Theritas

Last updated

Theritas
Theritas mavors Hewitson.png
Female imago of T. mavors (type species)
from Amazonia, underwing pattern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Tribe: Eumaeini
Genus:Theritas
Hübner, 1818
Type species
Theritas mavors
Hübner, 1818
Species

6 to about 30, see text

Synonyms

[1]
AveexcrenotaSalazar & K.Johnson, 1997
DeniviaK.Johnson, 1992
LucildaD'Abrera & Bálint, 2001 (may be nomen nudum )
MargaritheclusBálint, 2002
(but see text)

Contents

Theritas is a genus of gossamer-winged butterflies (family Lycaenidae) found in the Neotropics. Among the tribe Eumaeini of its subfamily Theclinae, it is usually placed in the group around the genus Atlides . In particular, it seems most closely related to Arcas . [2]

A genus is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, as well as viruses, in biology. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus.

Family is one of the eight major hierarcical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy; it is classified between order and genus. A family may be divided into subfamilies, which are intermediate ranks between the ranks of family and genus. The official family names are Latin in origin; however, popular names are often used: for example, walnut trees and hickory trees belong to the family Juglandaceae, but that family is commonly referred to as being the "walnut family".

Lycaenidae family of insects

Lycaenidae is the second-largest family of butterflies, with over 6,000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 30% of the known butterfly species.

Description

Underwing of T. paupera imago Theritas paupera Novara.png
Underwing of T. paupera imago

Theritas species are large among the Eumaeini but altogether still smallish butterflies. They typically have a pennant-like hindwing "tail" which projects outwards at an approximate right angle from the squared-off edge of the tapered tornal area. A smaller tail is located slightly more forward on the hindwing. The upperwings of these butterflies are largely or entirely colored brilliant blue. But these traits – as opposed to the androconia pouches discussed below – are also found in several other Eumaeini, which have been included in this genus but do not really appear to belong here. [2]

Eumaeini tribe of insects

The Eumaeini are a tribe of gossamer-winged butterflies. They are typically placed in the subfamily Theclinae, but sometimes considered a separate subfamily Eumaeinae. Over 1,000 species are found in the Neotropical realm

Right angle 90° angle (π/2 radians): an angle that bisects the angle formed by two halves of a straight line

In geometry and trigonometry, a right angle is an angle of exactly 90° (degrees), corresponding to a quarter turn. If a ray is placed so that its endpoint is on a line and the adjacent angles are equal, then they are right angles. The term is a calque of Latin angulus rectus; here rectus means "upright", referring to the vertical perpendicular to a horizontal base line.

Like Arcas , they have androconia (scent scales) on the hindwing upperside near the base of the cubital vein; these are autapomorphically tucked away in a flat deep pouch in space 1b between the wing veins. Some species also have androconia on the forewings, but it needs to be clarified whether these are indeed Theritas sensu stricto . The hindwing underside is brownish in these butterflies, with a subbasal line running between the subcosta and the anal vein branch of the cubital vein. This genus has some sexual dichromatism in that the males show green iridescence of the blue upperwing color. By comparison, Arcas has golden-green hindwing undersides dusted with black, with a black band running roughly parallel to the distal wing margin, longer tails, and lacks sexual dichromatism. The female genitals have a long, straight and tubular genital duct with a plain anal end in the type species T. mavors , but variation within the genus is insufficiently studied. [3]

<i>Arcas</i> (butterfly) genus of insects

Arcas is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. The species of this genus are found in the Neotropic ecozone.

Iridescence property in which fine colors, changeable with the angle of view or angle of illumination, are produced on a surface by the interference of light that is reflected from both the front and back of a thin film

Iridescence is the phenomenon of certain surfaces that appear to gradually change colour as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes. Examples of iridescence include soap bubbles, butterfly wings and seashells, as well as certain minerals. It is often created by structural coloration.

Lepidoptera genitalia

The study of the genitalia of Lepidoptera is important for Lepidoptera taxonomy in addition to development, anatomy and natural history. The genitalia are complex and provide the basis for species discrimination in most families and also in family identification. The genitalia are attached onto the tenth or most distal segment of the abdomen. Lepidoptera have some of the most complex genital structures in the insect groups with a wide variety of complex spines, setae, scales and tufts in males, claspers of different shapes and different modifications of the ductus bursae in females.

Species

T. augustula male imagines, upperside (left) and underwing Theritas augustula BCA.png
T. augustula male imagines, upperside (left) and underwing

There have been 2 major competing taxonomic schemes for this genus in the late 20th century. The traditional view delimits the genus loosely, with about 30 species. A more recent proposal restricts the genus to 6-8 valid species, which all possess the typical apomorphies and can be divided into three species groups or superspecies: [4]

Taxonomy (biology) The science of identifying, describing, defining and naming groups of biological organisms

In biology, taxonomy is the science of defining and naming groups of biological organisms on the basis of shared characteristics. Organisms are grouped together into taxa and these groups are given a taxonomic rank; groups of a given rank can be aggregated to form a super-group of higher rank, thus creating a taxonomic hierarchy. The principal ranks in modern use are domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and species. The Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus is regarded as the father of taxonomy, as he developed a system known as Linnaean taxonomy for categorizing organisms and binomial nomenclature for naming organisms.

mavors group

paupera group

triquetra group

Provisionally placed here

Male imagines, upperside (left) and underwing, of T. danaus , which has been proposed for separation in Margaritheclus Theritas danaus Novara.png
Male imagines, upperside (left) and underwing, of T. danaus , which has been proposed for separation in Margaritheclus
T. theocritus male imagines, upperside (left) and underwing Theritas theocritus BCA.png
T. theocritus male imagines, upperside (left) and underwing

A number of species are usually placed in Theritas, but apparently will have to be split off if the genus is to be a monophyletic group. "T." anna for example might be closer to Brangas and Evenus or even belong in the latter, while "T." deniva and some allies [5] could just as well be closer to Micandra and Penaincisalia than to Theritas proper. All in all, it is not unlikely that some of the genera nowadays considered junior synonyms of Theritas turn out to be valid. Several of the proposed genera are monotypic, and thus perhaps least likely to be valid. One of these has been argued to be nomen nudum per Article 13.1 of the ICZN Code, because an appropriate genus description was not given; the matter has been submitted to the ICZN for discussion. That all nonwithstanding, species provisionally placed in Theritas are: [6]

In addition, there are at least three more undescribed species placed here: one from Santa Catarina state in Brazil and two from the Andes of Peru. It is unknown whether they are indeed Theritas sensu stricto . T. drucei and T. triquetra as well as some species of the disputed assemblage are known from Santa Catarina or its surroundings, while the rest of the paupera group but also many other related Lycaenidae are found in the Andes. [7]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ See references in Savela (2011)
  2. 1 2 Bálint et al. (2007), Brower (2007)
  3. ↑ Bálint et al. (2006, 2007)
  4. ↑ Bálint et al. (2007)
  5. ↑ E.g. "T." hemon , whose female genitals markedly differ from those of T. mavors:
  6. ↑ Bálint et al. (2006, 2007), Brower (2007), and see references in Savela (2011)
  7. ↑ Bálint et al. (2007), and see references in Savela (2011)

Related Research Articles

Riodinidae family of insects

Riodinidae is the family of metalmark butterflies. The common name "metalmarks" refers to the small metallic-looking spots commonly found on their wings. There are 1532 species and 146 genera of metalmark butterflies in the world. Although mostly neotropical in distribution, the family is represented both in the Nearctic and the Palearctic.

<i>Tarucus</i> genus of insects

Tarucus is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae. They are commonly known as blue Pierrots or simply Pierrots. The latter name is often used for the closely related genus Castalius. The delimitation of Castalius versus Tarucus is not yet fully resolved, with some species, such as the dark Pierrot, having been moved between the two genera repeatedly. It may even be that they are eventually regarded as synonymous, and in that case the older name Castalius would supersede Tarucus by the Principle of Priority.

<i>Bibasis harisa</i> species of insect

Bibasis harisa, the orange awlet, is a species of hesperid found in Asia. The butterfly was reassigned to genus Burara by Vane-Wright and de Jong (2003) and is considered by them to be Burara harisa.

<i>Bibasis anadi</i> species of insect

Bibasis anadi, the plain orange awlet, is a species of hesperid butterfly found in India and Southeast Asia. The butterfly has been reassigned by Vane-Wright and de Jong (2003) to the genus Burara and is considered by them Burara anadi.

<i>Bibasis oedipodea</i> species of insect

Bibasis oedipodea, the branded orange awlet, is a species of hesperid butterfly found in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The butterfly was reassigned to the genus Burara by Vane-Wright and de Jong (2003) and is considered by them to be Burara oedipodea.

<i>Arhopala</i> genus of insects

Arhopala is a very large genus of gossamer-winged butterflies (Lycaenidae). They are the type genus of the tribe Arhopalini. In the relatively wide circumscription used here, it contains over 200 species collectively known as oakblues. They occur from Japan throughout temperate to tropical Asia south and east of the Himalayas to Australia and the Solomon Islands of Melanesia. Like many of their relatives, their caterpillars are attended and protected by ants (myrmecophily). Sexual dichromatism is often prominent in adult oakblues.

<i>Atlides</i> genus of insects

Atlides is a genus of gossamer-winged butterflies. Among these, it belongs belong to the tribe Eumaeini of the subfamily Theclinae. These small butterflies are widespread in the Americas, occurring almost anywhere between the southern United States and Argentina.

<i>Lamasina</i> genus of insects

Lamasina is a genus of gossamer-winged butterflies ; the validity of its name is subject to dispute. Among its family, these sexually dimorphic Lepidoptera belong to the tribe Eumaeini of the subfamily Theclinae. Lamasina species are found mainly in northern South America, approximately to the Guyanas. L. draudti is also found in Central America south of the Yucatán Peninsula. In the Andes, the genus extends somewhat further south; L. rhaptissima almost reaches Bolivia.

<i>Leptotes</i> (butterfly) genus of insects

Leptotes is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae. They are commonly known as zebra blues in reference to their zebra-striped undersides.

<i>Madeleinea</i> genus of insects

Madeleinea is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae. These Andean butterflies are very interesting from a taxonomic standpoint.

<i>Chliaria kina</i> species of insect

The blue tit is a species of lycaenid or blue butterfly found in parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. It was traditionally called Chliaria kina but the genus Chliaria is merged into Hypolycaena by many recent authors.

<i>Ministrymon</i> genus of insects

Ministrymon is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. The species of this genus are found in the Nearctic and Neotropical realms.

<i>Thereus</i> genus of insects

Thereus is a genus of gossamer-winged butterflies. Among these, it belongs belong to the tribe Eumaeini of the subfamily Theclinae. These small butterflies occur essentially all over the Neotropics.

<i>Tuxentius</i> genus of insects

Tuxentius is a butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae. They are commonly known as pied Pierrots or pies. Contained in this genus are the African species formerly placed in Castalius, except the blue-eyed Pierrot which is separated in Zintha.

<i>Pseudolycaena marsyas</i> species of insect

Pseudolycaena marsyas, the Cambridge blue, giant hairstreak or Marsyas hairstreak, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.

Porthecla ravus is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the Amazon basin and southern Brazil.

Porthecla peruensis is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in northern Peru, on the east side of the Andes. It appears to be a montane species, since it has only been found at altitudes above 1,500 meters.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.