Miltomiges Mabille, 1903

Zhang, Jing, Cong, Qian, Shen, Jinhui & Grishin, Nick V., 2022, Taxonomic changes suggested by the genomic analysis of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera), Insecta Mundi 2022 (921), pp. 1-135 : 90-91

Miltomiges Mabille, 1903 is a junior subjective synonym of Methionopsis Godman, 1901

Monotypic genus Miltomiges Mabille, 1903 (type and the only species Cobalus cinnamomea Herrich-Schäffer, 1869 ) is sister to Methionopsis modestus Godman, 1901 , the type species of Methionopsis Godman, 1901 , rendering this genus paraphyletic ( Fig. 16 ). Although unique in ventral wing pattern, M. cinnamomea is similar to Methionopsis species in genitalia, in particular in the shape of uncus, gnathos and valva ( Evans, 1955), in addition to genetic closeness. Therefore, to restore the monophyly of Methionopsis , we place cinnamomea in this genus, making Miltomiges a junior subjective synonym of Methionopsis .

Thargella volasus (Godman, 1901) , new combination, is a valid species and Methionopsis dolor Evans, 1955 is its junior subjective synonym

Sequencing of the holotype of Eutocus volasus Godman, 1901 (type locality Panama: Chiriqui, NVG-15036A12) in the ZMHB reveals that it is not closely related to Eutocus facilis ( Plötz, 1884) (type locality Suriname) and therefore is not its junior subjective synonym as currently assumed. Instead, E. volasus clusters closely with specimens we identified as Methionopsis dolor Evans, 1955 (type locality Colombia: Cauca) from Costa Rica and Panama ( Fig. 16 ). Moreover, named by Evans (1955) in Methionopsis Godman, 1901 (type species Methionopsis modestus Godman, 1901 ), dolor is not monophyletic with it and instead originates near Thargella Godman, 1900 (type species Hesperia caura Plötz, 1882 ) ( Fig. 16 ). Therefore, not willing to propose monotypic genera in the presence of confident relationship, we propose Thargella volasus (Godman, 1901) , new combination. Then, pending further studies of its holotype, we tentatively place Methionopsis dolor Evans, 1955 as a junior subjective synonym of T. volasus . Furthermore, we note that T. volasus is rather distant from T.caura genetically, despite some similarity in genitalia, and a new subgenus is proposed for it and its to-be-discovered close relatives.

Figures

Figure 16. Genomic tree of Anthoptina, Falgina and relatives. See Fig. 1 legend for notations.