Parasiomera orientalis ( Stempffer, 1962 ) Stempffer, 1962

Sáfián, Szabolcs & Collins, Steve C., 2015, Establishment of a new genus for Eresiomera paradoxa (Schultze, 1917) and related taxa (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) with description of two new species, Zootaxa 4018 (1), pp. 124-136 : 132-133

Parasiomera orientalis ( Stempffer, 1962) stat. nov., comb. nov.

( Figs. 4 D,H; 5M,N, O,P; 6C,F; 7D)

Pseuderesia paradoxa orientalis Stempffer 1962: 1145 .

Pseuderesia paradoxa orientalis Stempffer, 1962 : Stempffer 1967: 36, d’Abrera 1980: 434. Eresiomera paradoxa orientalis ( Stempffer, 1962) : Ackery et al. 1995: 497, d’Abrera 2009: 634.

Material examined. ♂ holotype Kalinzu Forest, Ankole, Uganda June 1961 Leg.: T.H.E. Jackson, ♀ allotype Kalinzu Forest, Ankole, Uganda July 1961 Leg.: T.H.E. Jackson (both in HNM collection), ♂, ♀ Kalinzu, Southwest Uganda IV. 1998. Leg.: S. Collins Leg.: ABRI. Gen. prep.: SAFI 00032, SAFI 00033 (respectively)(all in ABRI collection). Coordinates: 0°24'58.28"S, 30°5'1.24"E

Re-description of male. Forewing length: 14,5 mm. Wingspan: 28 mm. The upperside colour is an unmistakable bright orange with a broad black apical patch on the forewing, the width of which reaches one-fourth of the wing length. It stretches to the tornus along the outer margin gradually tapering down to a black line. It also stretches along the forewing costa as a black line, however the inner border of it is more diffuse, interrupted by orange scaling. Most of the hindwing is fiery orange, with a black marginal line, the width of which does not exceed 0,3 mm at its broadest point at the tip of veins 5 and 6, and tapers into a fine marginal line towards the tornus. There is also sparse black dusting also along the inner edge in space 1a. The underside is paler light orange, with no prominent black pattern, apart from the fine black marginal lines on both wings, some scattered black scaling along the forewing costa and along inner edge of the hindwing and a black dot at the end of the discoidal cell. The body is covered with orange scales and hairs (with fine black dusting), the legs and the antennae are black and white ringed, the tips of antennae are long and black. The eyes are black and smooth.

Genitalia. The structure of male genitalia is very similar to those of P. paradoxa and P. kivuensis , however, the uncus is smaller, its extrimity is very slender and long, and the lower edge of it curves down in an almost circular arc. The outer edge of valvae are prominently lobed, the dorsal angle narrows down into, pointy tip. The uniqueshaped aedeagus has a very strongly recurved and pointy tip ( Figs. 6 C,F). The male genitalia illustrated here are identical to that of the holotype in Stempffer (1962).

Description of female. The appearence of female of P. orientalis is nearly identical to the male, however on the specimen examined the hindwing black margin is reduced to a very fine marginal line and the black dot at the end of the forewing cell could be very inconspicuous or missing, showing only the shade of the underside spot.

Genitalia. Bursa copulatrix medium, globular, ductus bursae wide, broadening slightly from the mouth of the bursa towards lamellae antevaginalis. Apophyses posteriores long, straight, their tip are hooked. Papillae analis rounded, rather well sclerotised.

Discussion. P. orientalis was described as a subspecies of P. paradoxa from a male holotype and a female allotype collected in Kalinzu Forest by T.H.E. Jackson’s collectors by Stempffer (1962). Kalinzu Forest is situated in the Albertine Rift Region (Western Uganda), just east of the Rift, being completely isolated from other East African forest areas. The more recent ABRI material was also collected in Kalinzu, and the species is not known from any other localities in Uganda despite Jackson and colleagues’ active collecting in the 1950-60 s. Although the morphological differences described above are sufficient to justify its specific status, the biogeographical position of P. orientalis gives further support of treating the populations specifically distinct even from its geographically closest relative P. kivuensis . The Albertine Rift Region is generally recognised as a distinct biogeographical unit serving not only as a transition zone between Central and East Africa but the area also hosts a very high rate of endemism, including many butterfly species ( Plumptre et al. 2007). The reason for this probably lies in the area’s extreme geographical and ecological diversity. The elevation ranges from a few hundred metres above sea level to over 5000 metres in the Rwenzori Mountains with a complete zonation from dry savannah grasslands via lowland to montane forests to afro-alpine lobelia and moorland vegetation and even glaciers ( Plumptre et al. 2007). This induced significant speciation between populations even in close proximity, which in the case of the eastern Albertine Rift endemic (found only in Kalinzu Forest) P. orientalis and the Kivu endemic P. kivuensis happened in equal opportunity. They are both of restricted range, inhabiting a narrow ecological zone (mid-elevation or submontane forest) and are best treated as distinct species rather then a subspecies of one another. Even if they shared a common ancestor, connection between their populations proved impossible as the ecological situation in the central areas of the Albertine Rift have been completely hostile for most forest species since the Last Glacial Maximum and probably for a longer period of time even before ( Prentice & Jolly 2000).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Magnified images of Parasiomera (regardless to their sex) allow comparison of specific features of wing morphology (see Key above). P. p ar a do x a (male) A—upperside, E—underside; P. alfa (female) B—upperside, F—underside; P. kivuensis (male) C—upperside, G—underside; P. orientalis (male) D—upperside, H—underside.

FIGURE 6. Male genitalia with removed aedeagi: P. p ar a do x a (Ebogo, Cameroon) A—lateral view, D—aedeagus; P. kivuensis (holotype) B—lateral view, E—aedeagus; P. orientalis (Kalinzu Forest, Uganda) C—lateral view, F—aedeagus.