Description of a new high Andean butterfly species (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae) from the 'Sierra Nevada del Cocuy', Colombia

摘要

A new species of Penaincisalia, P. elisabeth sp. n. is described and diagnosed from the "Sierra Nevada del Cocuy" in north-eastern Colombia. Adult specimens and genitalia of both sexes are illustrated and compared with P. saraha, hypothetically the most closely related species. The ''browni group" of Penaincisalia consists of eight species: P. browni (Johnson), P. regala (Le Crom & Johnson), P. saraha (Johnson), P. vittata (Johnson), P. magnifica (Johnson), P. cuiva Prieto & Rodriguez, P. purpurea (Johnson) and P. caeruleonota Hall & Willmott. Recently this species group was reviewed and all species illustrated showing in some cases its geographical variation (Prieto et al. 2008). However, a distinctive new taxon has been collected after that reviewappeared, in the "Sierra Nevada del Cocuy", a compact mountain mass extending in a north-south direction in the eastern "cordillera" in Boyaca and one of the most striking mountain massifs of Colombia. Although this taxon is not currently known to be sympatric with P. saraha, presumably the most closely related species, it possesses unique wing pattern characters.