Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 87. (Budapest 1995)

Bálint, Zs. ; Johnson, K.: Taxonomic synopsis of the high Andean and Austral lycaenid genus Paralycaeides Nabokov, 1945 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae, Polyommatini)

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 87. Budapest, 1995 p. 103-122 Taxonomic synopsis of the high Andean and Austral lycaenid genus Paralycaeides Nabokov, 1945 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae, Polyommatini)* by Zs. BÁLINT, Budapest & K. JOHNSON, New York BÁLINT, Zs. & JOHNSON, K. (1995): Taxonomic synopsis of the high Andean and Austral lycaenid genus Paralycaeides Nabokov, 1945 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae, Polyommatinac). - Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 87: 103-122. Abstract - The genus Paralycaeides NABOKOV is revised to include species P. inconspicua (DRAUDT) (type species), P. vapa (STAUDINGER), P. shade BÁLINT and P. hazelea sp. n. The group comprises a small monophyletic unit distributed in the oreal biome of the high Andes from southern Pern to northwestern Argentina and northeastern Chile. Paralycaeides is the sister genus of Holarctic Polyommatus LATREILLE. The high Andean and Austral genus Madeleinea BÁLINT is the sister genus of Holarctic Plebejus KLUK. With 55 figures. INTRODUCTION This paper continues a series concerning Neotropical polyommatine lycaenid butterflies. The first paper of the series reviewed the thecline-like taxa (BÁLINT & JOHNSON 1994a) and included descriptions of a new genus and two new species. The second revised Itylos HEMMING, 1929, and proposed a distinct section for this genus (BÁLINT & JOHNSON 1994b). The third and the fourth parts of the series described new polyommatine taxa from the high Andean regions of Peru (BÁLINT & LAMAS 1994) and Ecuador (BÁLINT & JOHNSON 1995d). The present work deals with the high Andean genus Paralycaeides which, as first noted by its author (NABOKOV 1945: 37, NABOKOV 1949: 480), is very Holarctic looking in its morphology. The genus is relatively well represented in major museums because one of its species (P. vapa STAUDINGER) has a high population density and wide distribution. Until very recently the taxonomy of Paralycaeides was very confused, with many misidentifications and incorrect nomenclatorial combinations filling the literature. Consequently, Paralycaeides taxa in most private or institutional butterfly collections were usually incorrectly curated (BÁLINT 1993a, 1995). This predicament reflected a larger problem concerning the entire high altitude Neotropical oreal fauna - it is insufficiently studied, with little taxonomic and faunistic data available (DESCIMON 1986, SHAPIRO 1989, 1994). The purpose of the present study, therefore, is to (1) present a taxonomic synopsis of the genus, (2) elaborate morphological data for each taxon, (3) present a key for accurate identification of species, (4) record currently known information on the distribution and biology of the genus, and (5) attempt to place the genus phylogenetically in the polyommatine system. Polyommatine lycaenids of the oreal biome in the Neotropics, part IX.