three males were from Panama and a fourth was from Colombia. Previously, only the specimen from Colombia was recognised as a type and placed in the type collection at the NHMUK. Through our research we have found and identified the other three syntypes from Panama. We have confirmed using genomic sampling that one of the three Panamanian specimens represents the same species. Therefore, to reduce the type locality to a single location, we here designate the specimen NHMUK015200812 from Colombia, as the lectotype of T. praxis ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 23–33 ) .

LECTOTYPE ♂: “Syn-type” (blue rimmed white circle label, printed); “Type” (orange rimmed white circle label, printed); “ ♂ ” (brown rectangular label, printed); “Interior of Colombia. Wheeler.” (brown rectangular label, printed); “Type. Sp. figured.” (brown rectangular label, printed); “Godman-Salvin Coll. 1911.-93. B.C.A.Lep.Rhop. Thecla praxis , G.&S.” (brown rectangular label, printed); “B.M. TYPE No. Rh 721” (brown rectangular label, printed and handwritten); “ Thecla praxis Godman & Salvin, 1887 SYNTYPE ” (white rectangular label, printed); “NHMUK015200812” (white rectangular label, printed); “Gen. prep. K. Florczyk // NHMUK10402965” (green rectangular label, black printed); “ Thecla praxis // Godman & Salvin, 1887 // LECTOTYPE // Faynel, 2025 ” (white rectangular label, printed).

PARALECTOTYPE ♂: “Syn-type” (blue rimmed white circle label, printed); “Taboga I Mathew.” (brown rectangular label, handwritten); “Taboga I., Panama. G.F. Mathew. ” (brown rectangular label, printed); “Godman-Salvin Coll. 1911.-93. B.C.A.Lep.Rhop. Thecla praxis , G.&S.” (brown rectangular label, printed); “Specimen removed from Lycaenidae Reference collection Huertas & O’Brien, 2023” (white rectangular label, printed); “ Thecla praxis Godman & Salvin, 1887 SYNTYPE ” (white rectangular label, printed); “NHMUK015200810” (white rectangular label, printed); “Gen. prep. K. Florczyk // NHMUK015200810” (green rectangular label, black printed); “ Thecla praxis // Godman & Salvin, 1887 // PARALECTOTYPE // Faynel, 2025 ” (white rectangular label, printed) .

PARALECTOTYPE ♂: “Syn-type” (blue rimmed white circle label, printed); “ Taboga Isl. Panama. Walker” (brown rectangular label, printed); “Godman-Salvin Coll. 1911.-93. B.C.A.Lep.Rhop. Thecla praxis , G.&S.” (brown rectangular label, printed); “NHMUK015200838” (white rectangular label, printed); “ Thecla praxis // Godman & Salvin, 1887 // PARALECTOTYPE // Faynel, 2025 ” (white rectangular label, printed) .

PARALECTOTYPE ♂: “Syn-type” (blue rimmed white circle label, printed), “ Veraguas, Panama. Arce.” (brown rectangular label, printed); “Godman-Salvin Coll. 1911.-93. B.C.A.Lep.Rhop. Thecla praxis , G.&S.” (brown rectangular label, printed); “NHMUK015200847” (white rectangular label, printed); “ Thecla praxis // Godman & Salvin, 1887 // PARALECTOTYPE // Faynel, 2025 ” (white rectangular label, printed) .

Other material examined ( 3 ♂, 1♀). COSTA RICA. 1♂, 92, Coll. A.M. Gillott B.M.1929-353, NHMUK015202796 ( NHMUK) . PANAMA. 1♂ Chiriqui 18.95. [illegible], J.J.Joicey Coll. B. M. 1929-435, 32. 21. Ex. Coll. Dognin. 1921., NHMUK015200845 ( NHMUK) . COLOMBIA. Meta. 1♀, CGN00001*, gen. prep. K. Florczyk JFL2848 ( Collection Gregory Nielsen, illustrated on Fig. 30 View FIGURES 23–33 ). SOUTH AMERICA . 1♂, 1939-1, SA, 2023, NHMUK015203798 ( NHMUK) .

Diagnosis and description. As noted previously, T. praxis is the sister species of T. praxioides sp. nov. and differs in the following respects: (1) the male DFW scent patch is a more flattened oval; (2) the extent of blue on the male VFW is more reduced; (3) the VHW bears a larger red cubital spot and a large dark brown anal spot with only a few red scales anteriorly, whereas T. praxioides sp. nov. has a bigger cubital red spot and a smaller anal black spot; (4) 5.31 % mean genetic divergence ( Table 3). T. praxis is also very close morphologically to T. ortalus , from which it differs by the same wing characters that separate it from T. praxioides sp. nov. and 5.84 % mean genetic divergence ( Table 3). Male genitalia ( Fig. 63 View FIGURES 60–65 ). Two males dissected. Very similar to T. praxioides sp. nov., with the valvae and the dorsal brush organs shorter. Female genitalia ( Fig. 76 View FIGURES 66–77 ). One female dissected. Large and deep funnel-shaped ostium bursae, forming an angle of 130º with the ductus bursae in lateral view (150° in T. praxioides sp. nov. and T. ortalus ). Ductus length shorter than in these species. No signum observed in the bursae. Papillae anales with two sclerotized half capsules facing each other and located on the membrane in between the papillae. Eighth tergite subrectangular.

Biology. This species has been bred by Gregory Nielsen on Passovia pedunculata (Jacq.) Kuijt ( Loranthaceae ) in Villavicencio, Meta, Colombia ( Fig. 90 View FIGURES 90–98 ). Larva photographed 13 February 2024 ( Figs 91-93 View FIGURES 90–98 ). The caterpillar at last stage is similar to those of T. ortaloides stat. rev. but the thoracic bulge is less developed. Pupa 21 February 2024 ( Figs 96-97 View FIGURES 90–98 ). The pupa is brown with whitish marks; its thoracic crest is also whitish. Pupa hatching 4 March 2024 (12 days). The female has been barcoded (DNA sample ID CGN00001), confirming it represents T. praxis . The associated ant species is Dolichoderus bidens ( Hymenoptera : Dolichoderinae). These ants make paper brood nests on the leaves. The Mistletoe ( Passovia ) was growing on a Citrus tree and the ants make paper chambers over the curled leaves of the Citrus tree (G. Nielsen, pers. comm.).

Sympatry. T. praxis and Thereus praxioides sp. nov. are sympatric in Mexico and Costa Rica. T. praxis and T. ortalus are sympatric in Costa Rica and Colombia ( Fig. 86 View FIGURES 86–87 ).

Known distribution ( Fig. 86 View FIGURES 86–87 ). Costa Rica. Panama. Colombia.