Subspecies-level systematics and affinities of Cheimas Thieme - an endemic genus of the subparamo of the Venezuelan Cordillera de Mérida (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae) Author Pyrcz, Tomasz W. Author Lorenc-Brudecka, Jadwiga Author Boyer, Pierre Author Zubek, Anna text Zootaxa 2018 4422 2 219 243 journal article 30039 10.11646/zootaxa.4422.2.4 58d86c58-b7b6-4495-98de-0743c98191de 1175-5326 1251513 13EE105E-BA1A-41F6-B487-37D0CC8FC712 Cheimas opalinus cristalinus Pyrcz & Boyer , n. ssp. ( Figs. 7A–F , 8A–F , 10A–D , 11D–E ) Type locality: Pico Tonojo sector, Km 27 Boconó—Trujillo old road, Trujillo State, Cordillera de Mérida , Venezuela . Material examined: HOLOTYPE ♂ : VENEZUELA , Cordillera de Mérida , Trujillo State, Trujillo—Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo, Km 27, 2400–2450 m , 25.II.2010 , T. Pyrcz leg., CEP-MZUJ (to be deposited in MIZA ) ; PARATYPES : VENEZUELA , Cordillera de Mérida , Trujillo State: 2 ♂ : P. N. Guaramacal , via La Vega de Guaramacal , 2800–2850 m , 22.XII.2004 , M. Costa leg. ; 2 ♂ : P. N. Guaramacal , Qda. El Caote , 2700–2750 m , 16.II.2007 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 4 ♂ : P. N. Guaramacal , Qda. El Caote , 2700–2750 m , 26.II.2009 , T. Pyrcz leg., 1 prep. genit. 387/ 21.06.2016 J. Lorenc ; 3 ♂ : P. N. Guaramacal , Qda. El Caote , 2700–2750 m , 15.II.2007 , T. Pyrcz leg., 1 prep. genit. 408/ 21.06.2016 J. Lorenc ; 1 ♂ : P. N. Guaramacal , Qda. El Caote , 2550–2600 m , 08.XII.2005 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 14 ♂ : Boconó—Burbusay , Cambimbú de San Miguel , 2900–2950 m , 19.II.2007 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 2 ♂ : P. N. Dinira , Páramo Cendé , 3000–3050 m , 13.II.2010 , T. Pyrcz leg., 1 prep. genit. 395/ 21.06.2016 J. Lorenc ; 2 ♂ : P. N. Dinira , Páramo de Las Rosas , 3100–3150 m , 07.II.2010 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 1 ♂ : P. N. Dinira , Agua de Obispo , 2600– 2550 m , 14.VIII.2003 , T. Pyrcz leg., prep . genit. 04/ 05.01.2005 T. Pyrcz; 18 ♂ : Trujillo—Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo, Km 27, 2400–2450 m , 25.II.2010 , T. Pyrcz leg., 1 prep. genit. 387/ 30.05.2016 J. Lorenc ; 9 ♂ : Trujillo—Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo, Km 27, 2300–2350 m , 28.VII.2009 , T. Pyrcz leg., 1 prep. genit. 407/ 21.06.2016 J. Lorenc , 1 wing prep. ; 16 ♂ : Trujillo—Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo, Km 27, 2450– 2500 m , 18.IV.2006 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 13 ♂ : Trujillo—Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo, Km 27, 2450– 2500 m , 17.IV.2006 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 1 ♂ : Trujillo—Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo, Km 27, 2450– 2500 m , 19.IV.2006 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 1 ♂ : Trujillo—Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo, Km 27, 2450– 2500 m , 16.IV.2006 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 5 ♂ : Trujillo , Pico Tonojo , 2500 m , 28.III.2011 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 6 ♀ : Trujillo—Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo, Km 27, 2400–2450 m , 25.II.2010 , T. Pyrcz leg., 1 prep. genit. 486/ 17.11.2016 J. Lorenc ; 2 ♀ : Trujillo—Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo, Km 27, 2400–2450 m , 18.IV.2006 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 1 ♀ : Trujillo—Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo, Km 27, 2300–2350 m , 28.VII.2009 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 1 ♀ : P. N. Guaramacal , Qda. El Caote , 2700–2750 m , 16.II.2007 , T. Pyrcz leg., prep . genit. 488/ 22.11.2016 J. Lorenc; 1 ♀ : P. N. Guaramacal , Qda. El Caote , 2700–2750 m , 15.II.2007 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 1 ♀ : P. N. Guaramacal , Qda. El Caote , 2600–2650 m , 26.II.2009 , T. Pyrcz leg. ; 1 ♀ : P. N. Dinira , Páramo Cendé , 3000–3050 m , 13.II.2010 , T. Pyrcz leg., CEP-MZUJ ; 1 ♂ : Guaramacal , Qda. El Caote , 2700–2750 m , 15.II.2007 , T. Pyrcz leg., 2016 -221, köcsön anyag 2007. IX.29 , HMNH ; 2 ♂: Páramo de Ortíz, 2900 m, 5.II.2008 , P. Boyer leg.; 2 ♂ : Boconó vers Guaramacal , quebrada el Caote , 2650 m , 8.XII.2005 , P. Boyer leg. ; 5 ♂ : massif du Guaramacal , quebrada el Caote , 2600 m , 8.XII.2005 , P. Boyer leg. ; 30 ♂ and 2 ♀ : carretera vieja a Trujillo km8, “ El Rucio ”, pie del Pico Tonojo ( 30km sud de Boconó ), 2500 m , 16.IV.2006 , P. Boyer leg. ; 1 ♀ : via antigua de Boconó a Trujillo km8, 2400 m , 28.VII.2009 , P. Boyer leg., PBF ; 5 ♂ and 1 ♀ : Trujillo , Trujillo-Boconó old road, Sector Pico Tonojo , 2400–2500 m , 24.II.2010 , H. Warren-Gash leg., HWG . Diagnosis. Both sexes of this subspecies are characterized by a regular, rounded HW patch always entering discal cell, in this respect similar to the nominotypical, but considerably smaller. Female’s ductus bursae ( Fig. 11D–E ) is narrow and longer than in other subspecies except the nominate. FWL: 26–30.5 mm , mean: 27.6 mm (n=95). D colour: blackish brown, uniform. HWP colour: metallic bluish, usually with a greenish sheen HWP shape: oval or rounded, small, but always entering discal cell, covering one–third or one–fourth marginally, but not reaching as far basally or distally as in other subspecies, extending distally considerably along vein CuA1, in some individuals distal edge slightly undulated. Individual variation. Individuals from Guaramacal are consistently larger than in other populations. Also, in Cendé and Guaramacal the patch has usually a more bluish, whereas in the Pico Tonojo specimens a greenish sheen. Etymology. The epithet of subspecies is derived from the Páramo La Cristalina , a mountain situated just south from its type locality. FIGURE 7. Cheimas adults (dorsum) A. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus male, PARATYPE, Pico Tonojo B. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus female, PARATYPE, Pico Tonojo C. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus male, PARATYPE, Guaramacal D. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus female, PARATYPE, Guaramacal E. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus male, PARATYPE, Páramo de Las Rosas F. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus female, PARATYPE, Páramo de Las Rosas FIGURE 8. Cheimas adults (venter) A. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus male, PARATYPE, Pico Tonojo B. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus female, PARATYPE, Pico Tonojo C. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus male, PARATYPE, Páramo de Guaramacal D. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus female, PARATYPE, Páramo de Guaramacal E. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus male, PARATYPE, Páramo de Las Rosas F. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus female, PARATYPE, Páramo de Las Rosas FIGURE 9. Cheimas male genitalia (lateral view, aedeagus extracted, in lateral and ventral view from its natural position) A. Cheimas opalinus opalinus , La Aguada (prep. genit. 404/21.08.2016) B. Cheimas opalinus opalinus , Qda. La Boba (prep. genit. 403/ 21.08.2016 ) C. Cheimas opalinus iosephi , Páramo de San José (prep. genit. 405/ 21.06.2016 ) D. Cheimas opalinus iosephi , Mesa Alta (prep. genit. 564/ 12.07.2017 ) E. Cheimas opalinus dominici , La Ciénaga (prep. genit. 399/ 21.06.2016 ) F. Cheimas opalinus dominici , Los Morritos (prep. genit. 385/ 30.05.2016 ) FIGURE 10. Cheimas male genitalia (lateral view, aedeagus extracted, in lateral and ventral view from its natural position) A. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus , Páramo Cendé (prep. genit. 395/21.06.2016) B. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus , Guaramacal (prep. genit. 408/ 21.06.2016 ) C. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus , Páramo de Ortíz (prep. genit. 398/ 21.06.2016 ) D. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus , Pico Tonojo (prep. genit. 486/ 17.11.2016 ) E. Cheimas opalinus rosalinus, El Rosal (prep. 388/ 30.05.2016 ) F. Cheimas opalinus iosephi x Ch. opalinus rosalinus , El Batallón (prep. genit. 386/ 30.05.2016 ) FIGURE 11. Cheimas female genitalia (lateral view) A. Cheimas opalinus opalinus , La Culata (prep. genit. 392/ 08.06.2016 ) B. Cheimas opalinus iosephi , Páramo de San José (prep. genit. 487/ 17.11.2016 ) C. Cheimas opalinus dominici , El Baho (prep. genit. 485/ 17.11.2016 ) D. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus , Pico Tonojo (prep. genit. 486/ 17.11.2016 ) E. Cheimas opalinus cristalinus , Guaramacal (prep. genit. 488/ 22.11.2016 ) F. Cheimas opalinus rosalinus, El Rosal (prep. genit. 391/ 08.06.2016 ) FIGURE 12. Cheimas venation pattern ( Ch. opalinus cristalinus , male) Geographic range. Throughout northern Cordillera de Mérida , north of the Niquitao range, including the massifs of Guaramacal and Cendé. Altitudinal range. 2300–3150 m a.s.l.