Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 94. (Budapest 2002)

Bálint, Zs.: Miscellaneous notes on Arcas Swainson, 1832 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae, Eumaeini)

Since the lectotype represents the white scaled semispecies, the taxa described by AUSTIN & JOHNSON from Rondônia are junior subjective synonyms of Areas tuneta. I cannot distinguish the holotype of Areas viriditas from the lectotype of Thecla tuneta. The distinctively elongate caudal extension of valvae of Areas viriditas contrasts the abruptly truncated terminus of A. tuneta, a character based on a sole dissection (AUSTIN & JOHNSON 1995: 35), which appears to be a result of preparational procedure, wherein the valval tip of A. tuneta specimen figured was not folded out (cf. NlCOLAY 1971: Fig. 2c and AUSTIN & JOHSNON 1995: Figs 21-22); consequently Thecla tuneta HEWITSON, 1865 = Areas viriditas AUSTIN et JOHNSON, 1995. The taxon Areas marginata was described on the basis of the single holotype female. Based on the material studied by me, the diagnosis of A. marginata appears to be a mixture of female genital character states of A. tuneta and A. viriditas as far as the postvaginal lamella and ductus bursae are concerned. It is stated that the curvature of the anterior end of the ductus bursae is sharper than on any similar Areas. This character is not diagnostic as the two female Areas tuneta specimens I dissected also show dissimilarity in this respect and an intermediate state between the AUSTIN & JOHNSON'S (1995) Figs 25-26 (gen. prep. No. 1015) and 26-27 (gen. prep. No. 1014), respectively. Thus, it appears that the Rondônia samples of AUSTIN & JOHNSON were not adequate for their analysis and I consider Areas marginata to be also synonymous with Areas tuneta; consequently Thecla tuneta HEWITSON, 1865 = Areas marginata AUSTIN et JOHNSON, 1995. The female of Areas jivaro has proved to be misidentified. NlCOLAY (1971: 109) mentioned that the Areas jivaro allotype female could not be distinguished from females of A. tuneta. This would be an unusual phenomenon amongst Areas, as females of all Areas species are easily separable on the basis of wing markings. I am of the opinion that the allotype female of Areas jivaro represents the female of A. (tuneta) tuneta. The fact that Areas tuneta indeed occurs in Ecuador (see Material examined) and also north to Colombia (SALAZAR & CONSTANTINO 1995a: 124), supports this view. Moreover, NlCOLAY described the median line as black, etched proximally in white, a crucial character for the western phenotype of Areas tuneta (see above); consequently, in my view, Areas jivaro NlCOLAY, 1971 = Areas tuneta (HEWITSON, 1865). There is no available name for the southeastern semispecies. This is given as Areas arcadia sp. n. below.