<strong> Systematic revision and review of the extant and fossil snout butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Libytheinae) </ strong>
Author
Kawahara, Akito Y.
text
Zootaxa
2013
2013-03-22
3631
1
1
74
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3631.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3631.1.1
1175-5326
5261853
A355AA9D-3644-4F29-84AA-5D398D2EE6D0
Libythea collenettei
Riley 1928
(
Figs. 3
, 15, 27, 40, 55, 73–76)
Libythea collenettei
Riley 1928: 456–458
, pl. 21,
Fig. 13
.
Diagnosis.
Libythea collenettei
is thought to be basal within the genus
Libythea
(Kawahara 2009)
. It can be distinguished from all other species in the genus by having smooth forewing and hindwing margins with a darkbrown band along the outer margin. Unlike other species in the genus, the ventral surface of the hindwing has a narrow postmedian white band, and the caudal margin of valva is curved.
Type Specimens Examined.
HOLOTYPE
,
♀
:
MARQUESAS ISLANDS:
Oome, Nuku Hiva, flying over stream near sea level: 18-I-[19]25,
St. George Expedition
, C. L
. Collenette (
BMNH
)
.
PARATYPES
,
2♀
: Oome, Nuku Hiva, flying over stream near sea level: 18-I-[19]25,
St. George Expedition
, C. L
. Collenette (
BMNH
)
.
Other Specimens Examined.
(
1♂
,
1♀
):
MARQUESAS ISLANDS:
Nuku Hiva
,
Toovi Plateau
near base of
Takau Ridge
,
2500 ft
[
762 m
]:
1♀
,
24-VIII-2001
,
R. Englund
and S.
Jordan
(
BPBM
); Ua Pou, Poohekaei Summit, southwest of
Hohoi
,
2100 ft
[
640 m
], flying around
Miscanthus
R.:
1♂
,
20-VIII-2001
,
R. Englund
(
BPBM
)
.
Distribution.
Recorded from Nuku Hiva and Ua Pou of the Marquesas Islands.
Biology.
According to
Shields (1987a)
the larval host plant is most likely
Celtis pacifica
Planch. (
Celtidaceae
). The adult is possibly attracted to flowers (
Kawahara 2003a
).
Remarks.
Libythea collenettei
was presumed extinct because it was only known from the
three female
types
that were collected in 1925. However, a male and female were found in the Marquesas in 2001, and the male subsequently described (
Kawahara 2003a
). An initial cladistic analysis placed
L. collenettei
at the base of
Libythea
(
Kawahara 2003a
)
, and a recent analysis that incorporated additional characters also placed
L. collenettei
at the base of
Libythea
(Kawahara 2009)
. This species lacks two characters that are shared by all remaining
Libythea
species
: a single, wide band across hindwing cells M
1
– M
3
, and an apical spine on the valva. Because this taxon is found on very remote islands, it is plausible that it has lost some characters that other members of the genus retain. Thus, it could be that
L. collenettei
is a very derived species in the genus, only being pulled to the base of
Libythea
because it shares morphological characters with outgroups which are interpreted in the cladistic analyses as plesiomorphic when it might just be a case of homoplasy. Previously,
Libythea collenettei
was thought to be closely related to
L. cinyras
and
L. geoffroyi
and its distribution is in accordance with this hypothesis (
Waterhouse 1937
, Shields 1987).