Prometheus heliconioides ( Herrich-Schaeffer , [1853])

Gonzalez, Jorge M. & Domagala, Pawel J., 2021, Castniidae of the Museum of Natural History of the University of Wroclaw: new findings from Friedrich Wilhelm Niepelt's collection with comments on Karl Adolf Georg Lauterbach and August Weberbauer, Nota Lepidopterologica 44, pp. 123-132 : 123

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/nl.44.60261

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:14CA338A-3748-493B-9EB5-45C6583B0BEF

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6BA524AB-AC7A-5121-B2BE-E23674FB835A

treatment provided by

Nota Lepidopterologica by Pensoft

scientific name

Prometheus heliconioides ( Herrich-Schaeffer , [1853])
status

 

Prometheus heliconioides ( Herrich-Schaeffer, [1853])

Comments.

This species is easily recognized by its color pattern, which mimics Lycorea Doubleday, [1847], Thyridia Hübner, 1816, and Methona Doubleday, [1847] ( Nymphalidae ), and the moth Notophyson heliconides (Swainson, 1833) ( Erebidae ), which could all form part of a mimetic ring ( Lamas 1973; Miller 1986; Ríos and González 2011; González and Domagała 2019). However, a morphological and/or molecular study of its several purported subspecies could clarify their taxonomic status. The specimen has a label identifying it as Diamuna falcata [now Darceta falcata (Druce, 1883)] an Erebidae to which P. heliconioides bears no resemblance. It was probably mislabeled.

Material examined.

1♀, Teffé [= Tefé], Amazonas, [ Brazil], Diamuna falcata ♀, Teffe [= Tefé], Amaz.[onas], [ Brazil], Tijunin. 37, Gazera heliconioides , coll.?, (Fig. 1h View Figure 1 ) .

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Lepidoptera

Family

Castniidae

Genus

Prometheus