Moneuptychia montana Freitas, new species
Creators: name: Freitas, André V. L.
name: Barbosa, Eduardo P.
name: Siewert, Ricardo R.
name: Mielke, Af. H. H.
name: Zacca, Thamara
name: Azeredo-Espin, Ana Maria L.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Nymphalidae
Moneuptychia
Moneuptychia montana

description: Moneuptychia montana Freitas, new species
(Figs. 1, 2 D, 3A,B, 4, 5)
Adult: Diagnosis. Moneuptychia montana n. sp. is distinguished from other Moneuptychia species by the distinctive ventral hind wing pattern, presenting a conspicuous post-discal white band in both sexes (absent in all other species of Moneuptychia) (Fig. 1, 2 D).
Descriptions of adults: Male (Figs. 1, 2 D). Forewing length 16–18 mm (n = 10); hind wing length 13–14 mm (n = 10). Eyes naked, entirely brown. Palpus length 2.0 times head height, beige, with long dark brown and white hairs. Antenna of males 8 mm in length, with 32 antennomeres extending to mid-costa; shaft rust brown, dorsally covered by dark brown scales, club with 9 antennomeres, not conspicuously developed. Male foreleg covered by long beige hairs. Wings with dorsal ground color brown with few markings, restricted to marginal and submarginal lines in both wings; forewing with one small black ocellus in M1–M2; hind wing with two large black ocelli in M1– M2 and CuA1-CuA2, first completely black, second black outlined by an orange ring and with double white pupil. Forewing of males with a conspicuous callus on SC vein, close to distal end of swollen portion of vein (Figs. 3 A– B). Ventral wings mostly brown; forewing crossed by one dark brown regular line extending from costa to CuA2 at two-thirds from wing base to apex, delimiting a lighter distal area; a dark brown slightly scalloped submarginal line and a brown regular marginal line extending from costa to 2A; one to three small black ocelli outlined by an orange ring with white pupil in R5-M1 (ocellus 1), M1–M2 (2) and M3–CuA1 (3). Hind wing crossed by two dark brown irregular lines from costa to anal margin, first thin and one-third distance from wing base, second broader and twothirds distance from base and bordered distally by a broad whitish stripe; a dark brown zigzag submarginal line and a brown marginal line extending from costa to 2A; a series of six black ocelli outlined by an orange ring with white pupil can be found in Rs–M1 (ocellus 1), M1–M2 (2), M2–M3 (3), M3–CuA1 (4), CuA1–CuA2 (5) and CuA2–2A (6); ocelli 1, 3, 4 and 6 usually small and reduced to few white scales circled by few black scales; ocelli 2 and 5 larger than others, with double white pupil. Hind wing outer margin slightly wavy. No conspicuous androconial scales or patches observed.
Male genitalia (Fig. 4). Saccus short and slender in ventral view; tegumen rounded; gnathos absent; appendix angularis extremely conspicuous, projecting posteriorly as a long process; uncus elongated, with a subtle median enlargement in dorsal view (Figs. 4 B–C); valva elongated, narrowing towards end, with internal margin projecting internally in a structure with a series of small teeth (Figs. 4 B–C); aedeagus slightly curved upwards; cornuti absent; juxta membranous.
Female (Fig. 1). Forewing length 18–19 mm (n = 5); hind wing length 14–16 mm (n = 5). Body entirely dark brown. General color and pattern very similar to that of males, with wings more rounded.
Remarks on color variation. Variation on the dorsal wing surface is small, limited to the number of dorsal ocelli (one or two). The ventral surface of both wings shows some variation in intensity of the whitish pigmentation, and size of the small ocelli (as described above in both sexes).
Early stages. Egg. Spherical, light cream, without conspicuous markings. The two expressed eggs hatched before being brought to laboratory to be photographed and measured.
First instar (Fig. 5 A). Head capsule width 0.56–0.58 mm; scoli 0.06 mm (n = 2). Head capsule black, with enlarged chalazae, bearing a pair of short scoli on vertex, each with two long narrow setae ending in a fine point. Third stemmata larger than other stemmata. Body green, smooth, with red longitudinal stripes; caudal filaments very short. Legs, prolegs and caudal filaments light green. Setae dark elongated. Maximum length 4.2 mm. Duration 9 to 11 days (n = 2).
Second instar (Fig. 5 B). Head capsule width 0.8 mm; scoli 0.10–0.12 mm (n = 2). Head dark brown with two diverging short scoli on vertex. Body green, striped longitudinally with white and reddish; caudal filaments short. Maximum length 6 mm. Duration 16 days (n = 1).
Third instar (Fig. 5 C). Head capsule width 1.16 mm; scoli 0.24 mm (n = 1). Head brown, with two diverging very short scoli on vertex. Body brown with several longitudinal zigzag stripes; caudal filaments short. Maximum length 10 mm. Duration 14 days (n=1).
Fourth instar (Fig. 5 D). Head capsule width 1.54 mm; scoli 0.32 mm (n = 1). Head brown, with two diverging very short scoli on vertex. Body brown with several longitudinal zigzag stripes as in previous instar; caudal filaments short. Maximum length 15 mm. Duration 14 days (n=1).
Fifth (last) instar (Figs. 5 E–F). Head capsule width 2.26 mm; scoli 0.52 mm (n =1). Head brown, with two diverging short scoli on vertex. Body brown with several zigzag longitudinal stripes; middorsal stripe conspicuously dark; ventral region dark brown; legs and prolegs light brown; caudal filaments short. Maximum length 22 mm. Duration 19 days (n = 1).
Pupa (Figs. 5 G–I). Short and smooth; mostly dark brown, with short squared ocular caps; cremaster dark in ventral portion; dorsal abdomen with a paired series of short subdorsal white protuberances bordered with white. Total length 10.3 mm. Duration 12 days.
Habitat, Behavior and Natural History. Moneuptychia montana n. sp. occurs in open, natural grass fields, usually near forest edges (Figs. 1 A–B), being rare or absent in disturbed places. Oviposition behavior was not observed in nature, and the host plant in the field is unknown. In the laboratory, larvae easily accepted Bambusa gracilis Hort. ex Rivière & C. Rivière (Poaceae), a common ornamental Chinese bamboo. Adults were observed only in open habitats and grasslands, flying among grass patches and perching usually on the ground. Males are apparently territorial, and were observed interacting with other males on sunny occasions, when it was possible to hear a clicking noise while two or more males flew together. Adults of both sexes were observed feeding on flowers of Galianthe brasiliensis (Spreng.) E. L. Cabral & Bacigalupo (Rubiaceae). No courtship behavior was observed.
Distribution. The species is only known from the Serra da Mantiqueira, and has been recorded in a narrow region extending from Campos do Jordão (São Paulo) to Itatiaia (Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro), at altitudes from 1550 to 2300 m.
Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective derived from the Latin (montana = of a mountain), and refers to the habitat of this species, which is known from the high mountains of the Mantiqueira mountain range.
Types. Holotype male. Deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade Estadual de Campinas (ZUEC), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. With the following labels separated by transverse bars: / Holotypus / Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Itamonte, Minas Gerais: Brazil, 06.II.2014, 2100 m, 22°21’25”S 45°44’9”W, E. P. Barbosa & A. Tacioli leg. / Holotypus Moneuptychia montana Freitas det. 2014/ DNA voucher—YPH-0436 / ZUEC LEP 8897 / Allotype female. Deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade Estadual de Campinas (ZUEC), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. With the following labels separated by transverse bars: / Allotypus / Estrada para Ferradura, Alto do Capivari, Campos do Jordão, São Paulo: Brazil 17–20.I.2014, 1790 m, 22º44’15”S 45 º 31’46”W, B-879-CJACP—AVL Freitas leg. / Allotypus Moneuptychia montana Freitas det. 2014 / DNA voucher YPH-0402 / ZUEC LEP 8898 /
Paratypes (all from Brazil). DZUP — Rio de Janeiro: Brejo da Lapa, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Itatiaia, 2150 m, 22º21’22”S, 44º44’07”W, 4 males, 06–10-III-2011, O.C.-Mielke & Dolibaina leg., DZ 26.515, DZ 26.516, DZ 26.517, DZ 26.518. Itatiaia, 2300 m, 1 male, 16-II-1979, O.C.-Mielke leg., DZ 26.519. Minas Gerais: 15 Km SE Delfim Moreira, 1500–1700 m, 3 males, 22-23-I-2004, Mielke & Casagrande leg., DZ 26.520, DZ 26.521, DZ 26.522. MZSP — São Paulo: Campos do Jordão, São Paulo, 1 female, no date, B. Pohl collection, MZSP 24.397. MZUJ — Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia, Serra da Mantiqueira, 1600–1650 m, 3 males, 06-II-2014, T. Pyrcz leg. São Paulo: Campos do Jordão, Serra da Mantiqueira, 1850–1900 m, 2 males, 04-II-2014, T. Pyrcz leg. USNM — Minas Gerais: 15 km SE Itamonte, 2100 m, 22º21’8”S, 44º47’05”W, 3 males 21-IX-1994, 3 males 23-II-1995, Caldas & students leg. ZUEC — São Paulo: Estrada para Ferradura, Alto do Capivari, Campos do Jordão, 1790 m, 22º44’15”S 45º31’46”W, B-879-CJACP, 4 males (DNA vouchers YPH-0387, YPH-0388, YPH-0401, YPH-0403), 2 females (DNA vouchers YPH-0389, YPH-0404), 17-20-I-2014, AVL Freitas leg., ZUEC LEP 8899, ZUEC LEP 8900, ZUEC LEP 8901, ZUEC LEP 8902, ZUEC LEP 8905, ZUEC LEP 8906. Alto do Capivari, Campos do Jordão, 1750 m, 22º44’28”S 45º32’58”W, B-879-CJACP, 2 males (DNA vouchers YPH 0 385, YPH 0386), 17-20- I-2014, AVL Freitas leg., ZUEC LEP 8903, ZUEC LEP 8904.
Additional material. ZUEC-AVLF — São Paulo: Pico do Itapeva, Pindamonhangaba, 11-I-1990, 1 male (genitalia prepared); 09-III-2000, 1 male, 2 females; 10- I-2006, 1 male; AVLF leg.
description: Published as part of Freitas, André V. L., Barbosa, Eduardo P., Siewert, Ricardo R., Mielke, Af. H. H., Zacca, Thamara & Azeredo-Espin, Ana Maria L., 2015, Four new species of Moneuptychia (Lepidoptera: Satyrinae: Euptychiina) from Brazil, pp. 521-541 in Zootaxa 3981 (4) on pages 524-529, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3981.4.4, http://zenodo.org/record/238004