Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 98. (Budapest 2006)

Bálint, Zs.: Arcas Swainson, 1832 is revisited: review of some species-group names, identification of the sister group and a key for species (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae: Eumaeini)

On the contrary, I am of the opinion that the androconium is an important character for Iycaenid systematics, and it is not difficult to interpret. Evolving an androconium is most probably costly, therefore its presence suggests presumably the derived state of the taxon, that possesses such characters. For example, "Thecla" teucria HEWITSON, 1868 and Lucilda Usus (STOLL, 1780) are both basal taxa in the generic lineages of Brangas and Denivia, respectively. This view is in full harmony with HALL & HARVEY (2002a), who express for riodinid butterflies (Riodinidae is considered to be the sister group of Lycaenidae, see e.g. CAMPBELL & PIERCE 2003) that if androconium appeared in a lineage the character was never lost. On the basis of this character evaluation I consider Theritas as a sister genus of Areas, because both genera have identical hind wing ventral androconial pouch, which is situated at the base of the cubital vein (Figs 2-3). I hypothesise that this character is a synapomorphy, and does not appear independently. The monophyly of Areas and Theritas is supported by the similarly structured dorsal fore wing androconial clusters and by similar male and female genitalia. The putative sister group of Arcas-Theritas lineage is Margaritheclus BÁLINT, 2002 (type species: Thecla danaus C. FELDER et R. FELDER, 1865) on the basis of similar dorsal fore wing scent pad and tubular female genitalia, and because of its large size. I consider large eumaeines primarily plesiomorphic (BÁLINT, in prep.). The ventral androconium of the hind wing has never been mentioned in regard to Areas, but for Theritas, Pseudolycanea and for "Thecla hemon" (= genus Denivia) as "a flat but deep pouch line with specialized scales in space lb on the under surface of the hind wing" by ELIOT (1973: 402). I point out here that hind wing androconia were discovered and documented by GODMAN & SALVIN (1887) far before ELIOT for the taxa D. hemon and the representatives of the genus Brangas HÜBNER, 1819 (type species: Papilio caranus STOLL, 1780) (Fig. 6). However, Brangas, Denivia and Pseudolycaena possess this pouch in different places of their wings (Figs 4-6), and the pouches are differently scaled (BÁLINT, in Fig. 1. Possibilities for branching Areas SWAINSON, 1832 in Atlides Section according to the Checklist of Neotropical Butterflies (ROBBINS 2004)