Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae

20 Pages·2011·4.27 MB·English

by  Hajdu Eva

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI
Volume 103 Budapest, 2011 pp. 261–280
Descriptions of eight new Pseudolucia species from Chile
(Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae)
D. BENYAMINI1& ZS.BÁLINT2*
14D MicroRobotics, 91 Levona Street, Bet Arye, 71947, Israel.
Email: [email protected]
2Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum,
H-1088 Budapest, Baross utca 13, Hungary. Email: [email protected]
–EightspeciesofPseudoluciaNABOKOV,1945fromChilearedescribed,five
fromtheP.andinaspeciesgroup(P.barrigaisp.n.fromMauleRegion,P.faundezisp.n.
fromAraucaniaRegion,P.johnsonisp.n.fromBioBioRegion,P.luzmariasp.n.from
CoquimboRegion,andP.munozaesp.n.fromMauleRegion),onefromtheP.collinaspe-
ciesgroup(P.zoellnerisp.n.fromMauleRegion),andtwofromtheP.plumbeaspecies
group(P.sigalsp.n.fromCoquimboRegionandP.valentinasp.n.fromMauleRegion).
Dataonbiologyanddistributionofthespeciesdescribedareprovided,withadditional
notesonnomenclatureandtaxonomy.AlistofallknownPseudoluciaspecieswithbasicin-
formation on their distributions is also given. With 23 figures.
– Polyommatini, new species, Andes.
INTRODUCTION
SincetheseminalworkofNABOKOV(1945),whenthegenusPseudo-
luciawasestablished,thenumberoftheknownspeciesinthegenusincre-
asedbymorethanonemagnitude.Thisresultedfromtherevisionalstudy
ofliterature,typespecimensandcollectionsamples(BÁLINT1993,BÁLINT
&JOHNSON1993,1995a,b,BÁLINT&LUY1994),plustheongoingresearch
oftheseniorauthor,whoextensivelytravelledinaustralSouthAmericafor
exploringremoteplacesnot visited before by anyentomologist, collecting
samples, and rearing caterpillars (BENYAMINIet al. 1995, 1995a,b).
* Correspondingauthor
Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 103, 2011
262 D. Benyamini & Zs. Bálint
Viathesepioneerfieldobservationsandbreedingexperimentsthemyr-
mecophylyofpolyommatinelycaenidsofSouthAmericawasproperlyre-
corded (BENYAMINI& BÁLINT1995).
NABOKOV (1945)recorded onlytwo Pseudoluciaspecies fromChile,
butthisnumberwasraisedto21inthefirstbutterflybookofChile(PEÑA
&UGARTE1997).UntilnowsixPseudoluciaspecieswereaddedbyBÁLINT
&BENYAMINI(2001)andBÁLINTetal.(2001),whichbringsthefigureof
theChileanspeciesto27,andfourpreviouslydescribedtaxaweresynony-
mised(PEÑA&UGARTE2006).However, itbecameevident, thattheac-
tualnumberofthespeciesisevenhigherasthemostrecentexpeditionsof
the senior author resulted in new discoveries in Chile (VILAet al. 2011).
InthispapereightPseudoluciaspeciesaredescribedrepresentingthe
speciesgroupsandina,collinaandplumbeaonlyfromChileraisingthenum-
berofthespeciesoccurringinthatcountryto35.Ouraimsare(1)tocomp-
letethetaxonomicknowledgeoftheChileanPseudoluciafaunaasknown
today,(2)toprovidemoreinformationaboutthebiologyofthisgenusen-
demicforaustralSouthAmericaand(3)topointoutcertainpeculiarities
hopingthatthesedriveourknowledgetowardsabetterunderstandingof
the genus.
AsthemontaneandaustralbiotaintheAndesisdeterminedbycom-
plex environmental variables resulting highly specialized local floras and
faunas(cf.PYRCZ2010),stillundiscoveredPseudoluciaspeciesmayexistin
variousremoteareasinChile,despiteintensivesamplingbytheseniorau-
thoronthewesternsideoftheAndes.Comparedtowhatisbelievedtobean
almostcompleteknowledgeoftheChileanspecies,ontheeasternsidefur-
thertaxaawaittobenamed.Thiswillbethesubjectofanotherpaperdedi-
cated to the ArgentinianPseudoluciafauna.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
ThestudyisbasedonthePseudoluciamaterialdepositedinthecollectionofthese-
niorauthor(>1200specimens)andintheHungarianNaturalHistoryMuseum(342spe-
cimens).
Taxaarelistedaccordingtospeciesgroupswhichwereestablishedpreviouslybythe
authors(BÁLINT&BENYAMINI2001,BENYAMINIetal.1995a).Theirkeyscanbeapplied
fromthepaperreferred.Withinthespeciesgroupstaxaarelistedinalphabeticalorderac-
cording to their species group names.
Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 103, 2011
NewPseudoluciaspeciesfromChile 263
Methodsandterminologiesarecompatiblewiththepreviouspaperspublishedon
thegenus(BÁLINT&BENYAMINI2001).Labeldataarecitedverbatimfortheholotype
specimensbetweenquotationmarks,thehandwrittencharactersaregiveninitalicsand
thesign“[/]”indicateslinebreakinthelabels.Speciesarediagnosedincomparisontothe
mostsimilarspecies,andonlythecharacteristictraitsaregiven.Detaileddescriptionsof
coloursandpatterns,plusgenitalmorphologytypicalforthespeciesgroupsareavoidedas
thesecanbegatheredfromtheliteraturementionedortheillustrationsprovided.
GenitalstructuresindissectedholotypespecimensweremeasuredbyanOLYMPUS
SZX12 binocular microscope with ocular accessory GSWH X/22 under magnification
×50asAB=valvallengthlinemeasuredfromvalvabasetolowerprojectionterminus,C=
pointonvalvallengthwherethehighestdistanceismeasuredonvalvallengthlineperpen-
dicularlytolowercosta,CD=highestvalvalwidthmeasuredfromC;E=pointonvalval
lengthlinewherethehighestdistanceismeasuredperpendicularlytouppercosta;EF=
highest valval width measured from E (all in mm).
Distributionandbiologyofthespeciesarecompiledaccordingtothedataavailable
with the type material and on the basis of field observations of the senior author.
Abbreviationsofdepositories–CB=CollectionBENYAMINI(BetArye,Israel)(primary
typespecimenswillbedepositedinMuseoNacionaldeHistoriaNatural,Santiago,Chile);
CUC=ConcepciónUniversity,Concepción,Chile;HNHM=HungarianNaturalHistory
Museum(Budapest,Hungary);FMC=FieldMuseumofNaturalHistory,Chicago,USA.
Pseudolucia andinaspecies group
sp. n.
(Figs 1–2, 17)
Typematerial–Holotypemale,forewinglength11mm:“Pseudoluciabarrigai[/]
Chile,Maule,07/01/2003[/]EsterodelFiero,RioTeno,[/]MinaBioBio2200m[/]Leg.
DubiBenyamini”,depositedinCB.Paratypes(nos1–66):Chile,LosQueñes,Curicó-Chile,
2000m.I.80,J.E.BARRIGA(HNHMparatypemaleno.1;CBparatypemaleno.2);Chile,
Vs.DelFlaco,Cord.Talca,29.XI.1957,L.E.L.PEÑA(FMCparatypefemaleno.3,HNHM
paratype female no. 4); Argentina: Mendoza, Las Leñas, 7000’, 3.XII.1989, leg. A. M.
SHAPIRO(HNHMparatypemaleno.5,gen.prep.No.827,BÁLINT;HNHMparatypefe-
maleno.6,gen.prep. no.828,BÁLINT);maleswithdataasholotype(CBparatype nos
7–16);Argentina:Mendoza,LasLeñas,2100m,18–19.XII.1999leg.D.BENYAMINI(CBpa-
ratypenos17–21);Argentina: Mendoza, Las Leñas,2100–2150m,25.XII.2001,leg.D.
BENYAMINI(CBparatypenos18–36);Argentina:Mendoza,LasLeñas,2130m,26.XII.2001,
leg.D.BENYAMINI(CBparatypeno.37);Argentina:Mendoza,ValleHermoso2800m,6.I.
2002,leg.D.BENYAMINI(CBparatypenos38–47);Argentina:Mendoza,LasLeñas,2150m,
5.I.2003,leg.D.BENYAMINI(CBparatypenos48–60);Argentina:Mendoza,ValleHermoso,
3150m, 2.II.2004,leg. A. M. SHAPIRO (CB paratype no. 61); Argentina: Mendoza, Las
Leñas, 2100 m, 13.XII.2010, leg. O. TOMER(CB paratype nos 62–66).
Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 103, 2011
264 D. Benyamini & Zs. Bálint
Diagnosisanddescription–Habitus(Figs1–2):itisasmallspecies,whichresembles
P.andina(CALVERT,1893)butbothmaleandfemalegiveanorange-silveryimpression
withlongerforewings.Thebronzeglossisrestrictedtothedorsalwingsurfacebasalareas,
thesubmarginalorangecolourationismoremarked(andinamalesdonothaveanyorange
colouration),andthemarginalborderissomewhatnarrowerinthemales,especiallyinthe
forewingfromtheapextotheveinCu1comparedtoP.andina;theventralwingsurfaces
arelightgreybutwithorangetint,hindwingbasalareadarker,hindwingmedianareawith
reducedspotsinthediscalcellandcellSc+R1-Rs,wherethewhiteelementsofthepattern
aredarkened.Femaleissimilarbutwithmoreextensiveorangeandhindwingsilveryscal-
ing. Genitalia: male organ as that of Pseudolucia andina species group (see BÁLINT &
JOHNSON1995a:figures3,9and11),inlateralviewwithrobustvalvapossessingslightly
humped upper costa, lower terminus longer and more pronounced than that of upper
(Fig.17);juxtastrongwithhalfvalvallength,vinculumnarrowandaslongasjuxta,tegu-
menstronglysclerotizedwithbulbousuncus(buthorseshoeshapedandpointedinventral
ordorsalview);femaletubularorganwithlargesclerotizedterminaliamarkedbysmaller
sclerotized elliptic tube, showing thickened terminal nodule. Measurements: forewing
costallength:9–13mm(n=60);malegenitalvalvaAB=2.90,C=1.16,CD=0.20,E=2.24,
EF = 0.66.
Distribution–InChileitisknownfromseverallocalitiesalongPasoVergara(Los
Queñes,versdelFlaco,EstereodelRioTeno)betweenCuricoandtheArgentinianborder.
InArgentinaitiscommoninLasLeñasandValleHermoso,Mendoza.Thebutterfliesfly
at 2000 m and above.
Biology–FlightperiodfromNovembertoJanuaryinonegeneration.Forthespecies
in Chile there are twopotential larval hosts, Astragaluscruckshanksii(HOOK. & ARN.)
GRISEB.andAstragaluspehuenchesNIEDERL.(Fabaceae).InPasoVergaramanymoreadults
wereobservedaroundA.cruckshanksiiwhichseemstobethepreferredone.Thehabitats
wherethisAstragalusabundantlygrowsaretheslopesofthevalleysides.Thealtitudinally
highersituatedriverbanksaresuitableonlyforA.pehuenches,wherespecimenswerealso
collected.
Etymology–DedicatedtotheChileancoleopteristEng.Agr.JUANENRIQUEBARRIGA
ofLosNiches,Curico,whowasthefirsttocollectthisspeciesinPasoVergara.On13No-
vember2009heinauguratedthebestcurrentsideciteforNeotropicalbeetles(www.Cole-
optera-Neotropical.org), and he updates to continuously.
Notes–ItwasremarkedthattheCordilleraTalcaandtheLasLeñaspopulationsof
“andina”aresomewhatdifferentfromP.andina,andtheidentityofandinawasfixedob-
jectivelybyalectotypedesignationof“Scolitantidesandina”byBÁLINTetal.(2001:161–
162).Thetypicalandinaphenotypewasillustrated(asfigures13–16inBÁLINTetal.2001).
TheandinatypelocalityissituatedintheMetropolitanareainChile.The“LasLeñas”
(and“PasoVergara”)specimensweredifferentiatedasadistincttaxonunderthenameP.
barrigai. The “Talca andina” is being described below.
Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 103, 2011
New Pseudolucia species from Chile 265
TheimaginesofP.barrigaiaremorepigmentedwithorange(probablecarotene)
colouration,somedifferentlarvalhostssupportthehypothesisthatthesepopulationsare
indeedbiologicallydistinct,andthatP.andinaisrestrictedtothewesternslopesoftheAn-
desandPasoBermejoinArgentinaasanextensionfromChile.InChileP.andinaisdis-
tributedmainlyaboveandeastoftheMetropolitanareawhereisolatedpopulationswere
located and reared byBENYAMINI(1995).
AlthoughP.barrigaiisrecordedonlyinonegenerationthereistimeandavailable
hostplantfordevelopingasecondbrood.Hithertotherewasnofieldworkinthetypelo-
calityinlateJanuary,butweremarkthattheactualflightperiodshouldbelikeinthecase
ofP. andinawhere there is a second brood in similar altitudes.
sp. n.
(Figs 3–4, 18)
Typematerial–Holotypemale,forewinglength9.5mm,abdomenremoved(dis-
sected,placedinplasticmicrovialwithglycerol)labelledas“CHILE,BioBio[/]Araucania
Region. Vc. Lonquimay [/] 22 Nov. 1990, leg. [/] L. Peña” [printed], “Pseudolucia [/]
andina/id.[/]Balint/Johnson”[printed],“gen.prep.No.[/]816[/]det.Zs.Bálint”[prin-
ted and handwritten], deposited in CB.
Diagnosisanddescription–Habitus(Figs3–4):itisasmallspecies,whichresembles
P.andinabutincomparisonitgivesadarkerimpressionwithbroaderwingshape;thereis
nosubmarginalorangetintinthedorsalwingsurface,andthebronzeglossisrestrictedto
thebasalandmedianregions;theventralwingsurfacesarelightcoffeebrownwithbronze
tint,hindwingbasalareamuchdarkerthaninanyandinagroupspecies,hindwingmedian
areawithreducedspotsinthediscalcellandcellSc+R1-Rs,withlightwingpatternelements
light coffee grey coloured (white in other andina group species). Genitalia: typical of
andinagroup(seeabove),butinlateralviewmaleorganwithmoredeeplybentlowercosta
and more inwardly curved terminus (Fig. 18), uncus angular. Measurements: forewing
costallength:9.5mm(n=1);malegenitalvalvaAB=2.50,C=1.12,CD=0.20,E=1.80,
EF= 0.70.
Distribution–Knownonlyfromthetypelocality,VolcanoLonguimay,RegionAra-
ucania.
Biology–ThetypewascollectedinNovember.Thelarvalhostplantispresumablyan
Astragalusspecies (Fabaceae, see notes).
Etymology–DedicatedtotheChileanfieldbotanistProfLUISFAUNDEZofUniver-
sidaddeChile.Heisbestknowntohisfriendsas“ElChino”.MrFAUNDEZhassupported
theseniorauthorwithplantdeterminationssincehestartedworkinginChileintheearly
1990’s.
Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 103, 2011
266 D. Benyamini & Zs. Bálint
Notes–AlthoughthisspeciesresemblesP.andinaonthefirstsightthedifferentdark
colouredforewingdorsalsurfacewithotherwingpatternandgenitaltraitssuggeststhat
theuniquespecimenrepresentsadifferenttaxon.Thisisalsosupportedbythefactthatits
habitatiscompletelydifferentfromthatofallotherspeciesoftheandinagroup.JUAN
ENRIQUEBARRIGAwhoescortedLUISPEÑAtothetypelocalitywhenthetypewascollected
wellrememberstheAstragaluspatchesnearthehotelintheforest.Theseniorauthordid
not locate any Astragalus during his several visits to the type locality and the adjacent
slopesofVolcanoLonguimay(thelastoneinDecember2010);andthereforedidnotcol-
lectmorespecimensthere.Thesearchforthisspeciesshouldcontinueinawidercircleto
thesouthandsoutheastofthetypelocalitybecausetherecordisrelativelyrecent(“only”
twentyyearsold)andbecausethisareaispoorlycollected.Thetypelocalityisintheupper
edgeofanopenforestofAraucariatrees.Thesoilisvolcanicash.Thedominatingplants
arelowAdesmiaemarginataCLOSbushes(Fabaceae)andMontiopsisgayana(BARNÉOUD)
D.I.FORD(Portulacaceae)whichisthehostplantofPseudoluciaveraBÁLINTetJOHNSON,
1993, described from this very same region.
sp. n.
(Figs 5–6)
Typematerial–Holotypemale,forewinglength9.0mm,abdomentipmissing,la-
belledas“LasCabras[/]Chillán[/]10/23.XII.52[/]col.L.E.Peña”[handwritten];“Stylos
plumbea[/]grata(Koehler)[/]det.Peña1980”[printed];“D/18[/]collection[/]L.Peña”
[printed and handwritten]; deposited in CB.
Diagnosisanddescription–Habitus(Figs5–6):itisasmallspecies,whichgivesthe
impressionofabrownP.plumbea(BUTLER,1881)asitsventralhindwingpatternisless
zigzagged,butitpossessesamarkeddiscoidallineintheventralforewingsurface,ageneral
traitofspeciesrepresentingtheandinagroupinPseudolucia.Itresemblesasmallanddark
P.andinabutthedorsalwingsurfacesaredeepbrown,forewingoutermarginisshorterre-
sultingamoreacuteapexcomparedtoandina.Ventralforewingsurfacesubmarginalarea
isrichlypatterneduntiltheveinM3.Ventralhindwingsurfaceisalsomorerichlypatter-
ned,themedianspotsinthecostalcellandcellSc+R1-RsformalargeV-shapedmark,me-
dianintercellularspotsaresupplementeddistallybyconspicuouswhitearrow-headshaped
spots;submarginalareaismorerichlyornamentedwhatmeansthattheintercellularante
marginalspotsandarrow-headmarkingsarerenderedfromcostatotornus.Genitalia:not
examined (see notes). Measurements: forewing costal length: 9 mm (n = 1).
Distribution– Known only from the type locality, Chillán, Bio Bio Region.
Biology–ThetypewascollectedinDecember.Thelarvalhostplantispossiblyan
Astragalusspecies (Fabaceae), which is not common around Las Cabras (see notes).
Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 103, 2011
New Pseudolucia species from Chile 267
Etymology – Dedicated to KURT JOHNSON, American lepidopterist, by whom we
were both introduced to the fascinating world of Neotropical lycaenids.
Notes–Itisasingleton“andina”specimenamonghundredsofotherPseudoluciain-
dividualswhichwerecollectedduringalongperiodspentineasternChillánbythelate
LUISPEÑA.Itistestifiedbythehandwrittenlocalitylabel.Theabdominaltipwasmost
probably destroyed by museum pest or removed by someone.
Somesixtyyearspassedsincethecollectionofthissingleton.TermasdeChillánand
itsvicinitywerevisitedmanytimesbytheseniorauthorandotherlepidopterists.Intensive
effortsweremadeinDecember2010tofindAstragalusplantsandadditionalP.johnsoni
adultsaroundthetypelocality.ButevenclimbingtothemountainsoverTermasdeChillán
andacarefultransectalongthetracktoShangriladidnotbringanynewevidenceastothe
occurrence of this species there.
sp. n.
(Figs 7–8, 19)
Typematerial–Holotype:male,forewinglength11mm,setventrally,abdomenre-
moved (dissected, placed in plastic microvial with glycerol), labelled as: “Pseudolucia
luzmaria[/]ExlarvaonAstragaluspehuenches[/]TresQuebradas,Hda.Illapel2850m[/]
Coquimbo, Chile, adult: 25.2.2002 [/] Breeder: Alfredo Ugarte [/] Larvae collected:
Ugarte&Benyamini”[printed];“gen.prep.No.[/]1153[/]det.Zs.Bálint”[printed,hand-
written];depositedinCB.Paratypes(nos1–17):femalewithholotypedatabut“adult:
22.2.2002,breederDB”,rearedinIsraelbytheseniorauthor(CBallotype(paratypeno.1));
RioMedio,TresQuebrades,Illapel,Coquimbo,Chile,2850m,8.I.2002,leg.A.UGARTE
(CBparatypeno.2);withallotypedata,but“adult:11.VI.2002”(HNHMparatypemaleno3;
wingsarenotfullydeveloped,gen.prep.BÁLINTno.1354);allmaleswithallotypedata(CB
paratypenos.4–12,butdifferentexclosionsasno.4:11.II.2002,no.5:14.II.2002,no.6:
18.II.2002,no.7:19.II.2002,no.8:22.II.2002,no.9:26.II.2002,no.10:7.VI.2002,no.11:
15.VI.2002andno.12:27.VII.2002);RioYerbaLoca,UpperRioIllapel,Coquimbo,Chile,
2865m,11.1.2003,leg.D.BENYAMINI(CBparatypeno.13);RioTascadero2424–2750m,
50kmeastofTalahuen,Coquimbo,Chile,16.XII.2010(CBparatypemalesnos14–17;
no. 14: 2424 m , leg. D. BENYAMINI; nos 15–17: 2750 m, leg. O. TOMER).
Diagnosisanddescription–Habitus(Figs7–8):itisasmallspecies,whichsuperfici-
allyresemblesP.andina,butthedorsalwingsurfaceissilverygreyinmaleandfemale,and
theventralwingsurfacesarefarmoredelicatelyornamented.Dorsalforewingblackmar-
ginisnotcontinuous,butcomprisedbyindependentintercellularspots.Ventralforewing
surfacesubmarginalareaisrichlypatternedtotheanalmargin.Ventralhindwingsurface
medianspotsareseparate andthin,submarginalareawithpalebrownintercellulartri-
anglepatternssupplementedbygreyarrowheadmarksbasally.Genitalia:typicalofandina
group(seeabove),butinlateralviewmaleorganwithlongandnarrowvalva(Fig.19),
Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 103, 2011
268 D. Benyamini & Zs. Bálint
uncuswithroundedterminus.Measurements:forewingcostallength:8–12mm(n=17);
male genital valva AB = 2.72, C = 1.14, CD = 0.14, E = 1.80, EF = 0.56.
Distribution–KnownfromupperslopesandriverbedofRioTresQuebradas,Co-
quimbo(typelocality),andriverbedofRioYerbaLoca,UpperRioIllapel,Coquimbo,
bothabove3000m.Athirdcolonywasdiscovered30kmtothenorthofthetypelocalityat
RioTascadero2424–2750m,about50kmeastofTalahuen,Coquimbo.Hereadultswere
observedandcollectedinthebottomofthevalleyat2424mandontheslopesfartherupat
2750 m.
Biology–FlightperiodstartsfromearlytomidDecemberat2750mtolateFebruary
above3000m.ThisisasinglebroodedspeciesofthecentralhighAndesintheChilean
CoquimboRegion.ThreedifferentAstragalusspecies(Fabaceae)areusedasthelarvalhost
plants;AstragaluspehuenchesNIEDERLinthenorthfacingslopesofRioTresQuebradasat
2850–3000m.AstragaluslooseriI.M.JOHNST.inthebottomofthedryriverbedofRio
YebaLoca(upperRioIllapel)at2865m,onthewetbanksofRioTresQuebradas,2850m
andRioTascadero2424m.OntheslopesofRioTascaderoover2750mAstragaluscruck-
shanksiiseemstobeservingaslarvalhost.Thelarvaeliveusuallyinthehostplant’spods,
andfeedontheseeds.Duringthewinterthelastinstarlarvadiapausesunderstonesnear
thehostplant.Inlackoffoodwhenthehostplantisdry,youngerlarvaewillenterdiapause
as well.
Etymology–DedicatedtoLUZMARIAUGARTE,thewifeofALFREDOUGARTE,anar-
dentexploreroftheinsectfaunaofaustralSouthAmerica.SeñorUGARTEaccompanied
theseniorauthorontheJanuary2002expeditiontoRioTresQuebradaswhenthespecies
wasdiscovered,andcollectedthefirstmalespecimenon8January2002alongtheriver
bank.
Notes–ThesizeandsuperficialsimilarityoftheimaginestoP.andinasuggestthat
theyareinclose(probablysister)relationship,whichisalsounderlinedbythehighaltitude
habitattheyoccupy.Theappearanceofsilveryglossinthedorsalwingsurfacesrecallsan
undescribedmemberofthegroupdiscoveredrecentlyinArgentina.Thistestifiestheim-
portanceofthescalelayersinthedorsalsurfaceofthewingmembrane,whicharemain-
tained specifically by the populations forced to live in highly specialized habitats.
ThethreemaleparatypesfromRioTascadero,2750maresmallerhavingforewing
lengths8,9and10mm,respectively.Thisphenomenonprobablyindicatesthatthepopu-
lation lives in conditions extreme for the species.
ThelarvalhostplantAstragaluspehuenchesistoxicforgrazinglivestock.Thesenior
authorwitnessedthedeathofacowatthetypelocality.Thebutterflyisendangeredbylo-
calfarmerswhointendtoeradicatethehostplantsbysprayingherbicides,makingthepas-
turesaferforgrazing.ThiskindofactivityalsothreatensPseudoluciaasafiBENYAMINI,
BÁLINTetJOHNSON,1995initstypelocality(LaOlla)whichisoverCespedes,nearRio
Illapel.
Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 103, 2011
New Pseudolucia species from Chile 269
sp. n.
(Figs 9–10, 20)
Typematerial–Holotypemale,forewinglength11.5mm,abdomenremoved(dis-
sected,placedinplasticmicrovialwithglycerol),labelledas:“ELRADAL[/]Cord.Talca
[/] 900,1180 m [/] 23,30-Nov-1957 [/] Coll: L. E. Peña” [printed]; “Stylos andina [/]
(Calvert)[/]det.Peña1980”[printed];gen.prep.No.[/]822[/]Zs.Bálint”[printed,hand-
written],depositedinFMC.Paratypes(nos1–7):Prov.Talca,AltoVilche,2–24.XI.1964,
Coll.L.E.PEÑA(FMCparatypefemaleno.1);samedata,butdissectedasno.821,BÁLINT
(HNHMparatypefemaleno.2);ElRadal,Cord.Talca,1100m,X.1957(CUCparatypefe-
male no. 3; specimen without forewings, side pinned, not set); El Radal, Cord. Talca,
1100m,VI.1957,leg.L.E.PEÑA(CBparatypesnos4–5);“ParqueNacionalAltodeLircay,
Alto Vilches, 1450 m, 5.XII.1999, leg. D. BENYAMINI(CB male paratype nos 6–7).
Diagnosisanddescription–Habitus(Figs9–10):itisalargerspecies,whichsuperfi-
ciallyresemblesP.neuqueniensisBÁLINTetJOHNSON,1995butitislighterandtancolou-
redinbothwingsurfaceswithmoreconspicuousventralwingpattern;hencethedorsal
wingsurfacesubmedianareasinbothsexesareorange;theventralforewingsurfaceisalso
orange,thesubmedianspotsarelargeandconspicuous,thesubmarginalareaisashgrey
with delicate pattern; the ventral wing surface is ash grey, and the submarginal area is
muchlighter.Genitalia:typicalofandinagroup(seeabove)butinlateralviewmaleorgan
withmoreslenderandnarrowshapedvalva,lowerterminuslessdevelopedthaninandina
(Fig.20),uncusrounded.Measurements:forewingcostallength:11–12mm(n=4);male
genital valva AB = 3.50, C = 0.70, CD = 0.36, E = 2.44, EF = 0.76.
Distribution–KnownfromforestedareaseastofTalca(ElRadal,ParqueInglese,
Siete Tasas and Parque Nacional Alto de Lircay, Alto Vilches), Region Maule.
Biology–ThetypeswerecollectedinOctober,NovemberandearlyDecember.This
middle-landflying“andina”isrecordedbetween900and1500metersflyingusuallyatthe
edge of the forests, in lawns and barren slopes around its host plant identified by Dra
EDITHGOMEZ-SOSA(InstitutodeBotánicaDarwinion,SanIsidro,BuenosAires,Argen-
tina)asAstragaluscruckshanksii(HOOK.&ARN.)GRISEB.ThepodsoftheseplantsinAlto
Vilches are unusually red and the larvae feed on the seeds inside the pods.
Accordingtotemporaldatatheflightperiodstartsatthe900–1000minOctober-
Novemberandproceedsto1500minearlyDecembersuggestingasingleannualbrood.As
onlyveryfewspecimensareavailableincollectionstheflightperiodofthespeciesneeds
further field works and studies.
Etymology–DedicatedtothebotanistEng.Agr.MELICAMUÑOZ,excuratorofBot-
anyformanyyearsintheNationalMuseumofNaturalHistory,atQuintaNormal,Santi-
agodeChile.SeñoraMUÑOZidentifiedhundredsofplantsfortheseniorauthor’srequest
and was always of prompt and great support.
Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 103, 2011
270 D. Benyamini & Zs. Bálint
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
Pseudoluciatypeimages.1–2:P.barrigaisp.n.,1=holotype,dorsum,2=vent-
rum.3–4:P.faundezisp.n.,3=holotype,dorsum,4=ventrum.5–6:P.johnsonisp.n.,5=
holotype,dorsum,6=ventrum.7–8:P.luzmariasp.n.,7=holotype,dorsum,8=ventrum
Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 103, 2011