Pteronymia latilla (Hewitson [1855])

Carvalho, Ana Paula S., Mota, Luísa L. & Kawahara, Akito Y., 2019, Intersexual ‘ Arms Race’ and the Evolution of the Sphragis in Pteronymia Butterflies, Insect Systematics and Diversity 3 (2019), No. 3, pp. 1-13 : 5

Pteronymia latilla (Hewitson [1855])

Figure 5

Females examined: 134. 28 with complete sphragides; 8 bearing incomplete or amorphous sphragides.

Description: Coloration—golden-brown to cream. Shape— Anteriorly, the sphragis is rounded and nested mostly within the bowl-like sterigma. Medially, the sphragis has a cavity. The posterior half of the sphragis is external to the sterigma, and wider than the anterior half and rectangular in shape. The posterior region is not wider than the anterior region in several specimens examined. Structure—mostly solid. Scales—sometimes present, but when present not ordered.

Comments: Among the 28 specimens that had a sphragis, one had two sphragides with a spermatophore (almost certainly belonging to the second male to mate with the female) attached to the outside of the female body. Females bearing more than one sphragis, as found here and in other species mentioned below, are unusual in SBS, but have been seen in previous studies. When the second sphragis is accompanied by a spermatophore, it shows that the sphragis of the first male works in preventing the transfer of the spermatophore of more than one male.

Figures

Fig. 2–5. The sterigma and sphragis of P. andreas (2), P. calgiria (3), P. obscuratus (4), and P.latilla (5). A: ventral, sphragis absent; B: ventral,sphragis present; C: lateral, sphragis present; D: P. obscuratus with a spermatophore externally connected to the sphragis.