Observations on the spectral reflectances of certain high Andean Penaincisalia and Thecloxurina, with the description of a new species (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Eumaeini)

Abstract

The eumaeine hairstreak species Thecloxurina tegulina Bálint and Boyer, sp. n. from SW Peru, department Apurímac (type locality: Karkatera, NW of Ampay, 3,200 m, 13°34′286″S; 72°58′501″W) is described on the basis of qualitative and quantitative wing pattern, male genital and spectral characters. The spectral reflectance of the closely related genera Penaincisalia and Thecloxurina are investigated and compared. It is demonstrated that the spectral characteristics of the two genera are qualitatively differing, and the taxa investigated representing the two genera (Penaincisalia:Thecloxurina = 3:5) also have characteristic species dependent reflectance peaks measured at normal incidence.

Keywords:

• Andes
• discolouration
• Eumaeini
• Lycaenidae
• Penaincisalia
• reflectance
• scale nanostructure
• South America Thecloxurina

Acknowledgements

The present work has been written in the frame of the program BioPhot, EU6 NEST (no. 12915) and was partly founded in Hungary by the OTKA grant no 42972.