Penaincisalia perezi, Balint, 2001

Bálint, Zsolt, Vértesy, Zofia & Biró, László P., 2005, Microstructures and nanostructures of high Andean Penaincisalia lycaenid butterfly scales (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): descriptions and interpretations, Journal of Natural History 39 (31), pp. 2935-2952 : 2939-2940

Penaincisalia perezi

( Figures 1B , 3 )

The dorsal colour is vivid Magenta Orange with Ecclesiastic Purple iridescence ( Figure 1B ). The scales are tile- or shovel-shaped with a uniformly toothed anterior margin. The length/width ratio of the tile-shaped scales is 3/1 (150/ 50 mm); the shovelshaped scales are shorter, the length/width ratio is 2/1 (100/ 50 mm). The dentation of the tile-shaped scales is more pronounced while the dentation of the shovel-shaped scales is far less prominent ( Figure 3A ). We found three types of scale microstructures, which suggest a transformation series (see Discussion):

1. The longitudinal ridges are low, showing flutes on the longitudinal ridges, the cross ribs are straight. The space between the cross ribs is approximately 0.5 mm; but highly variable, there are larger and smaller ratios. The widely open microcells are rectangular with fragmented nanostructures, the trabeculae and the lower scale membrane can be clearly seen ( Figure 2B ).

2. The longitudinal ridges are moderate with flutes, which with curved cross ribs form rectangular-shaped deeper-laying microcells. Spaces between cross ribs are approximately 0.5 mm, and regular. The microcell openings are circular and pepper-pot nanostructures can be seen through the microcell openings ( Figure 3C ).

3. The longitudinal ridges with flutes are high and the cross ribs are v-shaped and form rectangular, very narrow, almost completely closed microcells with a single circular opening at the bottom. The spaces between the cross ribs are less than 0.1 mm; their sequence is regular. Pepper-pot nanostructures can be seen beneath the openings ( Figure 3D ).

Figures

Figure 1. Lycaenid butterfly species investigated showing male dorsal wing surfaces. (A) Penaincisalia aurulenta Johnson, 1990 (Peru: PN Huascarán, Quebrada Demanda; HNHM); (B) Penaincisalia perezi Bálint, 2001 (Peru: PN Husacarán; Llanganuco; HNHM paratype); (C) Penaincisalia culminicola (Staudinger, 1894) (Peru: PNB Huascarán, Llanganuco; HNHM); (D) Thecloxurina loxurina (Felder and Felder, 1865) (Ecuador: Carchi, Res. Forest. Golondrinas; HNHM); (E) Thecloxurina atymna (Hewitson, 1870) (Ecuador: Zamora, Cord. Lagunillas; HNHM); (F) Thecloxurina atymna (Hewitson, 1870) (Ecuador: Azuay, Cuenca; HNHM).

Figure 2. Scanning electron micrographs of Penaincisalia aurulenta scale microstructures. (A) Tile- and shovelshaped scales with dentate anterior margins; (B) longitudinal ridges with flutes, straight cross ribs; (C) widely open microcells, wispy internal structures; (D) widely open microcells, deep-laying pepper-pot structures.

Figure 3. Scanning electron micrographs of Penaincisalia perezi scale microstructures. (A) Tile- and shovel-shaped scales with dentate anterior margins; (B) low longitudinal ridges with flutes, straight cross ribs, open microcells, deep-laying pepper-pot structures; (C) moderate longitudinal ridges, curved cross-ribs, pepper-pot layers; (D) high longitudinal ridges, v-shaped cross ribs, small circular opening in microcell abyss.