Neomaenas coenonymphina Butler 1881

Neomaenas coenonymphina Butler 1881

(Figs. 6 C, D; 15D–F; 26)

Lectotype: (male) BMNH #809622 (specimen examined) Paralectotype: BMNH #809623 (specimen examined)

Type Location: Valparaiso, Valparaiso Province, Chile

Distribution. Found from Santiago to Valparaiso Province, Chile from January to March at 200–600m (Fig. 26). Original description states that specimens were collected as early as December.

Diagnosis. Most similar to N. poliozona, but with the postmedian band of the ventral side hindwing daffodil yellow and golden instead of lavender and the apical ocellus between M1 and M2 on the ventral side of the forewing usually bipupillate.

Redescription. Head: Antennae 8–9mm, covered in white to tan scales and terminating in a spatulate club. Eyes sparsely hairy and oval, length approximately 1.25X the width. Palps striped longitudinally with black and white scales with bronze-brown piliform scales on the ventral side. Terminal palp segment cylindrical and less than one-third the length of the second segment.

Thorax black to very dark bronze-brown and covered in bronze to tan scales. Scales of the abdomen ranging from beige to tan to medium brown, slightly darker on the males than the females. Forelegs of both males and females with tarsus club-like, unsegmented, and without spines. Midlegs and hindlegs with four rows of black spines on the tibia and tarsus.

Forewing (Fig. 6 C, D): Wingspan 30–35mm. Males with no visible androconial patch. Termen nearly straight and discal cell V-shaped at distal end with distance between M1-M2 slightly shorter than distance between M2-M3. Dorsal side medium brown to dark chocolate brown, darker toward the distal edges and slightly lighter in the females. Fringe scales striped perpendicular to the wing margin in dark chocolate brown and tawny. Postmedian band appearing on the dorsal side in rust orange, but not as distinctly as on the ventral side. Apical ocellus between M1 and M2 appearing as a nearly black spot on the dorsal side in both sexes, but clearer in the females. Ventral side rust orange and widely bordered in medium to chocolate brown with a ripple pattern visible at the costal edge and apex. Postmedian band orange with a thin, dark brown border and nearly even in width, scalloped at the distal edge with the proximal edge nearly straight, curving sharply inward between M3 and CuA1. Apical ocellus usually bipupillate and ringed in light daffodil yellow. Pupils white, the more apical of which is often bigger.

Hindwing (Fig. 6 C, D): Wing shape trapezoidal. Termen slightly convex and barely scalloped between median veins and tornus and the inner margin excavated between the anal vein and 1A+2A. Dorsal side medium brown to dark chocolate brown, darker toward the distal edges and slightly lighter in the females. Fringe scales striped in dark chocolate brown and tawny. Postmedian band appearing in rust orange to rust red on the dorsal side, strongest from M2 to the anal margin and again more clearly in the females than in the males. Long piliform scales appearing on both sexes at the base and over the discal cell, extending to the median. Ventral side chocolate to dark bronze brown with ripple pattern over most of the wing. Postmedian band widest toward costa, narrowing slightly at M1, but almost even in width throughout. Postmedian band is light daffodil yellow at proximal border, fading to golden distally with the distal border deckle-edged. A small, black, round, unpupillated ocellus ringed in yellow is present between Cu1 and Cu2. Often, a similar ocellus appears between R5 and M1 and occasionally between CuA2 and 1A+2A.

Male genitalia (Fig. 15 D–F): Uncus narrow and finger-like, approximately the same length as the tegumen. Gnathos acute and approximately four-tenths the length of the uncus. Pedunculus long and attenuating at terminus and the saccus is U-shaped. Valvae wide, beginning to narrow at midpoint with the most distal quarter nearly deltoid. Aedeagus is nearly even in width throughout, the proximal end slightly narrower with a truncate terminus.

Remarks. Two specimens in the British Museum are labeled as the types of N. coenonymphina and J. Matz has designated the male, marked with the Valparaiso locality, as the lectotype. Butler (1881) noted that it is rare around Valparaiso in December and January, but we found it to be common in that region in late February to early March on hillsides near Casablanca (33º19’S, 71º24’W).

Specimens examined. Chile, Valparaíso Province, (MTSU) CL1001-CL1009, (MGCL) 1 male, (BMNH) Lectotype male 809622; Chile, Santiago Metropolitan rovince, (OSU) 000093354; Chile, Maule rovince, (MTSU) CH 26-1; Chile, unknown province, (BMNH) Paralectotype 809623