Heteropsis (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae: Satyrini: Mycalesina): 19 new species from Madagascar and interim revision
Author
C, Lees David
text
Zootaxa
2016
4118
1
1
97
journal article
38930
10.11646/zootaxa.4118.1.1
a4e408c4-2575-4b5c-878b-e1b9010ec619
1175-5326
264597
CFA586DA-10EE-468B-80EE-35351E3845FD
Heteropsis exocellata
group
A small clade supported by multiple genes (Aduse-Poku
et al
., 2015,
Fig 1
; Suppl. S4) for two sampled species,
Ht. exocellata
and
Ht. cowani
(Butler, 1880)
, with an intriguing published topology (albeit with moderate bootstrap support) as sister to all other
Malagasy
Region
Heteropsis
. This clade is also morphologically characterised (
Lees, 1997
) by the following combination of features: HW ocellus strongly expressed in dorsal space-M3 as well as space-CuA1; spatulate valves, toothed mesad near the slightly folded tip which projects beyond the uncus; gnathos with basal curved projection which is unique among
Malagasy
Heteropsis
and developed (at least in
Ht
.
exocellata
and
Ht. cowani
) with its main arm downward arching over the uncus (
Lees, 1997: 106
). The vinculum is strongly bowed proximad from LV. See
Paulian (1951)
for variation in the ♂ genitalia of
Ht. exocellata
(under its synonyms
Henotesia aberrans
Paulian, 1951
and
He. benedicta
Paulian, 1951
), but see also the phylogeography of
Linares
et al.,
(2009
: 488–489), who include representatives from the
type
localities of both nominal taxa and find no evidence for reciprocal monophyly among the respective populations. The biology of the
H. exocellata
group is unknown, but these are low flying forest interior butterflies likely to be associated with low grasses, which seem rarely attracted to fruit. They tend to occur in localised and bright forest pockets with a very humid aspect such as near streams, up to around
1800 m
elevation.
Ht. exocellata
has been observed hilltopping on a ridge (pers. obs.).