Opoptera staudingeri (Godman & Salvin, 1894)

Penz, Carla M., 2009, The phylogeny of Opoptera butterflies, and an assessment of the systematic position of O. staudingeri (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), Zootaxa 1985, pp. 1-20 : 12-13

Opoptera staudingeri (Godman & Salvin, 1894)

( Fig. 1 F, 2F, 4F, 5F, 5I, 6F)

Type locality. Panama.

Diagnosis. Male FW length 46 mm (based on specimen in Appendix 1). FW apex slightly pointed and HW margin smooth. Wings with orange-brown background. FW with a conspicuous orange postmedial band that has a narrow proximal arm, and a reduced distal arm that is barely visible inside cells M2 and M1. HW with a well-developed orange marginal band. HW outline slightly bulging below M3, which is particularly obvious in the female in Fig. 2 F. Males lack a thin hairpencil inside HW discal cell, but have a scent-pocket.

Females similar to, but paler than males. Overall gestalt similar to species of Catoblepia . Unique genitalic characters include: dorsal outline of tegumen flat in lateral view; twisted valvae; and sterigma with two large, lateral, folded over projections with jagged edges and minute spines.

Distribution. Panama, Costa Rica to Mexico ( Fruhstorfer 1912, Maza & Maza 1989, Casagrande 2004).

Remarks. Casagrande (2004) lists two subspecies; the nominal staudingeri from Panama, plus mexicana Maza & Maza from Mexico (not available for examination). Opoptera staudingeri is the only species of the genus for which a description of early stages has been published ( DeVries 1987).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Opoptera adult males, dorsal side on the left, ventral side on the right. Scale bar next to A = 1 cm. (A) syme, Brazil, São Paulo. (B) sulcius, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Taió. (C) fruhstorferi, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Taió. (D) aorsa, Brazil, Paraná, Toledo. (E) hilaris, Middle Ecuador. (F) staudingeri, Costa Rica, Heredia, Puerto Viejo. (G) arsippe, Peru, Chuchurras. (H) bracteolata, Bolivia. Schematic representation and photographic detail of the HW discal cell region showing male sent organs. Venation terminology is given in I. Dashed lines represent the scent-pocket next to vein Cu 2. (I) sulcius, Brazil, Santa Catarina, Taió; note thin hairpencil inserted into scent-pocket. (J) hilaris, Bolivia; note the three hairbrushes. (K) staudingeri, note the broad hairbrush inside discal cell. (L) arsippe, Peru, Chuchurras; note the open scent organ and long HW discal cell hairbrush.

FIGURE 2. Opoptera adult females, dorsal side on the left, ventral side on the right. Scale bar next to A = 1 cm. (A) syme, South America. (B) sulcius, Brazil, Santa Catarina. (C) fruhstorferi South Brazil. (D) aorsa, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Nova Friburgo. (E) hilaris, Ecuador, Sucumbios. (F) staudingeri, Costa Rica, Heredia, Puerto Viejo. Venation of O. syme, drawn from the ventral side. Vein thickness is not represented. (G) male FW. (H) male HW, note the bulge on the wing surface at vein Cu 2 that represents the scent-pocket.