Diversity and relationships between Andean shrubland puna butterflies in the genus Punargentus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae)

Abstract

Two new species and two new subspecies of the satyrine butterfly genus Punargentus Heimlich, P. atusparia sp. n., P. heimlichi sp. n., P. blanchardi libertas ssp. n. and P. atusparia yupania ssp. n., are described from north-central Peru (Ancash, Huánuco and La Libertad). The affinities of the new taxa are evaluated based on molecular data obtained using target enrichment and COI barcoding. Punargentus is fully supported and consists of two branches, the P. lamna clade with four species and P. blanchardi clade with three species, two of which are described here. Species in the P. blanchardi clade occur in Andean shrubland, at altitudes between 2800-3600 m, whereas those in the P. lamna clade occur in puna grassland at 3600-4600 m, with occasional overlaps. Based on their habitat preferences, none of the newly described species are in need of immediate conservation measures. The genus Etcheverrius Herrera is reinstated, with E. chiliensis (Guérin-Méneville) and E. tandilensis (Köhler), comb. n.

Keywords

• taxonomy
• new species
• male genitalia
• coi barcodes
• target enrichment
• cordillera negra
• peru