Libytheana carinenta ( Cramer 1777 )

Kawahara, Akito Y., 2013, <strong> Systematic revision and review of the extant and fossil snout butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Libytheinae) </ strong>, Zootaxa 3631 (1), pp. 1-74 : 43-47

Libytheana carinenta ( Cramer 1777)

( Figs. 10 , 22, 34, 35, 47, 64, 65, 149–156)

Papilio carinenta Cramer 1777: 18 , pl. 108, Figs. e, f.

Libythea carinenta Fabricius 1807: 284 .

Hecaërge carinenta Hübner [1819] , imprint 1816–[1827]: 100.

Hypatus carinenta Scudder 1875: 269 .

Libythea carinata [sic] Burmeister 1878: 196.

Papilio carineuta [sic] Kirby 1896: 3.

Libythea (Hypatus) carinenta Pagenstecher 1901: 14 .

Libythia [sic] carinenta Weeks 1911 : xii.

Libythea carinento [sic] Nininger 1930: 28.

Libythea (Libytheana) carinenta: Biezanko et al. 1957: 116 .

Libytheana carimenta [sic] Wilson 1991: 54.

Libythea carineata [sic] Scoble 1992: 355.

Diagnosis. Libytheana carinenta is most similar to L. fulvescens by sharing a hindwing CuA 2 vein that does not extend beyond 1A + 2A, or if so, by less than 1 mm. Libytheana carinenta can be distinguished from the latter species by having forewing apical marks that are white or yellowish, which are dark orange in L. fulvescens .

Type Specimens Examined. Libytheana carinenta mexicana , HOLOTYPE: ♂, Mexico: Jalapa ( AMNH) ; PARATYPE ♀: Mexico: Colima ( AMNH). Libythea bachmanii bachmanii f. kirtlandi Field 1938 , HOLOTYPE: ♂, USA: Kansas, Lawrence : 1-VIII-1935, R. H. Price ( USNM) . PARATYPES (3♂, 2♀): 1♀, USA: Kansas: Lawrence , 27-VIII-1935, R. H. Price ; 2♂, 1♀, Kansas: Eureka, Summer-1934, Fritz, Forbes ( USNM) ; 1♂, Kansas: Leavenworth County, H. Thomas ( USNM). Libythea larvata Strecker [1878] , SYNTYPES: 2♂: San Antonio Texas, J. Boll. Libythea carinenta streckeri Austin & Emmel 1998 , PARATYPES (4♀): USA, Texas, Hidalgo Co, Donna: 1♀, 10-XI-1935, Calla Stainke ( USNM) . [Same locality and date]: 1♀, “Metatype, Libythea bachmanii larvata f. streckeri Field” ( USNM) ; 1♀, “ Paratype, Libythea bachmanii larvata f. streckeri, No. 1, Field” ( USNM) ; 1♀, “ Paratype, Libythea bachmanii larvata f. streckeri, No. 2, Field” ( USNM) .

Distribution. North, Central, and South America, but absent from the Caribbean islands, northwestern United States, and latitudes greater than 40°S and 45°N.

Biology. The primary host plant is Celtis occidentalis L., but there are also reports of the larva feeding on leaves of other Celtis plants: C. boliviensis Planch. , C. iguanea (Jacq.) Sarg. , C. laevigata Willd. , C. laevigata Willd. x reticulata Torr. , C. pallida Torr. , C. reticulata Torr. , C. spinosa Spreng. , C. tenuifolia Nutt. , and possibly C. douglasii Planch. Host plant records were extracted from: Barber (1895), Gable & Baker (1922), Kendall & Glick (1972), Emmel & Emmel (1973), Neck (1976), Scott (1986), and Freitas (1999). Refer to Kawahara (2006a) for additional host plant information.

Individuals from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico are known to migrate in very large numbers in the fall ( Shields 1987b). The larva from these areas is typically dark green, yellowish-green ventrally, with yellow spots and a yellow lateral line along either side of the abdomen ( Scott 1986). According to Friedlander (fide Scott 1986), the larva from Arizona, Texas, Oaxaca and Puebla lacks a small, yellow-ringed black subdorsal cone on the mesothorax. Kawahara (2003b) reported the perching behavior of L. c. bachmanii .

Remarks. Historically, two species of snout butterflies were recognized in North America, Libytheana bachmanii Kirtland in the north, and L. carinenta (Cramer) in the south. The area between northern Mexico and the southwestern United States was considered an overlap zone, where the two species interbreed ( Shields 1985b). Lepidopterists had recognized two species primarily because of differences in the dorsal wing pattern. A white, subapical band on the forewing from Sc to M 3 is typically discontinuous in the northern population and continuous in the southern population. However, in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, the white band appears to be connected and the specimens are often very difficult to diagnose.

Friedlander (1984) noted that bachmanii and carinenta could be distinguished based on the number of spines on the eighth abdominal tergum of the male. He stated that a male with 2–4 spines is bachmanii , and one with 6–9 spines is carinenta . For this reason, he treated the two as separate species. After investigating nearly 500 male specimens, some males with 5 spines were discovered over a wide geographical area in North and South America, indicating that the number of spines cannot be readily used to distinguish the two as separate species. Since there are no easily distinguishing characters, the rank of bachmanii is here changed from species to subspecies. Two additional subspecies, L. carinenta larvata (Strecker) and L. carinenta streckeri Austin & Emmel are recognized from the southwestern United States and northern Mexico based on their slightly different wing pattern.

There have been inconsistencies in the publication date for Cramer’s description of carinenta . Volume two of Cramer’s De üitlandsche kapellen voorkomende in de drie waereld-deelen, Asia, Africa en America was published in 1777, collated from a set in original wrappers (Gerardo Lamas, pers. comm). The publisher later compiled each of the sections and produced separate volumes, and the date for the entire compilation was 1779, which is why many have incorrectly cited Cramer’s work as 1779, while the correct year for the original description is Cramer (1777).

Key to subspecies of Libytheana carinenta

1. Large orange mark on forewing dorsum between CuA 1 and 1A + 2A separated from orange mark in discal cell by a dark brown band at least 2 mm wide ( Figs. 149, 155 ); southern United States, Central America, and latitudes typically less than 26°N and greater than 40°S ...................................................................................... 2

– Large orange mark on forewing dorsum between CuA 1 and 1A + 2A separated from orange mark in discal cell by a brown band less than 2 mm wide ( Fig. 151 ) or a faint brown band approximately 2 mm wide ( Fig. 153 ); United States and northern Mexico at latitudes typically greater than 26°N .............................................................. 3

2(1). White marks between Sc and Rs 1 of forewing separated from white band between Rs 1 and M 3 ( Fig. 149 ); Mexico to South America..................................................................... Libytheana carinenta carinenta

– White marks between Sc and Rs 1 of forewing fused with white band between Rs 1 and M 3 forming a continuous white band ( Fig. 155 ); southern United States and northern Mexico................................ Libytheana carinenta streckeri

3(1). Forewing dorsum with white subapical marks ( Fig. 151 ); United States.................. Libytheana carinenta bachmanii

– Forewing dorsum with pale orange subapical marks ( Fig. 153 ); southern United States and northern Mexico........................................................................................... Libytheana carinenta larvata

Figures

FIGURES 2−13. Lateral view of the male eighth abdominal tergum of Libythea and Libytheana with scales and hairs removed. 2. Libythea celtis; 3. Libythea collenettei; 4. Libythea geoffroyi; 5. Libythea labdaca; 6. Libythea laius; 7. Libythea lepita; 8. Libythea myrrha; 9. Libythea narina; 10. Libytheana carinenta; 11. Libytheana fulvescens; 12. Libytheana motya; 13. Libytheana terena.

FIGURES 149−164. Right dorsal and ventral wing surfaces of Libytheana. The second image of each specimen shows the ventral surface of the wings. 149, 150. Libytheana carinenta carinenta (Cramer): ♂, Mexico, San Juan (CMNH); 151, 152. Libytheana carinenta bachmanii (Kirtland): ♂, USA, North Carolina, 20 mi north of Raleigh (AYK); 153, 154. Libytheana carinenta larvata (Strecker): Paratype ♂, USA, Texas, San Antonio (FSNM); 155, 156. Libytheana carinenta streckeri Austin and Emmel: Paratype ♂, USA, Texas, Hidalgo Co, Donna (USNM); 157, 158. Libytheana motya Hübner [1823]: ♂, Cuba (CUIC); 159, 160. Libytheana motya (Hübner [1823]): ♀, Cuba, Santiago (AMNH); 161, 162. Libytheana terena (Godart): ♂, Dominican Republic, Pedernales, La Abeja, 38 km NNW of Cabo Rojo (CMNH); 163, 164. Libytheana terena (Godart): ♀, Hispañola (CUIC).