Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 86. (Budapest 1994)

Bálint, Zs. ; Johnson, K.: Polyommatine lycaenids of the oreal biome in the Neotropics, part II: The Itylos section (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae, Polyommatinae)

western Palearctic region, which may have resulted from the ancient and strong human influence in the region (BÁLINT 1992). ELIOT listed nine South American "polyommatine" genera which seem to be strongly related with the oreal biome in their distributional patterns (see BALINT 1993a). The present work deals with perhaps the smallest component, namely taxa of the genus Itylos DRAUDT, [1921] (sensu BÁLINT 1993a, b). Until very recently, only a single species was recognized in Itylos (DESCIMON 1986: 519; BRIDGES 1988: 11.81) and a confused taxonomy and nomenclature associated with this rather remarkable and easily recognized entity (BÁLINT 1993a: 6). BÁLINT (1993a: 13-14), however, described some new species in the genus, and recorded as well a number of outlying populations whose status required further taxonomic resolution. In addition, BALLETTO (1993) described one component of this monophyletic group as a monotypic genus, an action requiring evaluation here in a broader context. Hence, in the present study, we first identify Itylos and its relatives and then discuss the taxonomy, relationships and monophyly of the group. Finally, we evaluate whether this Itylos section is monophyletic with taxa of ELIOT'S Polyommatus section. MATERIALS AND METHODS Material examined included specimens from the following institutions: American Museum of Natural History (New York, USA) (AMNH), Hungarian Natural History Musuem (Budapest, Hungary) (HNHM), Institute) Miguel Lillo (Tucumán, Argentina) (IML), Natural History Museum (London, UK) (BMNH), Naturhistorisches Museum (Vienna, Austria) (NMW), Zoologisches Museum der Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (Berlin, Germany) (ZMHU). In addition, specimens from private collection of Senor Luis PENA (Santiago, Chile), the late JOSE HERRERA G. (Santiago, Chile) and Dr. HENRY DESCIMON (Marseille, France) were consulted. Dissected material is deposited as reported in the individual taxonomic entries. Terminology follows the initial part of this series (BÁLINT & JOHNSON 1994); nomenclatural sources are HEMMING (1967), BRIDGES (1988) and BÁLINT (1993a). Abbreviations for institutions are as noted above, further abbreviations used in the descriptive texts are as listed in BÁLINT & JOHNSON (1994). To characterizing entities we follow the methods of NABOKOV (1945) (the first reviser of the Neotropical polyommatines), who underlined the taxonomic importance of the genitalic armatures in lycaenid systematics. This method was later confirmed by larger comprehensive studies on the Lycaenidae by such authors as STEMPFFER (1967), ELIOT (1973) and HIROWATARI (1992). Our results are thus based mostly on structural principles including genitalic and morphologic characteristics. As principal investigations were earned out at Budapest (in the Institute of the first author), some limits were imposed on taxonomic methods. For instance, although we are convinced that overall results would be the same, aid of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) might have presented some important additional interpretative data (see e.g. ROBBINS 1991). Consistent with our previous treatment of Nabokovia and Polytheclus (BÁLINT & JOHNSON 1993b, 1994), since studied genera and species are few in number, we rely on standard diagnostic format and do not present cumbersome dichotomized keys. Criteria for taxa are rather typological and empirical in the fashion of NABOKOV (1945: 3-6) and traditional alpha taxonomy. Considering the present slate of knowledge concerning Neotropical polyommatines, it is difficult to employ biological criteria. The distributions of the taxa are poorly known and virtually nothing has been published concerning habitat or host preferences, life histories, or the presumed myrmecophyly of these insects (cf. BÁLINT 1993a: 3). Comparative data referred to in Discussion is based mainly on the rather well-illustrated publications of ELIOT (1973), HIGGINS (1975), HIROWATARI (1992) and STEMPFFER (1967). SYSTEMATICS Itylos DRAUDT, [1921] Itylos DRAUDT, [1921]: 821. Itylox. HEMMING 1929: 240. Parachilades NABOKOV, 1945: 6., syn. n. Itylos: HEMMING 1967: 236. Ity

laides BALLETTO, 1993: 232., syn. n. Itylos BÁLINT, 1

13a: 6. Type Species - Cupido speciosa STAUDINGER, 1894 by designation of HEMMING (192<;