Zaretis ellops, (MENETRIES, 1855)

ZARETIS ELLOPS ( MÉNÉTRIÉS, 1855) View in CoL

( FIGS 9A–D, 15E, 16I, J, 18E, F, 21; SUPPORTING INFORMATION, APPENDIX S6)

Type material

The type series of Siderone ellops Ménétriés, 1855 was not examined, but it is presumably housed at ZIN.

Male lectotype of Zaretes [sic] isidora anzuletta Fruhstorfer, 1909 , here designated, with the following labels: / Type/ Type/ Fruhstorfer Coll. B.M. 1937-285 / Mexico Fruhstorfer/ Zaretes isidora anzuletta Fruh [storfer]. Det. R.I. Vane-Wright 1972 #m SYNTYPE / isidora anzuletta Fruhst [orfer]./ (NHMUK).

Diagnosis

Zaretis ellops , as with most species of the genus, is somewhat variable and similar to its congeners. This species is likely to be sympatric with Z. pythagoras , Z. delassisei , Z. crawfordhilli sp. nov., Z. elianahenrichae sp. nov. and Z. mirandahenrichae sp. nov., in Central America and Trans-Andean South America. The species strikingly resembles Z. elianahenrichae sp. nov., but the male genitalia of Z. ellops are distinct, comparable only to the South American Z. strigosus . In contrast to the above species, in Z. ellops the uncus is almost straight, short, thick, medially keeled and without a distal callus, and the dorsal half of the gnathos is slightly larger than the ventral ( Fig. 15E). Males ( Fig. 9A, B) can be externally distinguished from Z. crawfordhilli sp. nov. and Z. mirandahenrichae sp. nov. by the generally much lighter and speckled coloration, with post-median and submarginal bands usually present in the upperside of both wings, especially the HWD post-median band, which usually runs to the tornal projection at 2A; additionally, Z. ellops can be distinguished from Z. crawfordhilli sp. nov. by the more strongly developed emargination of the inner margin of the FW at the tornus; from Z. elianahenrichae sp. nov. by the shape of the FW apex, which is slightly to moderately falcate; by the coloration of the submarginal area near the apex and the marginal area, which is suffused with pale orange to orange scales near the apex; by the bands of the upperside of the wings being generally lighter and less developed, orange to light brown; and by the HW tornal projection at 2A being shorter and wider; and from Z. pythagoras and Z. delassisei by the absence of a purplish sheen on the FWD when viewed obliquely. Additionally, it can be distinguished from Z. pythagoras by the lighter colour of the upperside of the wings, pale orange to orange; and from Z. delassisei by the FWD pale orange to orange coloration not being restricted to the basal and part of the post-median areas and by the HW tornal projection at 2A being longer. Females ( Fig. 9C, D) can be distinguished from Z. crawfordhilli sp. nov. and Z. mirandahenrichae sp. nov. by the generally lighter and homogeneous coloration of basal, post-median and submarginal areas along the outer margin on both wing surfaces; from Z. elianahenrichae sp. nov. by the coloration of the submarginal area near the apex and the marginal area, which is suffused with pale yellow to yellow scales near the apex; by the FWD and HWD basal and post-median areas and submarginal area along the outer margin being similar in colour, pale yellow to yellow, and by the HW tornal projection at 2A being shorter and wider; and from Z. pythagoras by the colour of the post-median area and submarginal area along the outer margin of the FW, which is never suffused with yellowish orange; females of Z. delassisei are unknown.

Discussion

Zaretis ellops is the most common and widely distributed species of Zaretis in Trans-Andean Neotropics, being the replacement of Z. strigosus in that area.

Siderone ellops Ménétriés, 1855 View in CoL was described based on an unstated number of males and females from Nicaragua, presumably deposited at the ZIN. No specimens of the type series were examined. However, the illustration provided by Ménétriés (1855) clearly represents Z. ellops View in CoL , as recognized here, by the coloration of the submarginal area near the apex and the marginal area, which is washed out and suffused with pale orange scales, by the bands of the upperside of the wings being faint, and by the HW tornal projection at 2A being short and wide.

Zaretes [sic] isidora anzuletta Fruhstorfer, 1909 View in CoL was described based on an unstated number of males and females from Mexico, deposited at the NHMUK. Vane-Wright (1975) located two syntypes, one male and one female, probably the same specimens located by us in the NHMUK type collection. The male specimen is very similar to the illustration of Siderone ellops Ménétriés, 1855 View in CoL and specimens of Z. ellops View in CoL from Mexico and neighbouring countries. Therefore, the male specimen deposited at the NHMUK type collection and illustrated by Warren et al. (2016) is designated here as the lectotype.

The immature stages of Z. ellops View in CoL ( Fig. 18E, F) are typical of the genus, were described by Muyshondt (1976) in El Salvador, and illustrated by Janzen & Hallwachs (2017) in Costa Rica. Several authors recorded host plants for what is assumed to be Z. ellops View in CoL , the most common species of Zaretis View in CoL to the north of the Andes. All records are in the Salicaceae View in CoL , on undetermined ( Comstock & Vázquez, 1961; DeVries, 1987) or determined species of Casearia View in CoL : Casearia guianensis View in CoL (Orellana apud Beccaloni et al., 2008), Casearia nitida ( Muyshondt, 1973) View in CoL , Casearia sylvestris ( Muyshondt, 1976) View in CoL and species of Xylosma View in CoL (Fox apud Beccaloni et al., 2008). This species was frequently reared by Janzen & Hallwachs (2017), on Casearia arguta View in CoL , Casearia corymbosa View in CoL , C. nitida View in CoL , Casearia praecox View in CoL , C. sylvestris View in CoL , Casearia tremula View in CoL , C. corymbosa View in CoL and Zuelania guidonia View in CoL . Most immature stages used C. corymbosa View in CoL (~60% of the records) and C. arguta View in CoL (~30% of the records), which are not used or only rarely used by the three other Zaretis species collected as larvae in the area.

Distribution

Widespread in Central America, except the Antilles, and Trans-Andean South America, Belize, northwestern and western Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador (Carchi, Pichincha and, by a single record, on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Morona-Santiago), El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Trinidad and northwestern Venezuela; occurs mostly in dry forests from near sea level to 800 m ( Fig. 21). It may occur in northwestern Peru. In Costa Rica, occurs only on the Pacific slope, whereas the Atlantic slope is shared by three other species of the genus ( DeVries, 1987; Janzen & Hallwachs, 2017). Detailed distributional data for Mexico are provided by Vargas et al. (2008).

Examined material

See Supporting Information, Appendix S1.