Calisto dissimulatum Nunez, sp. n.
Creators: name: Aguila, Rayner Núñez
name: Matos- Maraví, Pável F.
name: Wahlberg, Niklas
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Nymphalidae
Calisto
Calisto dissimulatum

description: Calisto dissimulatum Núñez, sp. n.
Figures 5–8, 19–20, 24, 27, 30, 35, 51–67
Type material. Holotype— 3, CUBA, Holguín, (“Estación La Zoilita” in the original label) La Zoilita Station, 400 m 20/II/2010, 20°37'42"N 75°29'08"W, R. Núñez, DNA voucher PM07–20 (M037). Deposited in CZACC. Paratypes— 16 3, 9 Ƥ: same data as holotype except 3–10/IV/2012, DNA vouchers RN01–08 (M072) & RN02– 0 1 (M073), genitalia 3 & Ƥ in glycerine (6 3, 3 Ƥ); same data as preceding except ex ova, emerged 6–16/VI/2012 (8 3, 5 Ƥ); road to (“camino de” in the original label) La Zoilita, IX/1986, 20°38'N 75°29'W, R. Rodríguez (2 3, 1 Ƥ).Deposited in CZACC.
Additional material. 9 3, 3 Ƥ: Santiago de Cuba, Baire, road to (“camino a” in the original label) Las Manuelas, 450m, 20°13'09"N 76°21'52"W, 23/IX/1952, S.L. de La Torre (1 3); Loma del Gato, 20°00'34"N 76°02'16"W, 6/IX/1951, S.L. de La Torre, genitalia 3 in glycerine (4 3, 2 Ƥ); same data as preceding except 17– 20/VI/1952, F. de Zayas & P. Alayo, genitalia in glycerine, prep. wings RNA187, prep. legs RNA222 (3 3); in CZACC. Guantánamo, Piedra La Vela, 650m, VII/2001, 20°24'45"N 74°56'51"W, R. Núñez (1 3); Guantánamo, Piedra La Vela, El Mulo, 600m, VII/2001, 20°25'27"N 74°54'32"W, R. Núñez (1 3). Deposited in CZACC.
Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin dissimulo (dissimulate, feign), in reference to its great resemblance with Calisto brochei Torre 1973 and in a less extent with Calisto smintheus Bates 1935.
Diagnosis. Calisto dissimulatum is superficially most similar to Calisto smintheus Bates 1935, Calisto brochei Torre 1973 and Calisto aquilum described below. From the first two, it differs by having an enlarged white dot at M2–M3, a lesser area covered by red scales on underside of forewing cell, and a smaller average size: 3 FWL=17.2± 0.7 mm, N=16, Ƥ FWL=18.6± 0.3 mm, N=7 versus 3 FWL=21.9± 1.6 mm, N=50, Ƥ FWL=22.5± 1.4 mm, N=23 of C. smintheus and 3 FWL=20.9± 0.8 mm, N=9, Ƥ FWL=21.5± 0.4 mm, N=5 of C. brochei. From C. smintheus also differs by its less bright overall ventral wing pattern and the absence of the strong reddish splashing at basal two thirds at underside of hindwing. From C. brochei also lacks the waved outer margin of male androconial patch. Internally, the male genitalia of C. dissimulatum possess an uncus proportionally smaller in relation to tegument; the latter is tapered from the mid-point onwards, unlike C. smintheus and C. brochei, where it tapers starting from the base The digitiform projections of valvae are straight as in C. smintheus but shorter whereas they are slightly curved in C. brochei. Differences from C. aquilum will be treated below in the latter species diagnosis.
Description. Forewing length 3 16.3–18.1 mm, Ƥ 18.1–18.8 mm. Upper surface of wings dark brown, uniform in both sexes; male androconial patch darker than background, almost black, anterior margin behind posterior margin of cell, outer margin parallel to wing margin (Figures 5, 7, 24). Under surface brown with darker lines, background slightly paler at outer side of post discal line; forewing ocellus with two bluish white iridescent pupils, post discal line externally edged with pale yellow scaling at ocellus area; about two fifths of cell extension red colored, both base and apex brown colored as surrounding background; hindwing background mixed with pale yellow and ochre scales basal to pos dical line which is externally edge by dense pale yellow scaling, heavier around ocellus; post discal area splashed with pale yellow and lilac scales and four white dots at vein interspaces Rs–M1, M1–M2, M2–M3 y M3–Cu1, dot at M2–M3 distinctly larger than M3–Cu1 one and slightly larger than remaining ones; apex of both wings densely covered by ochre scaling around subterminal lines (Figures 6, 8, 19, 20). Male genitalia with tegumen about two thirds the length of uncus, slightly concave at the middle and rounded at posterior half; uncus slightly arched, basal half about the same height then gradually tapering toward apex; digitiform projection of valvae, including ventral margin, straight and moderately short; aedeagus sinuated with distinct right curves at both basal and apical halves and an additional smaller curve at the middle (Figure 27). Female genitalia with dorsal crown tall, height about 0.33x width; corpus bursae about the same length of ductus bursae (Figure 30).
Distribution. Calisto dissimulatum is known from few localities of the western halves of the Nipe–Sagua– Baracoa and Sierra Maestra, the two major mountain ranges of eastern Cuba (Figures 33, 35).
Biology. Collecting sites are at low elevations (400–850 m). Habitats include rainforest, broad leaf evergreen forest, pine forest, and charrascales (scrub forest) (Figures 51, 52).
On April 5th 2012 a female was observed at 12:30 pm ovipositing twice on a small grass species. A three egg cluster and one single egg were laid glued to the underside of host leaves (Figures 53,54). Host plant was classified as Ichnanthus mayarensis Hitchc. Eggs were pale yellow when laid and after 24 hours turned to beige with tiny orange brown spots. 11 additional eggs were obtained on 6– 8 th April from two females confined to plastic containers. All eggs (n=15) hatched after 6–8 days. Larvae ate the entire corion.
First instar (Figure 55)–Head width 0.62–0.68 mm, height 0.58–0.64 mm. Initial length 2.62–3.17 mm, final length 3.70–4.39 mm. Head dark brown, almost black; body pale beige with 7 thin reddish brown longitudinal lines. After feeding on grass background turned pale green. First molt occurred after 9–12 days.
Second to fifth instars (Figures 56–61)—After first molt the coloration of larva changed to a new pattern that persisted during subsequent instars with the only variation being a gradual darkening toward final instar. Head width, height, final length and duration of second to fifth instars were: 0.78–0.90, 0.78–0.90, 5.7–6.6 mm, and 7– 10 days at the 2nd (n=15), l.16–1.32, 1.18–1.30, 8.5–9.7 mm, and 6–8 days at the 3rd (n=12), 1.63–1.78, 1.73–1.85, 13.4–14.8 mm, and 7–11 days at the 4th (n=12), and 2.24–2.40, 2.48–2.68, 22–23 mm, and 10–15 days at the 5th, respectively. Head background pale grayish brown heavily speckle in dark brown and with the following dark brown, almost black, marks: lateral vertical lines from stemmata to horns; X shaped mark on epicranium; a complete transverse band across the frontoclypeus. Body background stramineous with an increasing ochre tint toward final instar; lines brown, almost black at final instar; dorsal line with dots on sides at the beginning and end of each segment; subdorsal lines in zig zag with angles closest to dorsal line at the middle of each segment; suprastigmatal line diffuse, present as discontinuous speckling, forming dots over spiracles; spiracle dark brown surrounded by a contrasting white oval shaped area; stigmatal line waved, convex between spiracles; infrastigmatal line straight; sides of last abdominal segment tails white.
The prepupal stage lasts three days, two in a straight position, followed by one day in J position until molt.
Pupa (Figures 62–67)–Length 10–11 mm, maximum width 4.0– 4.5 mm (n=12). Background pale brownish gray with a dark brown spot pattern whose intensity varies between individuals; however constant spots were traced on the available series: a pair of ventral black dots on eyes and on apex of metathoracic tibiae, and first two tarsal segments; a pair of orange dots at the base of labial palpi; a row of tiny dark brown dots on veins near wing outer margin; a waved dark spot at the middle of the wing sheaths, a dark dot near costa at apical third, and a discontinuous series of dark spots on dorsal margin; abdomen with a dark brown line on sides and transverse dark band on dorsum, heavier on the reduced crests of segments 1 to 6; last abdominal segment long, stout, cremaster area enlarged, broad and slightly flattened.
The adults emerged between 9:30 am and 4:00 pm from June 6–10th after 9–12 days (n=12). Total developing time was 61–71 days.
Remarks. Calisto dissimulatum was another “orphan” lineage found by Núñez et al (2012). It was represented by the specimen coded as PM07-20. At that time the single available specimen led us to confuse it with C. brochei which exhibits a similar wing pattern. More field work showed that this taxon seems to replace C. brochei at the west end of Nipe–Sagua–Baracoa mountain range. The collection of more individuals, including immature stages, and the sequencing of more specimens allow its present description. It was confused with the similar Calisto brochei Torre by Fontenla & Rodríguez (1990) and Núñez et al. (2012).
DNA analysis showed large genetic distances of C. dissimulatum from all its Cuban relatives. The closest taxon is the following new species described herein that inhabits the central and western Cuban mountain ranges, with distance values of 4.3 and 4.7% respectively. Another close relative in the Sierra Maestra, C. smintheus (4 specimens, 3 localities, with 0.19% intraspecific variation), is separated by 6.2%. From sympatric C. bruneri (4 specimens, 3 localities, with 0.37% intraspecific variation), C. herophile (10 specimens, 7 localities, 0.8% of intraspecific variation), and C. occulta, C. dissimulatum differs by 8.3, 7.9 and 7.7%, respectively. Intraspecific variation within C. dissimulatum was 0.1% (3 specimens, 1 locality).
Recent specimens from localities other than La Zoilita at Sierra Cristal were not available for DNA extraction. Since most known Cuban taxa, excepting C. herophile and the next new species, are restricted to a single mountain range the assignment of other populations to C. dissimulatum must be confirmed, mainly for those inhabiting the western half of Sierra Maestra.
The immature stages of C. dissimulatum also showed some diagnostic features. Last larval instar is similar to that C. smintheus but all markings are larger resulting in an overall darker pattern. The majorities of head markings present at C. dissimulatum last instar are reduced or absent in C. smintheus including the vertical lateral lines, the epicraneum X mark, and transverse band of frons. Among all other known taxa, the heavily spotted pattern of pupa is only shared by the closely related C. smintheus.
description: Published as part of Aguila, Rayner Núñez, Matos- Maraví, Pável F. & Wahlberg, Niklas, 2013, New Calisto species from Cuba, with insights on the relationships of Cuban and Bahamian taxa (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae), pp. 503-521 in Zootaxa 3669 (4) on pages 506-513, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3669.4.5, http://zenodo.org/record/249423