Pteronymia obscuratus (Fabricius, 1793)

Carvalho, Ana Paula S., Mota, Luísa L. & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2019, Intersexual ‘ Arms Race’ and the Evolution of the Sphragis in Pteronymia Butterflies, Insect Systematics and Diversity 3 (2019), No. 3, pp. 1-13 : 5-6

Pteronymia obscuratus (Fabricius, 1793)

Figure 4

Females examined: 15. 11 with complete sphragides; 3 bearing incomplete or amorphous sphragides.

Description: Coloration—golden-brown. Shape—rounded anteriorly with two symmetrical lateral cavities, an elevated projection medially, and the sphragis curves upward and over the sterigma posteriorly, overhanging the sterigma. The tip of the sphragis is pointed and nearly touches the papillae anales. Structure—mostly solid. Scales—present, ordered, hair-like. Attached to leading edge of the overhanging posterior half of sphragis.

Comments: We observed one female with a spermatophore attached to the sphragis outside of the female body ( Fig. 4D ). It is likely that there was already a sphragis in place on the female’s sterigma, and that the second male was unsuccessful in depositing his spermatophore inside the female’s reproductive tract, but still produced a complete sphragis on top of the first one.

Figures

Fig. 2–5. The sterigma and sphragis of P. andreas (2), P. calgiria (3), P. obscuratus (4), and P.latilla (5). A: ventral, sphragis absent; B: ventral,sphragis present; C: lateral, sphragis present; D: P. obscuratus with a spermatophore externally connected to the sphragis.