Morpho helenor prometa Gareca & Blandin, 2011

Gareca, Yuvinka & Blandin, Patrick, 2011, Morpho (Morpho) helenor (Cramer) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Morphinae) in Bolivia: Geographical distribution and ecological plasticity, with a description of a new subspecies, Zootaxa 3130 (1), pp. 30-56 : 43-47

Description of Morpho helenor prometa Gareca & Blandin , ssp. nov.

Diagnosis. Male ( Fig.10 a, b )

Wingspan: 112 mm in the holotype (forewing length: 64, 54 mm); 104 to 114 mm in the paratypes.

Dorsal surface: The blue area has a purple tonality, different from the more greenish tonality observed in colestis and theodorus. It forms a sharply defined band (aproximately 17 to 21 mm wide on forewing), with a pronounced basal veil. The veil is wider than in coelestis and slightly narrower than in theodorus; it has purple reflections, which are generally weak, but strong in some paratypes (theodorus has no or very limited reflections on the distal edge of the veil). Overall, the forewing black margin is wider than in coelestis ; on the average, it is slightly wider than in theodorus, but there is less difference, which is blurred by individual variability (tab. VI). The black hindwing margin is wider than in coelestis and theodorus, notably in the sector M3-Cu1 (tab. VI). The white costal area spreads in the R5-M1 interval, a feature which is infrequent in coelestis and theodorus. White submarginal marks can be slightly bigger than in coelestis and theodorus, notably in the Cu1-Cu2 and Cu2-a1 intervals. The red premarginal marks on hindwings are a little more visible than in the majority of coelestis and theodorus specimens.

Ventral surface: the white bands, on both wings, are generally wider and the white is more brilliant than in most coelestis and theodorus specimens. The hindwing premarginal decoration is more contrasted, with more pronounced reddish marks. In most specimens, the hindwing subdiscal band is uninterrupted between M1 and M2, an uncommon feature in theodorus and coelestis .

Nota Bene. There is a slight possibility of confusion between prometa specimens and specimens intermediate between coelestis and theodorus. The most similar specimens are shown in figure 11. The specimen of the ssp. prometa is characterized by the less greenish, more purple, tint of the blue area, wider black margins on the dorsal surface and more contrasting ventral surface.

Female ( Fig.10 c, d ). Wingspan: 105–132 mm (forewing length: 62–73mm).

Dorsal surface: Basal veil more developed than in coelestis , but less so than in theodorus; its distal limit is less sharp than in theodorus, as it is covered with deep blue reflexions. The blue band (15 to 19 mm wide on forewings) is wider than in theodorus. On the hindwings, the black margin is wider than in coelestis and theodorus, so that the blue band is less distal than in theodorus. The white costal area is well developed: it spreads between M1-M2, where it forms a large sharp mark, which is faint in most coelestis and theodorus females. Premarginal white spots are slightly more developed. The premarginal decoration of the hindwings is generally a little more visible.

Ventral surface: the white bands on both wings are generally wider and the white is more brilliant than in most coelestis and theodorus specimens, resulting in a more contrasted appearence.

Geographical distribution. M. h. prometa was collected along the Cordillera Oriental, in Southern Andean Yungas ecoregion, in localities in the departments Santa Cruz, Chuquisaca and Tarija. Its northern distribution limit is unknown.

In this ecoregion (fig.9), M. h. prometa was observed within the Subandean and Valluno Belt, characterized by a thermotropical bioclimate, and a large diversity of forest ecosystems. In its most northern record, M. h. prometa inhabits Sub-humid Semi-deciduous forests which belong to the Cerrado Biogeographic Province; there are several associations within these forests, which are a variant of central Brazilian forests. Further south, M. h. prometa was collected in Sub-humid Bolivian-Tucuman forests of the superior Subandean Belt, a group of semi-deciduous forests found between 800 and 1400 m a.s.l. Between 500 and 1100 m a.s.l., M. h. prometa inhabits Xerophytic Interandean-Subandean Bolivian-Tucuman ecosystems, a group of thermophiles dry forests. Also, four specimens were found in Transitional Chaco Preandean ecosystems of the West Septentrional Chaco (560 m a.s.l), floristically characterized by some tree species whose optimal distribution is in the Andes ( Bolivian-Tucuman Biogeographic Province ), but rare or absent in the Gran Chaco floodplain .

Etymology. The name prometa honors the Non Governmental Organization PROMETA, which is dedicated to the conservation of Bosque Tucumano forests and other important ecoregions in Bolivia.

Type data for M. helenor prometa Gareca & Blandin, ssp. nov. Holotype: MHNNKM 25000 1♂ (wingspan: 112 mm; length of forewing: 64,5 mm). Yumao (19° 5’ 55,9” S, 63° 35’ 21,2” W; 500–550 m a.s.l), Cordillera Prov. , Santa Cruz dept.; 28.02.200 4. Ariel Cespedes leg. (Project ACB).

Paratypes: MHNC-E-LP 0004902, 0004905, 0004906, 3♂: Yumao (19° 5’ 55,9” S, 63° 35’ 21,2” W; 500–550 m a.s.l), Cordillera prov., Santa Cruz dept.; 2.03.200 4. Ariel Cespedes leg. ( Project ACB) . MHNC-E-LP 0004911 1♂, 0004903, 0004907, 2♀: Ticucha (19º 36º 15,2"S, 63º 53' 11,2"W; 1400 m a.s.l.) Hernando Siles prov. , Chuquisaca dept.; Abril 2004. Yuvinka Gareca leg. (Project ACB) . MHNC-E-LP 0004913 1♀: Villamontes (21º 01' 16,3"S, 63º 27' 3,1"W; 823 m a.s.l), Gran Chaco prov., Tarija dept.; 29.01.200 9. Yuvinka Gareca, Tomasz Pyrcz and Janusz Wojtusiak leg. MHNC-E-LP 0004010 1 ♀: El Tordo (21º35'54,4"S, 64º9'1,7"W; 1200–1400 m a.s.l.), O'Connor prov., Tarija dept.; 23.02.200 4. Ariel Cespedes leg. ( Project ACB) . MHNC-E-LP 000401, 0004004, 0004009, 0004008, 0004012, 5♂: Sidras (22º 14' 0"S, 64º 35' 0"W; 1183 m a.s.l) Aniceto Arce prov. , Tarija dept.; January 2006. Yuvinka Gareca leg. MZUJ 281 1♂: Sidras (22º 14' 0"S, 64º 35' 0"W; 1183 m a.s.l) Aniceto Arce prov. , Tarija dept.; 6.02.200 9. Janusz Wojtusiak leg. MZUJ 280, 1♂: Serranía de Tobar (21º 45' 39,1"S, 64º 16' 3,6"W; 1226 m a.s.l) Aniceto Arce prov, Tarija dept.; 2.2.200 9. Yuvinka Gareca , Tomasz Pyrcz and Janusz Wojtusiak leg. MNHN,CG 0332 and 0333 2 ♂: Alarachi quebrada (22º 12' 26,3"S, 64º 36' 58,1"W; 920 m a.s.l) Aniceto Arce prov. , Tarija dept.; 4–8.02.200 9 Yuvinka Gareca & Tomasz Pyrcz leg.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Morpho helenor prometa, ♂ holotype (Yumao, 28.02.2004), recto (a) and verso (b). Morpho helenor prometa, ♀ paratype (El Tordo, 23.02.2004), recto (c) and verso (d).