Ocaria delphinae Faynel, Fahraeus & Busby 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Faynel, Christophe
name: Busby, Robert C.
name: Dolibaina, Diego R.
name: Huertas, Blanca
name: Fåhraeus, Christer
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Lycaenidae
Ocaria
Ocaria delphinae

description: Ocaria delphinae Faynel, Fåhraeus & Busby sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: F5C35DF6-8586-4570-9C62-E52076804DF0
(Figures 4, 5, 15, 24, 27, 29, 32)
Diagnosis. The DFW blue of males Ocaria delphinae sp. nov. (Figs 4, 15) is reduced compared to O. cinerea (Figs 6, 16) and does not reach the middle of cell CuA 1 –CuA 2. There is also less blue along the inner margin of the DFW. Ventrally, the FW submarginal white scales form different patterns. In O. delphinae sp. nov., these scales are concentrated in the apex and get progressively thinner down the outer margin. In contrast, the white scales in O. cinerea cover a broader area in the apex and have a less concentrated, more diffuse look. O. delphinae sp. nov. has less white suffusion on the VHW, limited to the area between veins M 2 and CuA 2. In O. cinerea, the VHW white ranges from the tornus to the apex. Females of these species exhibit the same ventral characters as the males; however, the dorsal blue is reduced in both.
O. arpoxais (Figs 2, 3, 14), has similar wing morphology but is restricted to a region extending from Mexico to western Ecuador. This species has a dorsal pattern close to O. delphinae sp. nov., but has more pronounced white in the VFW apex, almost no VHW white, and a postmedian line which bends more acutely in cell M 1 –M 2.
In O. clepsydra (Figs 8, 9, 17), the dorsal blue is a lighter color and the placement of the blue markings on the VHW are different. The line from CuA 2 –2A has an upward, basally-directed orientation compared to the downward direction in O. delphinae sp. nov. As a result, the area on the VHW surrounded by blue lines and dots is smaller in O. clepsydra. The downward placement of the CuA 2 –2A connection creates a more spread-out pattern of lines and dots covering a larger area. A second differentiating character is the blue line or dot which is almost always found in the discal cell of O. clepsydra (exceptions can be found in western specimens).
The VHW pattern of O. sadiei (Figs 12, 13, 19) is similar to that of O. clepsydra but can be easily distinguished by the light-colored splotches mixed in with its mostly brown base color.
Lastly, the ventral pattern of O. moseranki comb. nov. (Figs 10, 11, 18) has several elements described earlier that allow it to be differentiated from other species, most notable is the large gap between the postmedian line and the outer margin.
Molecular diagnosis. An analysis of DNA barcodes (Table 1) reveals a 3.8% mean divergence between O. delphinae sp. nov. and O. cinerea, the species with which it was confused until now with 20 diagnostic molecular characters (Table 2) while there is 2.7% with O. arpoxais, making them the closest relatives genetically.
Description. Male (Fig. 4), mean FW length: 16.9 mm (n=7, SD=0.79). Blue-violet dorsally with large DFW black costal and outer margins covering more than half of the wing, DHW black costal margin reaching vein M 1. A large double androconial spot on DFW is in the distal half of the discal cell. It is difficult to see in all specimens as it is often covered by dark scales. The basal part of the androconia is a lighter in color and a small arc of light brown scales is often visible at the end of the cell, ranging from M 1 to M 3. Wings ventrally brown with a slight purple tint along the outer border. Similar bluish marks as close congeners O. cinerea and O. arpoxais.
Male genitalia (Fig. 24). Valvae broad and rounded at base to just beyond the middle, then narrow abruptly as in O. cinerea. In O. arpoxais, the valvae taper gradually. Gnathos projected dorsally and stuck between the two uncus lobes.Although the gnathos are mobile structures so their position may vary, it is unusual in the Eumaeini to see them not projected ventrally. The other members of Ocaria examined also have this character. Dorsal brush organs not very dense. Contrary to the original description of Ocaria, there is no anterior process on the vinculum supporting them like in Denivia K. Johnson or Brangas Hübner (see Fig. 24, lateral view with brush organs removed). In Ocaria, the brush organs are connected to the vinculum only by a thin membrane. Two cornuti at the end of the penis with the apical one composed of a horseshoe-shaped rank of thorns (Fig. 24, detail in dorsal view). Clench (1970) considered the “two apical multidentate cornuti, one subapical comutus, not dentate but bluntly acuminate at its distal end” to be a diagnostic generic character. However, this is not quite accurate, it is the horseshoe-shaped apical multidentate cornutus which is unique in Eumaeini. Short pointed and asymmetrical saccus. Other parts of the genitalia (vinculum, tegumen, uncus) show no special characters. Eighth tergum subrectangular.
Females (Fig. 5), mean FW length: 14.7 mm (n=2, SD=0.66). Dull blue dorsally with larger black margins than in the males but sharing the same ventral wings patterns.
Female genitalia (Fig. 27) look like the other genitalia of the group with ductus seminalis arising from the dorsal of the bursa, located in a more sclerotized part; ductus bursae long and narrow with slightly wider ostium bursae; no signum in the corpus bursae. Eighth tergum of classical subrectangular shape.
Type material. Holotype ♂ (Fig. 4): “ PÉROU // Atalaya - Ucayali // X. 2010 // Coll. C.F. n° 15713” [white rectangular label, printed in black], “prep. gen. CFCF012” [green rectangular label, printed in black], “CF-LYC-1091” [orange rectangular label, printed in black], “Holotype ♂ // Ocaria delphinae // Faynel, Fåhraeus & Busby, 2024” [red rectangular label, printed in black]. To be deposited in MUSM.
Paratypes: COLOMBIA. Putumayo. 2♂, Mocoa, 600m, viii.95, F. Montero leg., JFDA-368* & JFDA-369* (JFLC); 1♂, Mocoa, 700m, xi.95, F. Montero leg. (RCCP). ECUADOR. Napo. 3♂, 500–800m, M. Büche leg. (CF); 1♂, Capricho, 12.iii.2007 (CF); 5♂, Apuya, 1°06.7’S, 77°46.9’W, 600m, 24.ix.2005, 09.ix.2006, 23.ix.2008, 24.ix.2010, R. C. Busby leg., iv.2006, I. Aldas leg. (RCB); 1♂, 12km Tena-Puyo Rd, 1°05.5’S, 77°46.8’W, 550m, R. C. Busby leg. (RCB); 1♂, Rio Pimpilala, 1°04.6’S, 77°56.2’W, 900m, 07.i.2006, R. C. Busby leg. (RCB). Morona Santiago. 2♂, Bomboiza, 3°27.6’S, 78°33.1’W, 850m, 15.ix.2000, 29.ix.2000. R. C. Busby leg. (RCB). 2♂, Santiago, 3°02.3’S, 78°00.3’W, 350m, 20.ix.2010, R. C. Busby leg., 14.vii.2010, I. Aldas leg. (RCB); 1♂, 10km E Yunganza, 2°50.0’S, 78°15.0’W, 800m, E. Aldas leg. (RCB); 3♂, 3km W of Mendez, 2°41.9’S, 78°19.1’W, 950m, 04.iii.2009, 21.ix.2010 (2), R. C. Busby leg. (RCB). Pastaza. 2♂, Pitirishca, 1°57.8’S, 77°52.2’W, 800m, 7.ix.1999, 10.ix.2000, R. C. Busby leg. (RCB); 1♂, 45km Puyo-Arajuno Rd, 1000m, 23.ix.1999, R. C. Busby leg. (RCB); 1♂, 37km Puyo-Arajuno Rd, 1°22.6’S, 77°42.6’W, 1100m, R. C. Busby leg. (RCB). Sucumbios. 1♂, Cerro Lumbaqui Norte, 1°01.7’N, 77°19.2’W, 900–1000m, 10.ix.2005, R. C. Busby leg. (RCB). No locality. 1♂, 1500m, i.2003, M. Büche leg., AMC378 * (AMC). PERU. Loreto. 1♂, Centro Fuerte, río Momón, ix.2018 (CF); 1♂, Tierra Hermosa, 140m, 03°20’S, 73°19’W, xi.2023, J.J. Ramirez leg. (CF); 2♂, Agua Blanca, 130m, 03°56’S, 73°28’W, 19.ii.2004 & 27.ix.2003, J.J. Ramírez leg. (MUSM); 1♂, El Milagro, 144m, 03°56’S, 73°22’W, 11.ix.2011, J.J. Ramírez leg. (MUSM). Huánuco. 1♂, Tingo Maria, 1500–2000m, ix.2010 (CF); 3♂, same locality, 670m, x.2001 (CF); 1♂, same locality, 650m, iv.2003, AMC377 * (AMC); 1♂, same municipality, San Juan Pampa, ix.2023, J.J. Ramirez leg. (CF); 1♀, Chaupiyunca, 1800–2200m, viii.2017, CF-LYC-1326 *, illustrated on Fig. 5 (CF); 1♂, Santa Rosa de Quesada, 8km S Tingo María, 810m, 09°22’S, 75°57’W, 3.vi.1999, T.C. Emmel et al. leg. (MUSM). Madre de Dios. 1♂, Albergue Pantiacolla, 400m, 12°39’S, 71°14’W, 30.x.2018, S. Kinyon leg. (MUSM). Puno. 1♂, Sandia, Caserio de Pichari, 850m, 25.ix.2010, William leg., CFC18212 * (FILS). BOLIVIA. La Paz. 1♂, Caranavi, Antena Viluny 1460m, 15°52’28”S, 67°32’49”W, 09.vi.2020, G. Siebel leg., CHFC6993 (CHFC); 1♂, same locality, 1477m, 18.xii.2021, G. Siebel leg., CBF-Lep. 2029 (CBF); 2♂, same municipality, Yungas, 1500m, -15.835717 -67.557762, xii.2004, AMC373 * & AMC374 * (AMC); 2♂, same municipality, 1000–1500m, -15.835717 -67.557762, i.2003, M. Büche leg., AMC375 * & AMC376 * (AMC). Santa Cruz. 1♂, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, E. Bolivia, 1905/6, J. Steinbach, Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939-I, NHMUK015203055 * (NHMUK); 1♀, Charaplaya, 1300m, 16° S, 65° W, vi.1901, Simons leg., Rothschild Bequest B.M. 1939-I, NHMUK015203056 * (NHMUK).
Distribution. This new species occurs between 130 and 1500m, along the tropical eastern Andes foothills of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. (Fig. 29)
Remarks. In the internal relationship recovered for the arpoxais group, O. delphinae sp. nov., O. cinerea, and O. arpoxais form a clade, with the new species more related to the latter than to the species with which it was confused: O. cinerea (Fig. 1). Interestingly, the three species are not sympatric, occurring in a sequence of three distinct biogeographical areas (Figs 28–29, 31). Some females are smaller than their male counterparts (Figs 3, 5, 7, 9, 11), although this is not always the case (Fig. 13). Two males and one female of O. delphinae sp. nov. from Bolivia were illustrated under the name O. cinerea (d’Abrera 1995).
Natural history. We have records of males perching on a hilltop at 1 to 3 meters between 1010 and 1400 hours (Busby, pers. obs.). Males in the arpoxais group (O. sadiei, O. clepsydra, and O. delphinae sp. nov.) are attracted to rotting-fish bait in eastern Ecuador. This behavior is similar to the findings in the genus Paraspiculatus Johnson & Constantino (Busby et al. 2017) and in situ images show males sucking the liquid that has been spilled on the leaves (Fig. 32–36, except O. cinerea). In other genera (Ignata K. Johnson, Erora Scudder, and Strephonota K. Johnson, Austin, Le Crom & Salazar), only females are found on baited traps and plants. It is unclear what accounts for these extremes; and what role, if any, this food source plays in reproduction. Females are often uncommon in collections and in the field among other, because they are not attracted to fish bait while males have proven to be easily lured to traps and plants.
Etymology. Dedicated to the sister of the senior author: Delphine Mosetti (born Faynel). The latinized name ‘delphinae’ is considered feminine.
description: Published as part of Faynel, Christophe, Busby, Robert C., Dolibaina, Diego R., Huertas, Blanca & Fåhraeus, Christer, 2025, A review of the Ocaria arpoxais species group (Lycaenidae: Theclinae) with the description of a new species previously confused with O. cinerea (Lathy), pp. 47-67 in Zootaxa 5618 (1) on pages 61-64, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5618.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/15217247