Manerebia bernito Triviño

Mahecha-J, Oscar, Triviño, Paola, Andrade-C, M. Gonzalo & Pyrcz, Tomasz W., 2021, Two new species of Manerebia Staudinger from paramo habitat in the Colombian Eastern Cordillera of the Andes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae, Pronophilina), Zootaxa 4970 (2), pp. 293-302 : 295-296

Manerebia bernito Triviño & Mahecha-J. n. sp.

Figures 1 A, B — 2A – 3 A, B and 4

Material examined: Holotype: COLOMBIA: Boyacá, Pisba, Vda. Miraflores, Sabana El Crisol, 3174 msnm, 5°44’57.9’’ N, - 72°34’51.9’’W, 10.XI.2017, P. Triviño-C leg., PTC 1978, ICN-MHN-L 42687 ; Allotype: COLOMBIA: Boyacá, Pisba, Vda. Miraflores, Sabana El Crisol, 3013 msnm, 5°44’54.03 N, - 72°34’46.9’’W, 11.XI.2017, P. Triviño-C leg., PTC 1999, ICN-MHN-L 39584 . Paratypes (3 males): COLOMBIA: Boyacá, Pisba, Vda. Miraflores, Sabana El Crisol, 3086 msnm, 5°44’60’’N,- 72°34’51.2’’W, 11.XI.2017, P. Triviño-C leg., PTC 1994-018, ICN-MHN-L 42686 ; COLOMBIA: Boyacá, Pisba, Vda. Miraflores, Sabana El Crisol, 3013 msnm, 5°44’54.03 N, - 72°34’46.9’’W, 11.XI.2017, P. Triviño-C leg., PTC 2000, ICN-MHN-L 39587; the same last locality, P. Triviño-C leg., PTC 1991, ICN-MHN-L 39585 .

Diagnosis: M. bernito n. sp. is in many aspects similar to M. levana . The male and female have submarginal small ocelli only in the VFW-VHW (between Cu2-A1 veins), but the ocelli of the females are just bigger than of the male. In the males, the ocelli are reduced to black dots. M. bernito n. sp. differ from M. levana , in the submarginal ocelli in the DFW-DHW and VFW-VHW of both sexes bigger than M. bernito n. sp. The wing pattern of both sexes of M. bernito n. sp. is similar to M. clarita n. sp. (see below), M. levana and the female of M. pervaga ; however, M. bernito n. sp. has a wider postdiscal yellow-brown line on the Cu1 vein than M. clarita n. sp., M. levana and the female of M. pervaga . Both sexes in M. bernito n. sp. are darker brown in discal cell, the postdiscal dark yellowishbrown line is composed of lunular streaks incurved basally in cells M1-M2 to A1-Cu2, while in M. levana , the VHW postdiscal band is yellowish-orange, indistinct, oblique and marked at its distal edge by a thin, dentate and dark brown line, dividing the wing into a yellowish-orange area basally and a chestnut area distally, and in the female of M. pervaga , the VHW is greyish brown, darker brown on the discal cell, and the postdiscal dark yellowish-brown line is composed of lunular streaks incurved basally in cells M1-M2 to A1-Cu2, approximately parallel to distal margin ( Pyrcz et al. 2006). Additional differences are found in male genitalia ( Fig. 2A ).

Description: MALE ( Fig. 1A ): Head: antennae ventrally white with yellow brownish clubs, dorsally brown; eyes dark with yellow-brown hairs covering the back base of the eye; labial palp two times longer than head and dorsally covered with abundant yellow-brown and ventrally yellow scales. Thorax: dorsally black covered with golden hairy scales, which that cover the patagium, tegulae, and prothorax, ventrally brown; legs dorsally white with short red spines on the tarsus, ventrally of white color to the last three tarsi, and the latter in turn have many short spines of silver color. Abdomen: dorsally brown, hairy, ventrally densely hairy, first abdominal segment white, median segments yellow-brown and last segments light brown. Wings: Forewing rounded triangular (length: 18.4- 19.2mm; mean: 19.6mm; n=5), hindwing rounded, tornus rounded; anal margin very slightly excavated near the angle; dorsal surface of both wings hairy in basal half and along anal margin. Dorsal surface ground color coffeebrown. DFW uniformly brown, large-sized androconial patch uniforms until to the submarginal area, completely covering the discal cell. VFW ground color brown, slightly darker at the base, costal margin lighter, it presents a thin orange-brown band between the apical and marginal areas extending towards the costal margin of the subapical, as well as the base of the costal margin area. There are three submarginal small white points between Rs-M3 veins near to the alar margin or termen; there is a submarginal smaller ocellus in Cu2-A1cells. DHW is entirely dark brown. VHW ochreous-brown; dark brown at the base of discal cell; with a thin red-brown band that begins from upper part of the basal area in the discal cell bordering the entire median, post-median, terminal, tornal, and coming back again to down part of the basal zone of discal cell, located between the Rs-A1 veins, but in some specimens, this line is not as pronounced; a thick yellowish-brown band from the base of the discal cell to CuA1 vein extending to the terminal zone; a very fine line is presents from postdiscal to submarginal area yellow-brown in the Cu2 vein, and a thicker line from discal to submarginal area yellow-brown at the beginning of the A1vein extends to the tornal-terminal part, decreasing its color and hue. These postdsical lines are ‘V’-shaped in cells CuA1 to A1 and approximately parallel to the distal marginal, similar to M. levana , M. pervaga female and M. clarita n. sp.; a band orange-brown to long of costal margin is presents; there is a submarginal smaller ocellus in CuA2-A1cells. Male genitalia ( Fig. 2A ): Uncus long and arched with length similar to tegumen; at distal tip to valva with ‘five teeth’, which are very near it one to each other, similar to M. levana ( Fig. 2B ); with many hairs along to the valva, extending anteriorly; aedeagus´s length like the valva, elongate similar to M. levana , M. clarita n. sp., and M. pervaga ( Fig. 2A–D ); with two dorso-lateral patches of spines in middle of posterior section but in M. bernito n. sp. these spines are smaller than M. clarita n. sp., and M. pervaga although similar to M. levana ; the apical part of the aedeagus of the subsequent process is rounded in shape; saccus long. FEMALE ( Fig. 1B ): it is a little big than a male, similar to the wing-color patterns to males. Female genitalia were not examined.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to the second author’s grandfather: Bernabé Cruz, who bequeathed her his love for nature, the respect and deep admiration for the role of women in the society, the territory defense, his love for trees, wood, and the service to the community; bernito is used in apposition.

Remarks: This species is similar to M. levana , M. pervaga and M. clarita n. sp. M. bernito n. sp. presents valid taxonomic characters at the species level, such as the male genitalia and the wing pattern which allows differentiate it from other species. Nevertheless, a molecular analysis should be done to recognize their phylogenetic relationships between them. M. bernito n. sp. was found flying in the paramo over Chusquea tessellata plants in a buffer area on the eastern slope in the Pisba National Natural Park ( Fig. 3A–B ). M. levana has been observed flying too over C. tessellata in the Monas paramo near to Guasca-Cundinamarca ( Fig. 3C–D ). In the Pisba National Natural Park several threats to the natural habitat were identified, for example intensive grazing of livestock and frequent burning of the vegetation by the local inhabitants. The paramo of Pisba was categorized by Triviño et al. (2017) as a critically endangered (CR). This is in risk of ecosystem collapse, mainly due to intensive mining activity. Until now, the eastern slope of the paramo area of Pisba is the only known locality for M. bernito n. sp., for that reason, conservation plans are necessary to preserve this species and its habitat.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Adults of the Manerebia “levana” group. A: M. bernito n. sp., holotype; B: M. bernito n. sp., allotype; C: M. levana male; D: M. levana female; E: M. clarita n. sp., holotype male; F: M. pervaga male; G: M. pervaga female.

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia. A: M. bernito n. sp., holotype; B: M. levana; C: M. clarita n. sp., holotype; D: M. pervaga.

FIGURE 3. Habitat of Manerebia bernito and Manerebia levana. A: M. bernito n. sp. female perched on Chusquea tessellata (Poaceae) plant; B: Habitat of M. bernito n. sp., Sabana El Crisol, Boyacá, 3400m.; C: M. levana female perched on C. tessellata: Photo: Pinzón-P, N.; D: Habitat of M. levana, the Monas paramo near to Guasca-Cundinamarca, 3320m.: Photo: Pinzón-P, N.

FIGURE 4. Geographical distribution of the Manerebia “levana” group. Right inset shows the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia.