Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 93. (Budapest 2001)

Bálint, Zs. ; Benyamini, D.: Taxonomic notes, faunistics and species descriptions of the austral South American polyommatine lycaenid genus Pseudolucia (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae): the chilensis and collina species-groups

downwind from their hosts, seeming to return in the scent "trail" of the host plants. Flying amid scattered grassy areas they stop frequently for nectaring on yellow-white flowers of European introduced Anthémis cotula (Asteraceae). Males fly around the foodplants, circling and looking for females and then drift downwind suddenly, often tens of meters, only to return after 5 to 10 minutes. One small male landed on the host's flower, rubbed its hindwings slowly and remained motionless with closed wings. After few minutes it changed its position relative to the sun rays and opened its wings up to 15 degrees, apparently for thermal regulation. Early stages - Eggs are typical white lycaenid in facies and laid among the young buds or calyxes. In Rio Traful the host plant Montiopsis umhellata grows up to 20 cm high, whereas near Rio Limay the host is a prostrate plant M. conferta. Both plants are extremely local. Along hundreds of meters of the Rio Limay'

s western bank at the type locality, only a single stand of hosts was found. Inside it, an area of approximately 2x2 meters, were counted 17 stems of M. conferta plants, ranging from 3 cm to 10 cm in diameter, one with violet flowers and the other with mixed buds and flowers. This small concentrate of host plants attracted about ten adults. Two L

3 instar larvae were found on M. conferta, consuming the buds and flowers. They were 3 mm long with a red middorsal stripe margined by white, and also showing red and white sub-dorsal dashes with adjacent white slashes. The larvae were heavily setate with white setae and segments 4, 5 and 6 each had a dorsal white, caudally directed "hair". The posterior part of the lateral stripes was much wider after the 6th abdominal segment and also had peculiar elongate "tail-like" yellow marking running along its anterior. This yellow "tail" was present in all larvae eventually reared (four) and is possibly characteristic of P. tamara. The L

5 was 7.5 mm long and more reddish with the stripes along the side yellow. The DNO was visible from the L

3 to L

5 instars. The pre-pupa was 5.5 mm long reddish-brown with sub dorsal brown dashes. In the laboratory (in Israel) while rearing was going on, there was an incidental early January temperature drop to 4°C and the larvae began diapause under the paper liner at the bottom of the plastic rearing box. Pseudolucia vera BÁLINT et JOHNSON, 1993 (Figs 21-24) Pseudolucia vera - BÁLINT & JOHNSON 1993: 15, type locality: CHILE: Reg. La Araucania, Malleco, Malacahuello (IMS holotype male, examined). Distribution - Chile: regions Bio-Bio, de la Araucania, Malleco. Larval host - Montiopsis gayana (Portulacaceae) (BENYAMINI 1995: 13).