Ocaria clepsydra (H. H. Druce)

Ocaria clepsydra (H. H. Druce)

( Figures 1 View FIGURE 1 , 8–9 View FIGURES 2–13 , 17 View FIGURES 14–19 , 21 View FIGURES 20–24 , 28 View FIGURES 28–31 , 34 View FIGURES 32–36 )

Diagnosis. Ocaria clepsydra is characterized by: (1) significant amount of submarginal white suffusion on the ventral surface of both wings; (2) white scales forming a contiguous band on the VFW; (3) VHW white band displaced basally in the apex where it reaches the postmedian line; and (4) dorsal color in both males and females of a lighter shade of blue than other members of the arpoxais group ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 14–19 ).

Type material. The description of Thecla clepsydra H.H. Druce was based on at least one male from Bogotá, Colombia, deposited at the British Museum , currently, NHMUK. A syntype bearing the following labels is deposited at the NHMUK: SYN-TYPE // Type // Bogota // T. clepsydra ♂ TYPE. H. H. Druce. // B.M. TYPE No. Rh. 711 // Thecla clepsydra H. H. Druce, 1907 SYNTYPE // NHMUK010432777 About NHMUK .

Radissima torresi Le Crom & Johnson was described from a male with very worn wings from Cerro Aguacatal , Quinchia , Risaralda, Colombia (currently Riosucio, Caldas, Colombia), deposited at ICN-MHN with the following labels: J.-F. LECROM Cerro Aguacatal Quinchia, Risaral. 15/v/93 1600m leg: J. Salazar // L. 10 // 67 68 // HOLOTIPO // Radissima torresi Le Crom & Johnson, 1993 // ICN-L 11132.

Distribution. This Andean species flies from western Venezuela to southern Peru at an altitude ranging from 1100 to 2100m ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 28–31 ).

Remarks. Draudt (1924) regarded O. clepsydra as a junior synonym of O. arpoxais , a classification challenged by Comstock & Huntington (1959). d’Abrera (1995) and Robbins (2004a) treated O. clepsydra as a valid species. Ocaria clepsydra possesses traits easily diagnosable that differentiate it from other members of the arpoxais species group. In the original description, the author says it recalls O. aholiba . While there is some dorsal similarity on the wings, the ventral surface of the wings of O. clepsydra is much closer to O. arpoxais and O. cinerea . We viewed images of the type of Radissima torresi , a specimen in poor condition with very rubbed ventral wings. The DFW blue area limit is well-rounded and not pointed like in O. arpoxais , O. cinerea and the new species. Also, the DHW black margins are wide and the placement of the CuA 2 –2A element in the VHW postmedian line is downward. Finally, the contiguous white submarginal suffusion across both VFW and VHW is consistent with O. clepsydra , and confirms its status as a junior synonym of O. clepsydra ( Robbins 2004a) .

Natural history. Males of O. clepsydra have been observed setting up mating territories on a mid-mountain hilltop in Rodriguez de Mendoza (Faynel, pers. obs.). They were flying at a height of 3–4 m at 0920 hours. Females of O. clepsydra have also been found on flowers in western Ecuador between 1375–1700m (Busby, pers. obs.). Lamas et al. (2021) report one male “attracted to fish/urine bait above San Pedro ” in the Cosñipata valley, Peru.

Material examined. VENEZUELA. 1♂, Sierra de Merida, 3000m, 4.vi.1898, Briceno leg., NHMUK015203054 About NHMUK * ( NHMUK). COLOMBIA. Antioquia. 1♂, Fredonia, Cerro Bravo   GoogleMaps , 2500m, 5°55’60”N, 75°42’00”W, 31.viii.2018, C. Prieto leg., CP Lep 1429* ( RCCP). Cundinamarca. 1♂, Cerro Quinini, 2000m, 14.vi.1998, J.F. Le Crom leg. ( JFLC); 1♂, Bogotá, SYNTYPE Thecla clepsydra, NHMUK 010432777* ( NHMUK). Caldas. 1♂, Miraflores , 15.ii.1998, J. A. Salazar leg. ( JFLC); 1♂, Cerro Botero, Quinchia , 30.viii.1994, Reinel leg. ( JFLC); 1♂, 15.xi.1998, Salazar leg. ( JFLC); 1♂, Riosucio, Cerro Clavijo   GoogleMaps , 1500m, 05°21’40’’N, 75°40’26’’W, xii.1998, J. A. Salazar leg. SM-5691 ( IAVH); 1♂, Riosucio, Cerro Sinifaná , 1850m, 23.xii.1998, J. A. Salazar leg., CF-LYC-1121* ( CF). Cauca. 1♂, Santa Rosa, Rio Villalobos   GoogleMaps , 1000m, 01°22’42’’N, 76°31’55’’W, viii.1994, J. A. Salazar leg., SM-5709 ( IAVH); 1♂, Popayan, Cerro La   GoogleMaps tetilla, 2°33’23’’N, 76°40’05’’W, 1–14.vii.2013, Prieto leg. ( CF); 2♂, same locality, 1800m, 25.i.2019, E. Burbano leg., CP Lep 1729* & CP Lep 1729* ( RCCP); 1♂, same locality, 1850m, 24.vii.2018, C. Prieto leg., CP Lep 1293* ( RCCP). Quindio. 1♂, Circasia, Vda. Membrilla, El Silencio , 1700m, 8–10.vi.1999, D. Tobar leg. ( JFLC). Risaraldas. 1♂ Quinchia, Cerro Batero , 30.viii.1994, C. Reinel leg. ( JFLC). Valle del Cauca. 1♂, Cali, San Antonio, 2100m, 14.ix.2004, C. Prieto leg. ( RCCP). ECUADOR. Carchi. 1♂, Chical   GoogleMaps , 1391m, 0° 57.7’ N, 78° 12.2’ W, 19.viii.2016, I. Aldas & R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB). Pichincha. 1♂, 5 km Nanegal-Garcia Moreno Rd   GoogleMaps , 1375–1700m, 0° 09.2’ N, 78° 39.4’ W, 16.vi.2010, 3–4.vii.2010, 12.v.2014, I. Aldas & R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB); 1♂, same locality, 1.vi.2010, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB); 1♀, same locality, 27.v.2014, I. Aldas & R. C. Busby leg., illustrated on Fig. 9 View FIGURES 2–13 ( RCB). Tungurahua. 1♂, Banos , 1850m, i.2002, i.2002, I. Aldas & R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB). Napo. 1♂, 10 km El Chaco-El Reventador Rd   GoogleMaps , 1800–1950m, 0° 16.5’ S. 77° 45.6’ W, 21.ii.2008, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB); 1♂, same locality, 1800–1900m, 0° 16.5’ S, 77° 45.6’ W, 14.i.2007, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB); 1♂, same locality, Cascabel   GoogleMaps , 1500m, 0° 11.9’ S, 77° 43.5’ W, 8.ix.2010, I. Aldas & R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB); 1♀, 10 km El Chaco-El Reventador Rd   GoogleMaps , 1800–1950m, 0° 16.5’ S. 77° 45.6’ W, 2.i.2012, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB). Pastaza. 1♂, km 25 Puyo-Tena , xii.2016, Delassisse leg., CF-LYC-1325*, gen. prep. K. Florczyk CFCF014 ( CF). Morona Santiago. 1♂, 14 km. W. of Macas, Rio Abanico , 1600m, 25.ix.1998, 27.ix.1998, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB); Nueva Tarqui , 1150m, 28.ix.2000, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB); 1♂, Rio Abanico   GoogleMaps , 1600m, 2° 15.0 S, 78° 12.1 W, 12.ix.2000, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB); 1♂, 1 km E. Rio Abanico   GoogleMaps , 1600m, 2º 15.4’S, 78° 11.7 W, 15.x.2002, 21.ix.2003, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB); 1♂, Morona (Las Antenas), Chupianza Chico , 20.2 S 83°, 2° 43.9’ S, 15.i.2021, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB); 1♂, 2 km N of San Isidro   GoogleMaps , 1250–1450m, 2° 11.9’ S, 78° 09.4’ W, 19.ix.2012, 30.ix.2012, 30.ix.2012, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB). Zamora Chinchipe. 1♂, Zamora   GoogleMaps , ridge W. of town, 1450m, 4 04.5’ S, 78° 58.1’ W, 18.v.2000, 18.v.2000, 18.ix.2000, 24.ix.2001, 6.x.2002, 6.x.2002, 11.v.2004, 10.x.2007, 10.x.2007, R. C. Busby leg. ( RCB). PERU. Cajamarca. 1♂, Tabaconas, Tabaconas river , 2000m, 1912, A. E. & F. Pratt leg. ( MNHN). Amazonas. 1♀, Numparque, Rio Marañon , 1000m, x.2006, AMC383 View Materials ( AMC); 1♂, Rodríguez de Mendonza   GoogleMaps , 1915m, 6°23’S 77°27’W, 25.vii.2023, C. Faynel leg., Poste 9h17, CF-LYC-2017 ( CF); 2♂, same locality, 2085m, 20.vi.2022 & 27.vi.2022, L. Lopez-Calderon leg. ( CF); 1♂, same locality, 2135m, 19.xi.2023, C. Lopez-Calderon leg. ( CF); 1♂, same locality, 2000m, 11.vi.2023, A. Lopez-Calderon leg. ( CF). San Martin. Nueva Cajamarca, 900m, 5°57’S, 77°19’W, vi.2020, C. M. Zevallos leg., RCCFXPL4C01* ( CF). Huánuco. 1♂, Tingo Maria, Rio Huattaga ( CF). Puno. 2♂, Sandia, Caserio de Pichari , 850m, 25.ix.2010, William leg., CFC18767*, illustrated on Fig. 8 View FIGURES 2–13 , CFC19048* ( FILS).