The identity of the nomen dubium Penaincisalia patagonaevaga Johnson, 1990 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae, Polyommatinae)

Abstract

The holotype of Penaincisalia patagonaevaga Johnson, 1990 (type locality: Argentina, prov, Chubut, 40 km N of Rio Mayo) is a chimeric specimen as it is composed of parts belonging to two different species: the neotropical Penaincisalia penai Johnson, 1990 (forewings, genitalia) and the oriental Orthomiella rantaziana Wileman, 1910 (hindwings) or one of its relatives. For an unambiguous identity the hindwings are excluded from the holotype, resulting the new synonymy P. penai = P. patagonaevaga. The specimen is considered to be mislabelled because the genus Penaincisalia Johnson, 1990 (type species: Thecla culminicola Staudinger, 1894) is confined to the high Andean puna and is highly improbable that any of its representatives occurs in Patagonia.

Keywords

• chimera
• patagonaevaga holotype
• mislabelling
• penaincisalia
• orthomiella