Mesene eupteryx Bates 1868

Mesene eupteryx Bates, 1868 stat. rest.

(Figs 9–12, 36, 42)

A single female was collected in 2014 flying on the hilltop three meters from the ground around 16:00h. The male illustrated in the figures 9–10 is from Reserva Catuaba, Senador Guiomard, Acre, Brazil, 700 Km southeast from PNSD.

Mesene eupteryx, originally described as a species, was placed by Stichel (1923) as a subspecies of M. nola Herrich-Schäffer, [1853] (Figs 13–14). Specimens deposited at the DZUP revealed these two taxa in sympatry in Ilha de Maracá, Alto Alegre, Roraima, Brazil. The male genitalia of M. nola (Fig. 37) differs from that of M. eupteryx (Fig. 36) by the shorter proximal area of the valva, by the valva distally pointed instead of rounded, and the absence of a short and narrow projection in the inner surface of the valva. Based on these differences we recognize M. eupteryx stat. rest. as a valid species.

Taxonomic comments on M. nola and related species. The examination of M. nola and other taxa during the taxonomic assessment of M. eupteryx provided support for some further taxonomic changes. Hall & Harvey (2002) cited the additional patch of CAS in the tergite 7 observed in M. margaretta (White, 1843) as unique among the species of Mesene. The study of the abdomen of M. eupteryx and M. nola revealed the presence of the typical Mesene distribution of CAS in M. eupteryx (i.e. CAS in tergites 4, 5, and 6), however, an additional patch of CAS in the tergite 7 was observed in M. nola. In additional dissections of specimens of Mesene available at the DZUP, an additional patch of CAS in the tergite 7 was also observed in M. philonis Hewitson, 1874, a species placed in the “ phareus ” species group by Hall & Harvey (2002). Those authors probably mistook the identity of M. philonis with an undescribed taxon with similar wing pattern, but with the genitalia and CAS pattern typical of members of the “ phareus ” species group (Dolibaina & Dias, pers. obs.). Disregarding M. philonis, a species widely distributed from the Amazon basin to eastern Brazil, Jauffret & Jauffret described M. lecointrei Jauffret & Jauffret, 2008 from Pará, Brazil. The distribution, wing pattern and morphology of the male genitalia of M. lecointrei and M. philonis are identical, and therefore we recognize M. lecointrei as a junior subjective synonym of M. philonis (syn. nov.). Nevertheless, Jauffret & Jauffret (2008) recognized the similarity between the male genitalia of M. lecointrei (i.e., M. philonis) and M. nola, suggesting a close relationship between those species. The morphology of the male genitalia of M. margaretta (Hall & Lamas 2007, fig. 7), M. nola (Fig. 37) and M. philonis, with an entire triangular valva, distally narrow, long and pointed, with a slightly upturned tip, projecting over the aedeagus; the presence of two groups of robust spine-like cornuti, one of which divided in two subgroups, with a small patch of tiny spines in the middle; and the presence of an additional patch of CAS in tergite 7 indicates that these species are closely related, belonging in the same species group. In contrast, further studies are necessary to access the phylogenetic affinities of M. eupteryx.