Corrected synonymies: the identities of Strymon bicolor (Philippi, 1859) and Strymon heodes (Druce, 1909) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Abstract

The South American hairstreak species Strymon bicolor (Philippi, 1859) and S. heodes (Druce, 1909) are diagnosed and their synonymies are revised. The distribution of S. bicolor is restricted to the Andean-Patagonian region south of the Atacama Desert and represented now in Argentina and Chile by seven available species group names, considered as subjective synonyms. However, some of these names can most probably be considered as valid taxa. A key to identification is given for distinguishing the superficially most similar Strymon species patterned by orange scaling in the dorsal wing surfaces. It is noted that the Austral S. bicolor group and the Central Peruvian S. heodes appear to belong to a mimicry ring inhabiting the dry areas of the Andes.

Keywords

• Argentina
• Chile
• Peru
• characters
• Eumaeini
• Strymon
• Eiseliana
• Heoda
• bicolor
• heodes
• mimicry.
• mimicry