Koruthaialos (Stimula)

Zhang, Jing, Cong, Qian, Shen, Jinhui & Grishin, Nick V., 2022, Taxonomic changes suggested by the genomic analysis of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera), Insecta Mundi 2022 (921), pp. 1-135 : 39

Stimula de Nicéville, 1898 is a subgenus of Koruthaialos Watson, 1893

Genomic phylogeny reveals that Watsonia swinhoei Elwes and Edwards, 1897 (type locality India: Khasi Hills), type and the only species in the genus Stimula de Nicéville, 1898, is a sister to both Koruthaialos focula and Koruthaialos frena , thus originating deep within Koruthaialos Watson, 1893 (type species Koruthaialos hector Watson, 1893 , which is currently a subspecies of Koruthaialos rubecula (Plötz, 1882)) and rendering it paraphyletic ( Fig. 8 ). Koruthaialos is a compact genus of five species and breaking it into several genera to restore its monophyly seems inferior to including Stimula into it as a subgenus. As a result, only one species, Koruthaialos rubecula (Plötz, 1882) as defined by Evans (1949), and characterized by thin and protruding 3 rd segment of palpi and convergent arms of uncus, remains in the nominal subgenus, other Koruthaialos species are placed in subgenus Stimula , which is characterized by short and blunt 3rd segment of palpi and divergent uncus arms. Therefore, Arunena Swinhoe, 1919 (type species Arunena nigerrima Swinhoe, 1919 , which is currently a junior subjective synonym of Astictopterus butleri de Nicéville, [1884] ), becomes junior subjective synonym of Stimula .

Figures

Figure 8. Genomic tree of Heteropterinae Aurivillius, 1925, some Old World Hesperiinae and relatives. See Fig. 1 legend for notations.