Dianesia flammata Núñez, Álvarez & Espeland, 2025

Dianesia flammata Núñez, Álvarez & Espeland , sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:8D0735F1-B4C5-4390-B508-3A8B635553DA

Figs. 2I–L View FIGURE 2 , 4A–C View FIGURE 4 , 6E–F View FIGURE 6 , 7J–L View FIGURE 7 , 8 View FIGURE 8 , 9H–I View FIGURE 9 , 10E View FIGURE 10

Diagnosis. Dianesia flammata sp. nov. most resembles the closely related D. alayoi sp. nov. from which it can be separated by its brighter UP and UN coloration, (particularly in the female); in both sexes, the FW postdiscal white band restricted to the first white spots, the discal dark brown bands reduced; the extended submarginal orange band on both wings; UN with no darker basal areas; no light area near costa between the black bands of the discal cell on the UNHW; the smaller size of the UNHW tornal ocellus, which lacks a superior pupil of blue scales; male genitalia with broader tegumen, more prominent ventral uncus tooth-like protuberance, slightly narrower, mid-dorsally concave valvae; female genitalia with shorter signa with straighter inner margin. Final instar lighter, with smaller and blurred lateral black spots and dorsal white lines. From the other species of the genus, it can be separated by the combination of bright orange-brown UP background color, no blurred blackish area interior to the FW black postdiscal line, poorly developed FW postdiscal white band and UNHW with no light area near costa between the black bands of the discal cell. Barcode rDNC: 85(T), 319(A), 400(A), 562(A).

Description. Eyes naked, green in life. Antennal socket orange; antennae slender, 36–38 alternate blackish and white antennomers, club blackish with white tip. Head, thorax and abdomen dark orange-brown, the thorax with scattered light orange pubescence and the abdomen with light orange segment junctions. FW length: 13,1–14,4 mm ♂, 12,5–13,6 mm ♀. Male UPFW light orange-brown, darker from the postdiscal area towards outer margin, base bright orange with two dark brown concentric, discontinuous bands extending basally and discally, respectively, from the discal cell to 2A; a third incomplete band of the same color edging the discal cell, and a very small spot of the same color on the bifurcation of Cu 1 and Cu 2, which can be reduced or absent. A thin dark brown postdiscal line extending sinuously from costa to Cu 1 and then straight to inner margin, externally edged by a white band consisting of four spots, the two between R 2 –R 3 and R 3 –M 1 thinner longer, the two between M 1 –M 2 and M 2 –M 3 shorter and broader. A poorly developed submarginal curved broad orange band edged by diffuse blackish areas, interrupted by veins; an elliptical black ocellus on the anal angle, internally edged by the orange band. UPHW with similar pattern, but with basal orange color extending beyond the postdiscal brown line until the submarginal band, broader and more sinuous postdiscal brown line and submarginal orange band, the latter with more defined and broader black edging, no postdiscal white band, and a larger, square ocellus in the anal angle, internally edged by yellow and with an external metallic blue pupil. UNFW similar but paler with no orange color, basal half whiter near inner angle and with the postdiscal white band much more defined and broader, extending towards inner angle; ocellus at anal angle internally edged by pale yellow scales. UNHW similar but paler with no orange color, basal and discal brown bands reduced, postdiscal brown band discontinuous. Genitalia with broad, square-shaped tegumen; uncus weakly lobed, each lobe with a ventrally prominent tooth-like protuberance; gnathi slender, smoothly curved upwards near tip; vinculum anteriorly concave, slender but broader near aedeagus; valvae medium-broad, simple, as long as the tegumen, mid-dorsally concave, tip gradually narrowed, sclerotized but membranous near attachment to vinculum, dorsally attached to aedeagus by a weakly sclerotized peduncle; saccus short, lightly rounded; aedeagus elongate and thin, continued in a long, membranous duct ( Fig. 6E–F View FIGURE 6 ).

Female similar to male but with elongated, narrower wings with rounder outer margins; a much lighter, uniform orange color on the UP, extending beyond the postdiscal black line in both wings; and better developed postdiscal white band and marginal orange band, especially in the FW. Genitalia with ostium bursae compressed dorsoventrally, narrower towards the sclerotized antrum, lamella antevaginalis heavily sclerotized and spatulate, partially covering ostium bursae; lamella postvaginalis weakly sclerotized; ductus bursae narrow and membranous, punctate surface with several small, irregular folds; corpus bursae progressively broadening, flattened dorsoventrally, surface uniformly punctate, with numerous folds around junction with ductus bursae; two mid-lateral heavily sclerotized long flat cylindrical signa with pointed tips and nearly straight inner margins ( Fig. 7J–L View FIGURE 7 ).

Type material. Holotype — ♂ CUBA , Ciego de Ávila, Cayo Coco, south of Laguna Larga , 22º32’N, 78º22’W, 14/VI/2024, col. Y. Álvarez & S. Yong, YAC (YAC-0596) GoogleMaps . Paratypes — 16♂, 7♀. Same data as for holotype, YAC (2♀: YAC-0597, YAC-0598); same locality, 12/IX/1995, col. M. López, CZACC (2♂: 7-519237, 7-519239); same locality, 8/IV/2024, col. Y. Álvarez & S. Yong, DNA vouchers DC-01, DC-02, DC-03, DC-13, ZUEC (1♂, 2♀: 14725, 14726, 14727), YAC (1♂, 2♀: YAC-0525, YAC-0526, YAC-0529); Punta Cerquita, Cayo Santa María , Villa Clara, X/2001, col. R. Núñez , DNA vouchers Y043, CZACC (4♂: 7-516464, 7-516467, 7-516470, 7-518984); same locality, II/2002, col. R. Núñez , DNA vouchers RNA-1-022, RNA-1-023, RNA-3-01, RNA-3-02, RNA-3-04, CZACC (6♂: 7-516466, 7-518983, 7-518984, 7-519236, 7-519238. 7-519240); Pelo de Oro , Cayo Santa María , X/2001, col. R. Núñez , CZACC (1♂, 1♀: 7-516465, 7-516469); Los Cañones , 6 km east of Caletones , Gibara , Holguín, 21º13’N, 76º17’W, 23/I/2025, col. Y. Álvarez, YAC (1♂: YAC-0682) GoogleMaps .

Additional material: CUBA . Ciego de Ávila: Cayo Coco, south of Laguna Larga , 22º32’N, 78º22’W, 14/ VI/2024, col. Y. Álvarez & S. Yong, DNA voucher DC-05, DC-07 (two larvae preserved in ethanol), ZUEC; Cayo Coco, Camino Viejo de la Jaula, 30/XI/2010, col. D. M. Fernández, DNA voucher RNA-1-342, DMFC (no collection ID voucher) GoogleMaps . Camagüey: Nuevitas, La Sierrecita , 2015, col. D. M. Fernández, DNA voucher RNA-1-299, DMFC (no collection ID voucher) . Holguín: Bahía del Naranjo, south of Playa Esmeralda , 21º06’N, 75º52’W, 14/V/2024, col. Y. Álvarez, DNA voucher BEH003, ZFMK (1♂: Lep180903) GoogleMaps .

Etymology. Named after the female conjugation of the Latin adjective flammeum “flaming”, as a reference to its bright orange UP color, contrasting to its browner Cuban congeners.

Distribution. Known only from several keys of the Jardines del Rey (also known as Sabana-Camagüey) archipelago (Cayo Majá, Cayo Español Adentro, Cayo Las Brujas, Cayo Santa María, Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Coco, Cayo Romano del Norte, Cayo Romano del Sur), north of Villa Clara, Ciego de Ávila and Camagüey provinces, as well as the northern coast of Camagüey (Playa Santa Lucía , La Sierrecita), Las Tunas (Playa Herradura) and Holguín (Los Cañones, Caletones) provinces, mainland Cuba . Apparently sympatric with Dianesia serpentinicola sp. nov. in north Holguín (see Discussion) ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ).

Habitat. Dry coastal scrub-woodland and dry coastal forest ( Fig. 9H–I View FIGURE 9 ).

Biology. This butterfly is locally common in well-preserved patches of dry scrub-woodland near the shoreline. Its flight is quick and not easily followed, describing an irregular path amongst deep scrub. Males can be seen on open, flowery patches of vegetation and are very territorial: the same male can occupy the same patch for days, usually settling under a leaf and chasing passing males and other insects. Females tend to be found in patches of the host plant. Adults visited flowers of Bourreria suculenta ( Boraginaceae ), Croton glabellus ( Euphorbiaceae ), Tara vesicaria (L.) Molinari, Sánchez Och. & Mayta ( Fabaceae ) and Turnera diffusa Willd. ( Passifloraceae ). Adults are on the wing year-round, although they are more common from June to August, and fly from the early morning until late afternoon; we have seen an activity peak between 17 and 18 h. Adults from the dry season (November–April) can show a reduction of the orange color on the UP.

Immature stages. Final instar ( Fig. 10E View FIGURE 10 ): Head capsule orange, covered with numerous whitish setae. Prothoracic shield green yellow, covered by whitish setae and a pair of lateral black setae. Body light green, dorsal and lateral areas delimited by a lateral diffuse white band from the sixth to the tenth segments, yellowish near anal plate; segment junctions whitish; white band running mid-dorsally along the body, broader and more marked in the final segments; two dorsolateral white bands, broader and more marked in the first three segments, a lateral small, compact black spot edged with white on the fourth and fifth segments; each segment with a lateral white spiracle opening and a tuft of long whitish setae. Males with yellow-orange testicles visible dorsally in the seventh segment. Anal plate yellow, covered by numerous external long whitish setae.

Host plant. Buxus bahamensis ( Buxaceae ).

Remarks. Upon its discovery this species was believed to be Dianesia carteri carteri described from the Bahamas, likely based on its bright orange background color ( Hernández et al. 1998). These authors also claimed that this was the same “light form” that Alayo & Hernández (1987) mentioned for the Santiago de Cuba population ( Dianesia alayoi sp. nov.), with which this species is closely related. This species has the broadest range of any Cuban member of the genus and its likely widespread along the Jardines del Rey archipelago and the northern shores of central and eastern Cuba , in the same manner as its hostplant ( Köhler 2014).