Catasticta seitzi clarita, Bollino, Maurizio & Costa, Mauro, 2007

Bollino, Maurizio & Costa, Mauro, 2007, An illustrated annotated check-list of the species of Catasticta (s. l.) Butler (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) of Venezuela, Zootaxa 1469, pp. 1-42 : 10-11

Catasticta seitzi clarita ssp. nov.

Holotype: male, Cumbre el Avila, DF, Venezuela, 2100 m., 4.III. [19]61, Rodolfo Feige col., in MIZA (fig. 8: a-b)

Description: FW length: 23 mm.

Dorsal surface: dark brown with brownish yellow markings. FW with one small spot at apex of the cell, and a complete series of discal, submarginal and premarginal spots. HW with discal band and submarginal spots of the same color as in FW.

Ventral surface: similar to nominotypical subspecies, but with FW premarginal spot in cell R3-R4/R5 inwardly incompletely bordered by black line ( C. seitzi seitzi with spot totally bordered by black line); FW submarginal spots outwardly indented ( C. seitzi seitzi with round spots); HW yellow portion of submarginal interneural stripes as long as the brown portion of same stripes (in nominotypical specimens such stripes are mostly brown, with a basal yellow small dot).

Allotype: female: kilómetro 23, El Junquito, Dist. Federal, 1900 m., 14.IV.1983, [lg.] Alcides Huerta, in MIZA (fig. 8: c)

Description: FW length: 22 mm.

Dorsal surface: blackish brown with white markings. FW with one small spot at apex of the cell, and complete series of discal submarginal spots faintly marked. HW with discal band and premarginal spots of the same color as in FW; submarginal spots nearly obsolete.

Ventral surface: as in male.

Paratypes (12 males, 9 females): 1 male, Caracas, Avila, 6.5.1959 (ex col. Feige); 1 male, Caracas, Avila 1.4.1961 (ex col. Feige); 1 male, Caracas, Avila, 2100 m., 8.IV. [19]61; 1 female, El Junquito, D.F., Venezuela, 2000 m., 5.VII.1950, [lg.] F. Fernández Yépez; all in MIZA; 1 female, Venezuela – Aragua, Colonia Tovar, ~ 10°25’N 67°17’W, m. 2000 – 30.I.2005, Lg. Mauro Costa, in MBLI; 1 male, 1 female, Agua Fría - El Jarillo, 1800 m, Estado Miranda Venezuela 30-VI-1985 Col. Costa; 1 male, same data but 24-VI-1985; 1 female, Colonia Tovar 2150 m Estado Aragua Venezuela 7-III-2004 Col. Costa; 1 female, Colonia Tovar 2000 m Estado Aragua Venezuela 7-XI-2004; all in MCCV; 1 male, kilómetro 23, El Junquito, D. F., 1830 m., 30.V.1985, (16:30 hr) [lg.] J.B. Rodríguez; 1 male, via El Junquito, Colonia Tovar, Dist. Federal, 11.VI.1977, (9:00 hr) [lg.] J.B. Rodríguez; 1 female, vía El Capachal, Colonia Tovar, Estado Aragua, 2.I.1981, (14:00 hr) [lg.] J.B. Rodríguez, all in coll. BR; 1 male, Colonia Tovar, I-1987 C.f.R. 1550 m., Estado Aragua.; 1 female, Colonia Tovar, 2100 m. C.f.R. Estado Aragua. IV-1982; 1 female, Colonia Tovar, 1550 m. C.f.R. Estado Aragua. I-1981; 1 female, Colonia Tovar, 1700 m. C.f.R. Estado Aragua. VI-1987, all in FRMV; 1 male, Colonia Tovar, 2070 m., Edo. Aragua, Venezuela, 07-VII-2002, Col. María G. Alvarez, in DSBV; 1 male, Venezuela, Caracas, Avila, 25.IV. [19]61, leg. Feige, in ZSMC; 2 males, Colonia Tovar, sector los Colonos, 1900/ 2000m (Aragua), 30/3/2006, in PBPF.

Distribution: As far as we know, the species has been collected recently only in the vicinity of Colonia Tovar (Aragua), while in the ’60s and ’70s it was observed also on Pico El Avila at 1800–2100 m. Over the last few decades, the species has become scarcer for unknown reasons. Curiously, females are encountered as commonly as males, which is unusual in Catasticta .

Etymology: a noun in apposition in the nominative case after Mrs. Clara (Clarita) Baldi, wife and mentor of the junior author, for her enthusiastic contribution to our knowledge of Venezuelan butterflies.