Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5360 No. 2: 26 Oct. 2023
Type: Article
Published: 2023-10-26
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5360.2.4
Page range: 239-254
Abstract views: 278
PDF downloaded: 20

A new species of Vehilius Godman, 1900 (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae) endemic to the Caatinga, northeastern Brazil: taxonomy, biology and behavior

Laboratório de Ecologia e Interações de Insetos da Caatinga; Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências Biológicas; Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural; Universidade Federal de Campina Grande; CEP 58700-970; Patos; Paraíba; Brasil
Laboratório de Ecologia e Interações de Insetos da Caatinga; Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências Biológicas; Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural; Universidade Federal de Campina Grande; CEP 58700-970; Patos; Paraíba; Brasil
Reserva Serra Bonita; P. O. Box 001; Camacã; Bahia; Brazil
Laboratório de Ecologia e Interações de Insetos da Caatinga; Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências Biológicas; Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural; Universidade Federal de Campina Grande; CEP 58700-970; Patos; Paraíba; Brasil
Lepidoptera ecology hostplant immature stages Moncina Panicum trichoides semiarid skippers

Abstract

A new species belonging to the genus Vehilius Godman, 1900, Vehilius jabre Medeiros, Souza & Kerpel sp. nov., endemic to the Caatinga biome, northeastern Brazil, is here described based on data from adult and immature stages. Information about the biology, hostplant, distribution, and adult and larval behavior of the new species is provided. The new species is morphologically similar to Vehilius warreni (Weeks, 1901), but can be distinguished by a set of characters on wings and male and female genitalia. Adults and genitalia for both sexes of V. jabre sp. nov. and V. warreni are illustrated and compared.

 

References

  1. Alvares, C.A., Stape, J.L., Stape, J.L., Sentelhas, P.C., Gonçalves, J.L.M. & Sparovek, G. (2013) Köppen’s climate classification map for Brazil. Meteorologische Zeitschrift, 22 (6), 711–728. https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2013/0507
  2. Bächtold, A., Del-Claro, K., Kaminski, L.A., Freitas, A.V.L. & Oliveira, P.S. (2012) Natural history of an ant-plant-butterfly interaction in a Neotropical savanna. Journal of Natural History, 46 (15–16), 943–954. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2011.651649
  3. Baer, C.S. & Marquis, R.J. (2021) Experimental shelter-switching shows shelter type alters predation on caterpillars (Hesperiidae). Behavioral Ecology, 32 (5), 1012–1021. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arab057
  4. Beccaloni, G.W., Viloria, A.L., Hall, S.K. & Robinson, G. (2008) Catalogue of the hostplants of the Neotropical butterflies. Catálogo de las plantas huésped de las mariposas neotropicales. Vol. 8. Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa (Monografías del Tercer Milenio), Zaragoza, 536 pp.
  5. Brasil (2023) Decreto Nº 11.552, de 5 de junho de 2023. Cria o Parque Nacional da Serra do Teixeira, localizado nos Municípios de Água Branca, Cacimba de Areia, Catingueira, Imaculada, Juru, Mãe d'Água, Matureia, Olho d'Água, Santa Terezinha, Santana dos Garrotes, São José do Bonfim e Teixeira, Estado da Paraíba. Available from: http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato20232026/2023/decreto/D11552.htm#:~:text=DECRETO%20N%C2%BA%2011.552%2C%20DE%205,e%20Teixeira%2C%20Estado%20da%20Para%C3%ADba. (accessed 17 June 2023)
  6. Carneiro, E., Mielke, O.H.H. & Casagrande, M.M. (2013) Thorax and abdomen morphology of some Neotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Insecta Mundi, 0327, 1–51.
  7. Carneiro, E., Dolibaina, D.R., Mielke, O.H.H. & Casagrande, M.M. (2015) Taxonomic review of Gallio Evans, 1955 (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae, Hesperiinae): one less monotypic genus of Moncini. Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 59, 294–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbe.2015.07.010
  8. Chai, P. & Srygley, R.B. (1990) Predation and the Flight, Morphology, and Temperature of Neotropical Rain-Forest Butterflies. The American Naturalist, 135 (6), 748–765. https://doi.org/10.1086/285072
  9. Cheng, W., Xing, S., Chen, Y., Lin, R., Bonebrake, T.C. & Nakamura, A. (2018) Dark butterflies camouflaged from predation in dark tropical forest understories. Ecological Entomology, 43 (3), 304–309. https://doi.org/10.1111/een.12499
  10. Cock, M.J.W. (2009) The Skipper Butterflies (Hesperiidae) of Trinidad. Part 16. Hesperiinae, Genera Group J, Vettius—Naevolus. Living World, Journal of The Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club, 11–31.
  11. Cock, M.J.W. (2011) The Skipper Butterflies (Hesperiidae) of Trinidad. Part 18. Hesperiinae, Moncini: Eight Genera of Relatively Distinctive Species: Callimormus, Eutocus, Artines, Flaccilla, Phanes, Monca, Vehilius and Parphorus. Living World, Journal of The Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club, 2011, 14–36.
  12. Cock, M.J.W. (2012) The Skipper Butterflies (Hesperiidae) of Trinidad. Part 19. Hesperiinae, Moncini: The Remaining Genera with Pale Spots: Cymaenes, Cobalopsis, Arita, Lerema, Morys and Tigasis. Living World, Journal of The Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club, 2012, 20–40.
  13. Dolibaina, D.R., Mielke, O.H.H. & Casagrande, M.M. (2014) Taxonomic revision of Cumbre Evans, 1955 (Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae: Moncini), with the description of two new species. Zootaxa, 3841 (1), 47–66. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3841.1.2
  14. Dolibaina, D.R., Mielke, O.H.H. & Casagrande, M.M. (2017) Taxonomy of Rufocumbre gen. nov., a new Moncini skipper genus (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae). Zootaxa, 4365 (2), 196–216. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4365.2.5
  15. Evans, W.H. (1955) A Catalogue of the American Hesperiidae indicating the Classification and Nomenclature adopted in the British Museum (Natural History). Part IV. Hesperiinae and Megathyminae. British Museum, London, 499 pp.
  16. Fernandes, M.F., Cardoso, D. & Queiroz, L.P. (2020) An updated plant checklist of the Brazilian Caatinga seasonally dry forests and woodlands reveals high species richness and endemism. Journal of Arid Environments, 174, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2019.104079
  17. Freitas, A.V.L. & Marini-Filho, O.J. (2011) Plano de Ação Nacional para Conservação dos Lepidópteros Ameaçados de Extinção. ICMBio, Brasília, 124 pp.
  18. Garda, A.A., Lion, M.B., Lima, S.M.Q., Mesquita, D.O., Araujo, H.F.P.D. & Napoli, M.F. (2018) Os animais vertebrados do bioma Caatinga. Ciência e Cultura, 70 (4), 29–34. https://doi.org/10.21800/2317-66602018000400010
  19. Godman, F.D. (1900) Hesperiidae [parte]. In: Godman, F.D. & Salvin, O. (Eds.), Insecta, Lepidoptera Rhopalocera. Vol. 2. Biologia Centrali-Americana. R. H. Porter, London, pp. 142–457, pls. 91–112]
  20. Greeney, H.F. & Jones, M.T. (2003) Shelter Building in the Hesperiidae: A classification scheme for larval shelters. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera, 37, 27–36. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.266551
  21. Greeney, H.F. (2009) A revised classification scheme for larval hesperiid shelters, with comments on shelter diversity in the Pyrginae. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera, 41, 53–59. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.266528
  22. Greeney, H.F. & Warren, A.D. (2011) The natural history, immature stages, and shelter building behavior of Dion carmenta (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae) in eastern Ecuador. Entomological Society of America, 104 (6), 1128–1134. https://doi.org/10.1603/AN10063
  23. Janzen, D.H. & Hallwachs, W. (2009) Dynamic database for an inventory of the macrocaterpillar fauna, and its food plants and parasitoids, of Area de Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG), northwestern Costa Rica (nn-SRNP-nnnnn voucher codes). Available from: http://janzen.sas.upenn.edu/caterpillars/database.lasso (accessed 14 June 2023)
  24. Kendall, R.O. (1976) Larval foodplants for thirty species of skippers (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) from Mexico. Bulletin of the Allyn Museum, 39, 1–9.
  25. Kerpel, S.M., Ferreira-Junior, A. & Freitas, A.V.L. (2014) New Record of the Endangered Brazilian Swallowtail Heraclides himeros baia (Rothschild & Jordan, 1906). Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, 68 (2), 145–146. https://doi.org/10.18473/lepi.v68i2.a9
  26. Leal, I.R., Lopes, A.V., Machado, I.C. & Tabarelli, M. (2017) Plant-Animal Interactions in the Caatinga: Overview and perspectives. In: Silva, J.M.C., Leal, I.R. & Tabarelli, M. (Eds.), Caatinga: The Largest Tropical Dry Forest Region in South America. Springer, Cham, pp. 255–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68339-3_9
  27. Lind, E.M., Jones, M.T., Long, J.D. & Weiss, M.R. (2001) Ontogenetic changes in leaf shelter construction by larvae of Epargyreus clarus (Hesperiidae), the silver-spotted skipper. Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, 54 (3), 77–82.
  28. Lopes-Silva, R.F., Rodrigues, J.S., Gomes-Silva, F., Lucena, D.S. & Lucena, M.F.A. (2019) Composição florística de um inselberg no semiárido paraibano, nordeste brasileiro. Rodriguésia, 70, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-7860201970079
  29. Medeiros, A.D., Dolibaina, D.R., Carneiro, E., Mielke, O.H.H. & Casagrande, M.M. (2019) Taxonomic revision of Artines Godman, 1901 (Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae: Moncini) with the description of nine new species. Zootaxa, 4614 (1), 1–49. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4614.1.1
  30. Medeiros, A.D., Dolibaina, D.R, Carneiro, E., Mielke, O.H.H. & Casagrande, M.M. (2020) Taxonomic revision of the genus Panca Evans, 1955 (Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae: Hesperiini: Moncina) with the description of two new species. Zootaxa, 4830 (3), 503–543. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4830.3.3
  31. Mega, N.O. & Araújo, A.M.D. (2008) Do caterpillars of Dryas iulia alcionea (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) show evidence of adaptive behavior to avoid predation by ants?. Journal of Natural History, 42 (1–2), 129–137. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222930701827800
  32. Mielke, O.H.H. (2004) Hesperiidae. In: Lamas, G. (Ed.), Checklist: Part 4A. Hesperioidea—Papilionoidea. In: Heppner, J. (Ed.), Atlas of Neotropical Lepidoptera 5A. Scientific Publishers, Association for Tropical Lepidoptera, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 3–11 + 25–86.
  33. Mielke, O.H.H. (2005) Catalogue of the American Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) 4. Hesperiinae 1. Adlerodea—Lychnuchus. Sociedade Brasileira de Zoologia, Curitiba, pp. 775–1055.
  34. Miller, L.D. (1970) Nomenclature of wing veins and cells. Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera, 8 (2), 37–48. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.333547
  35. Palmer, C.M. & Braby, M.F. (2012) Rediscovery of the Desert Sand-skipper Croitana aestiva Edwards (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae): morphology, life history and behaviour. Australian Journal of Entomology, 51, 47–59. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-6055.2011.00844.x
  36. Pennington, R.T., Lehmann, C.E.R. & Rowland, L.M. (2018) Tropical savannas and dry forests. Current Biology, 28 (9), 541–545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2018.03.014
  37. Porembski, S. & Barthlott, W. (2000) Granitic and gneissic outcrops (inselbergs) as centers of diversity for desiccation-tolerant vascular plants. Plant Ecology, 151, 19–28. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026565817218
  38. Prado, D.E. (2003) As Caatingas da América do Sul. Ecologia e Conservação da Caatinga, 2, 3–74.
  39. Ruszczyk, A. & Silva, C.F. (1997) Butterflies select microhabitats on building walls. Elsevier Science, 38, 119–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-2046(97)00039-X
  40. Santos, E.C.D., Mielke, O.H.H. & Casagrande, M.M. (2008) Butterfly inventories in Brazil: the state of the art and priority-areas model for research aiming at conservation. Natureza & Conservação, 6 (2), 178–200.
  41. Silva, A.M., Medeiros, A.D. & Kerpel, S.M. (2021) Immature stages of Nisoniades macarius (Hesperiidae: Pyrginae: Carcharodini): biology, morphology and behavior. Iheringia, Série Zoologia, 111, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4766e2021027
  42. Stehr, F.W. (1987) Order Lepidoptera. In: Stehr, F.W. (Ed.), Immature insects. Kendall/Hunt Publishing, Dubuque, pp. 288–305.
  43. Stuart-Fox, D. & Moussalli, A. (2009) Camouflage, communication and thermoregulation: lessons from colour changing organisms. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 364, 463–470. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2008.0254
  44. Teixeira, L.P., Lughadha, E.N., Silva, M.V.C. & Moro, M.F. (2021) How much of the Caatinga is legally protected? An analysis of temporal and geographical coverage of protected areas in the Brazilian semiarid region. Acta Botanica Brasilica, 35 (3), 473–485. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-33062020abb0492
  45. Théry, M. & Gomez, D. (2010) Insect colours and visual appearance in the eyes of their predators. Insect Physiology, 38, 268–353. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2806(10)38001-5
  46. Velloso, A.L., Sampaio, E.V.S.B. & Pareyn, F.G.C. (2002) Ecorregiões propostos para o bioma da caatinga. Instituto de Conservação Ambiental The Nature Conservancy do Brasil. Associação Plantas do Nordeste, Recife, 75 pp.
  47. Warren, A.D., Ogawa, J.R. & Brower, A.V.Z. (2008) Phylogenetic relationships of subfamilies and circumscription of tribes in the family Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea). Cladistics, 24, 1–35. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-0031.2008.00218.x
  48. Warren, A.D., Ogawa, J.R. & Brower, A.V.Z. (2009) Revised classification of the family Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea) based on combined molecular and morphological data. Systematic Entomology, 34, 467–523. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3113.2008.00463.x
  49. Weiss, M.R., Lind, E.M., Jones, M.T., Long, J.D. & Maupin, J.L. (2003) Uniformity of leaf shelter construction by larvae of Epargyreus clarus (Hesperiidae), the silver-spotted skipper. Journal of Insect Behavior, 16 (4), 465–480. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1027399122333
  50. Weiss, M.R. (2003) Good housekeeping: why do shelter-dwelling caterpillars fling their frass?. Ecology Letters, 6, 361–370. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1461-0248.2003.00442.x
  51. Weiss, M.R. (2006) Defecation behavior and ecology of insects. Annual Review Entomology, 51, 635–661. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.49.061802.123212
  52. Zhang, J., Cong, Q., Shen, J. & Grishin, N.V. (2022) Taxonomic changes suggested by the genomic analysis of Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Insecta Mundi, 0921, 1–135.