Estatus taxonómico de Talides basistrigata Eaton, 1932 (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) y su reincorporación basados en una evaluación integrativa

Talides basistrigata Eaton, 1932, originalmente descrita de Perú, posteriormente fue transferida por Evans (1955) al género Hylephila Billberg, 1820, y considerada como una subespecie de H. phyleus (Drury, 1773), argumentando que basistrigata ocurre en ambientes más secos que los que habita phyleus. Actualmente se mantiene el rango taxonómico propuesto por Evans. El objetivo del presente trabajo es restituir el estatus taxonómico de especie válida para basistrigata con base en un análisis integrativo considerando aspectos morfológicos, ecológicos y genéticos. Se examinó las estructuras genitálicas en ejemplares de basistrigata y phyleus, se obtuvo secuencias del gen mitocondrial COI para ambas especies y se recopiló datos en campo para conocer su comportamiento de oviposición en los alrededores de Arequipa, suroeste de Perú. Como resultado del examen morfológico se halló diferencias notorias entre las estructuras genitálicas de ambas especies, principalmente en los procesos caudales de las valvas, la disposición de las pectinas y la forma del uncus en los machos. Con relación al análisis genético, se halló una distancia genética mayor a 3% entre ambas especies, apoyando así el estatus taxonómico de especie para basistrigata. Adicionalmente, desde una perspectiva ecológica, se registró que ambas especies utilizan distintos mecanismos de oviposición y diferentes plantas hospederas, exhibiendo además simpatría espacial y sincronía temporal en la vertiente occidental de los Andes en Perú. Se redescribe el macho y hembra adultos de basistrigata y se designa su lectotipo.

Talides basistrigata Eaton, 1932, originally described from Peru, was subsequently transferred to the genus Hylephila Billberg, 1820 by Evans (1955) and considered a subspecies of H. phyleus (Drury, 1773), arguing that basistrigata inhabits drier environments than phyleus. Currently, the taxonomic status proposed by Evans is retained. The aim of this study is to reinstate the taxonomic status of valid species for basistrigata based on an integrative analysis considering morphological, ecological, and genetic aspects. Genitalic structures were examined in specimens of both basistrigata and phyleus, mitochondrial COI gene sequences were obtained for both species, and field data were collected to understand their oviposition behaviour in the vicinity of Arequipa city, southwestern Peru. As a result of the morphological examination, notable differences were found between the male genitalia structures of both species, primarily in the caudal processes of the valvae, the arrangement of the pectines, and the shape of the uncus. Regarding the genetic analysis, a genetic distance of greater than 3% was observed between the two species, thus supporting the taxonomic status of species for basistrigata. Additionally, from an ecological perspective, it was recorded that both species employ distinct oviposition mechanisms and different host plants, exhibiting spatial sympatry and temporal synchrony on the western slope of the Andes in Peru. Male and female adults of basistrigata are redescribed, and a lectotype is designated.

A new species of Podanotum Torres & Johnson, 1996 (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) from northern Peru / Una nueva especie de Podanotum Torres & Johnson, 1996 (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) en el norte de Perú

Abstract We describe a new species of the genus Podanotum Torres & Johnson, 1996, Podanotum pajaten Farfán, Cerdeña & Bálint sp. nov. from northern Peru, associated with the Andean treeline ecotone adjacent to cloud forest and wet grassland at 3200 m above sea level. Description of this new species is based on one female adult and is distinguishable from its congeners by the combination of the following morphological characters: dorsal wing pale blue, forewing discoidal line present on ventral side, hindwing tailed, and ostium bursae distally toothed. Podanotum pajaten sp. nov. is separated geographically from the closest spatial species, P. glorissimum Bálint & Wojtusiak, 2002, by approximately 100 km to the south, and represents the second species described for Peru. An identification key to all known species of Podanotum is provided, stating their distributions by country.

Resumen Se describe una nueva especie del género Podanotum Torres & Johnson, 1996, Podanotum pajaten Farfán, Cerdeña & Bálint sp. nov. del norte de Perú, asociada al ecotono andino entre bosque nublado y pastizal húmedo a 3,200 metros de altitud. La descripción de esta nueva especie está basada en una hembra adulta que se distingue de sus congéneres por la combinación de los siguientes caracteres morfológicos: vista dorsal de las alas de color azul pálido, línea postdiscal del ala anterior presente en vista ventral, cola corta en ala posterior, y parte distal del ostium bursae dentada. Podanotum pajaten sp. nov. está separada geográficamente de la especie espacialmente más cercana, P. glorissimum Bálint & Wojtusiak, 2002, por aproximadamente 100 km hacia el sur, y representa la segunda especie descrita de Perú. Una clave de identificación es presentada para todas las especies conocidas de Podanotum, con indicación de los países de ocurrencia.

Larva, pupa and DNA barcodes of the Neotropical geometrid moth Glena mielkei (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae: Boarmiini)

ABSTRACT Glena mielkei Vargas, 2010 (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Ennominae: Boarmiini) is a Neotropical geometrid moth native to the Atacama Desert of northern Chile whose larvae are folivorous on the shrub Trixis cacalioides (Asteraecae). The last instar and pupa are described and illustrated, and DNA barcode sequences are provided for the first time for G. mielkei. Descriptions are made based on larvae collected in the type locality. Comparisons with the available descriptions of congeneric species suggest that the chaetotaxy of the SV group of the abdominal segment and the morphology of the cremaster could be useful tools to species identification based on last instar and pupa, respectively. A search in BOLD (Barcode of Life Data System) showed that the only DNA barcode haplotype found in the two specimens sequenced was closest to Physocleora Warren, 1897 than Glena Hulst, 1896. These results coincide with the morphological peculiarities of the genitalia highlighted in the original description of G. mielkei, suggesting that a definitive assessment of the generic status of this geometrid moth deserves further integrative studies.

Genetic divergence of a newly documented population of the cecidogenous micromoth Eugnosta azapaensis Vargas & Moreira (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile

Abstract Eugnosta azapaensis Vargas and Moreira, 2015 (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a micromoth native to the Atacama Desert whose larvae induce fusiform galls in shoots of Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. (Asteraceae). The presence of this cecidogenous tortricid was previously recorded only from the type locality, the Azapa Valley, Arica Province, northern Chile. However, fusiform galls on shoots of B. salicifolia were recently found in Chaca, another coastal valley of the Atacama Desert. The adults obtained from these galls were preliminarily identified as E. azapaensis based on morphology. Subsequently, to assess an additional source of evidence for the taxonomic identification of E. azapaensis in this new locality, sequences of the DNA barcode fragment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I mitochondrial gene from the two localities were analyzed. Four haplotypes were detected, two restricted to Azapa and two restricted to Chaca. The genetic divergence (K2P) between haplotypes of each locality was 0.2-0.8%, while it was 1.1-1.4% between haplotypes of different localities, and 8.7-13.5% between the Chilean haplotypes and other species of Eugnosta Hübner, 1825. In addition, all the sequences of Azapa and Chaca were clustered in a well-supported group in a Maximum Likelihood (ML) analysis. Accordingly, divergence and ML analyses support the morphological identification of E. azapaensis in the Chaca Valley. Furthermore, although preliminary, the analyses suggest that the genetic variation of the populations of this insect could be geographically structured, a pattern that must be assessed in further studies.

Prey identification in nests of the potter wasp Hypodynerus andeus (Packard) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) using DNA barcodes

Prey identification in nests of the potter wasp Hypodynerus andeus (Packard) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) using DNA barcodes. Geometrid larvae are the only prey known for larvae of the Neotropical potter wasp Hypodynerus andeus (Packard, 1869) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) in the coastal valleys of the northern Chilean Atacama Desert. A fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 was amplified from geometrid larvae collected from cells of H. andeus in the Azapa Valley, Arica Province, and used to provide taxonomic identifications. Two species, Iridopsis hausmanni Vargas, 2007 and Macaria mirthae Vargas, Parra & Hausmann, 2005 were identified, while three others could be identified only at higher taxonomic levels, because the barcode reference library of geometrid moths is still incomplete for northern Chile.