Bia caelestis Penz & DeVries

Penz, Carla M., Casagrande, Mirna M., Devries, Phil & Simonsen, Thomas J., 2017, Documenting diversity in the Amazonian butterfly genus Bia (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), Zootaxa 4258 (3), pp. 201-237 : 221

Bia caelestis Penz & DeVries , NEW SP.

( Figs 8 a–d, 10k, 11e, 12)

Diagnosis. Defined by the following combination of characters: (1) MF DFW white apical ocelli large, proportionately larger than in other species. (2) MF DFW orange band extremely diffuse and narrow, barely visible in some specimens. (3) M DFW iridescent band from anal margin to M2, decreasing in width and intensity from posterior to anterior ends, and blending with the orange band. F DFW blue iridescence somewhat narrow and slightly faded. (4) M DFW androconial organ on Cu-CuA2 pale, contrasting scale color of surrounding area. (5) DHW discal androconial pad light brown to chocolate-brown, similar to or lighter than associated hairpencil. (6) M DHW discal hairpencil light brown to dark brown. (7) F VFW ripple pattern similar to that of M (but only two females were examined).

Description. Male FW length 25.2–26.5 mm, n=3; female FW length 29.7, n=2. HEAD: As described for the genus. THORAX: Vestiture, wing venation and shape as described for the genus. DFW and DHW mostly brown in both sexes; female paler than male, female DHW usually paler than DFW. Sexually dimorphic, but sharing basic color pattern components. DFW with two large white apical ocelli below Rs3 and Rs4; one dark brown, diffuse ocellus below M1; a thin and highly diffuse orange crescent band (more than in all other taxa and barely visible in some specimens) variable in position between sexes (female band slightly more proximal than male band); male with an iridescent blue patch from DFW tornus to cell M3 or above, sometimes reaching the Rs veins ( Fig. 8 a), wide at tornus and becoming narrower and more diffuse in cells above; female with blue patch more proximal and less intensely iridescent than that in male. DHW plain brown, anal region pale. VFW with ripple pattern that fades posteriorly; ocelli mirror the dorsal side, with ocellus below M1 being the most conspicuous, and having a purple pupil. VHW with ripple pattern that does not differ between sexes; some of the ripple pattern has silvery white color; distal wing edge with a yellow-orange line followed by a brown line; one simple, yellow-orange ocellus always present below Sc+R, others may be present below Rs and M1, irregular ocellus with linear pupil below CuA1 always present; tail darkening towards tip. Androconial organ on the DFW CuA-CuA1-CuA2 intersection pale, a sparse cluster of modified, hair-like scales is located posteriorly to it; DHW with a cream-colored androconial pad inside the discal cell and brown associated hairpencil; posterior hairpencil between 1A+2A and 3A cream-colored. Male and female legs as described for the genus. ABDOMEN: General morphology as described for the genus. Male genitalia ( Fig. 11 e): general morphology as described for the genus; tegumen short; uncus long; valva tip narrowing to a round point distally and with a short spiny projection (lateral view), tip slightly bent outward (ventral view); gnathos medium-wide, evenly arched (lateral view). Female genitalia: as described for the genus.

Etymology. Latin for the color blue, the name caelestis refers to the fact that males of this species have a large dorsal forewing blue iridescent band.

Type material. Holotype M ( Fig. 8 a), deposited at DZUP, four labels separated by // and transcribed verbatim: HOLOTYPUS // 20–27-IV-2013. RIO MOA. P[AR]Q[UE]. NACIONAL. SERRA DO DIVISOR (SEDE). MANCIO LIMA . ACRE. BRASIL . MIELKE, CASAGRANDE, CARNEIRO, DIAS & DOLIBAINA LEG. 7o 26’ 52” S. 73o 39’ 55” W // DZ 32.849 // Holotypus Bia caelestis Penz & DeVries, 2017 . Paratypes are listed in Appendix, and Fig. 8 b–d show paratypes M and F.

Distribution and examined specimens. Fig. 12 and Appendix.

Remarks. One male specimen from Colombia, Puerto Narino appears intermediate between caelestis and actorion ( Fig. 8 f). This specimen has well-developed dorsal forewing white apical ocelli and a diffuse and narrow orange band, but the blue iridescent band on the forewing tornus terminates sharply at CuA2, being clearly smaller than that of a typical caelestis ( Fig. 8 a–c).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Adults in dorsal and ventral views. Taxon names appear below each set. Bia caelestis Penz & DeVries, new sp.: a, male holotype, Brazil, Acre, Mâncio Lima (DZUP); b, male paratype, Brazil, Amazonas, São Paulo de Olivença (MfN); c, male paratype, Brazil, Amazonas, São Paulo de Olivença (CMNH); d, female paratype, Brazil, Amazonas, São Paulo de Olivença (CMNH). Bia pucallpa Casagrande & Penz, new sp.: e, male holotype, Peru, Peru, Pasco, Rio Palcazu, Santa Rosa (MHNL). Intermediate between caelestis and actorion: f, male, Colombia, Amazonas, Puerto Nariño (LACM).

FIGURE 11. Genitalia. a, male actorion, Guyana (dissection Penz 12 - 01, CMNH); b, female actorion, Guyana (dissection Penz 10 - 02, LACM; scale bar different from male illustrations); c, male decaerulea, Lectotype, Brazil, Pará, Faro, (dissection Miller 9047, MfN); d, male rebeli, Peru, San Martín (dissection Penz 10 - 08, USNM); e, male caelestis, paratype, Brazil, Amazonas, São Paulo de Olivença (dissection Penz 10 - 29, CMNH); f, male pucallpa, Peru, Pucallpa (USUSNM 2041410); g, male peruana, Peru, Huanuco, Rio Pichis (dissection Penz 09 - 06, FLMNH).

FIGURE 12. Map showing collection localities of Bia species and subspecies (see Appendix). Some close localities are represented by one single dot. Dubious label data, localities that could not be accurately identified or were incomplete (e. g., Brazil, Pará) were not placed on map.