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Andrew Neild, FRES
The Butterflies of Venezuela
PART 2: additions & corrections
Page 31 : Actinote thalia
1. Mauro Costa reports the nominate species at the base of Mount Roraima, at 1,900m. This represents a new record for the Imataca region, and is also the highest record for this species.
2. Mauro Costa and Tomasz Pyrcz found an undescribed subspecies during an expedition to the Sierra de Perijá - this represents a new regional record (the first record for the Perijá). Taken in the upper River Lajas valley 30 kms west of Villa del Rosario at 1900m, in early April 2011, at 1500m elevation.
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Frontispiece "Happiness is as a butterfly ... "
Although popularly attributed to Nathaniel Hawthorne (as stated in this book), or to Henry David Thoreau, researchers have revealed that this quotation first appeared in newspapers and journals in the 1840s without attribution, and so the original author remains anonymous.
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Page 44: Actinote alcione flaugeri
Mauro Costa and Tomasz Pyrcz found what appears to be A. a. flaugeri during an expedition to the Sierra de Perijá - this represents a new regional record (the first record for the Perijá). Taken in the upper River Lajas valley 30 kms west of Villa del Rosario at 1900m, in early April 2011, at 1500m elevation.
Page 77, bottom left, final paragraph should read "(15–17 mm in northern halli)", and not "in northern higginsi".
Page 62: Siproeta epaphus
Mauro Costa and Francisco Marval have specimens of Siproeta epaphus which appear to be intermediate between the nominate subspecies and subspecies S. e. gadoui, from the Sucre region in north-eastern Venezuela (Las Trincheras, near Cumanacoa, 400m, and from Monte Oscuro, Sra de Turimiquire, 900m, respectively). It is not clear if these represent a stable subspecies endemic to the Sa de Turimiquire (and Peninsula de Paria?), or simply intermediate (variable) forms. Further investigation is required.
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Page 80: Ortilia liriope
Renato and Roberto Mattei have sent me photos of this species in Pintao, south of Puerto Ayacucho, in NW Amazonas state (Ventuari region). This represents an enormous range extension westwards - by some 650 kms. Based on these western records it is likely that the species is likely to occur in suitable habitat anywhere in southern Venezuela.
Page 114: Methona megisto
The presence of this species in southern Venezuela was anticipated on the basis of records from neighbouring Guyana, and its evident mimetic association with Methona confusa and Thyridia confusa. On his epic expeditions to the southern tepuyes Mauro Costa came across 3 specimens of Methona megisto on the slopes of Auyán tepui, so we can now add this species to Venezuela's butterfly fauna.
Page 132 : Oleria aquata
Tomasz Pyrcz reports this species from Agua Linda on the Lara/Zulia border, at 1300m, thus extending the known range in Venezuela to the north-western slopes of the Cordillera de Mérida.
Page 142 : Ithomia lagusa lagusa
Mauro Costa and Tomasz Pyrcz found this species during an expedition to the Sierra de Perijá - it represents a new species record for Venezuela. Taken in the upper River Lajas valley 30 kms west of Villa del Rosario at 1900m, on 6th April 2011, at 1900m elevation.
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Page 163 : Pteronymia cotytto
Tomasz Pyrcz reports this rare species from Agua Linda on the Lara/Zulia border, at 1300m, where it was found flying in the same area as Oleria aquata.
Page 167: Pteronymia peteri
On one of his expeditions to Auyán tepui in south-east Venezuela Mauro Costa observed the rare species Pteronymia peteri on the slope of the mountain at 2000m elevation, in December 2012. This represents a considerable range extension eastwards (by over 400kms) for this rare species, formerly known from only one specimen taken on Cerro Marahuaca in central Amazonas state. It is likely to occur on other large tepui formations.
Page 177-178: Hypoleria lavinia meridana & H. l. niclae
Through an unfortunate assumption of mine (misled by the name "meridana"), I misidentified true Hypoleria lavinia meridana, believing it to represent the population from the Santo Domingo river valley (in Mérida and Barinas states), while in fact the name is actually applicable to the population from southern Táchira state, which I described as H. l. niclae. Regrettably this means that H. l. niclae is a junior synonym of H. l. meridana, while the population from the Santo Domingo river valley now lacks a name. I intend to correct this oversight in a note in the forthcoming third volume of this book series.
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Page 204: Morpho cisseis
This species is reported by Lichy (1979, p. 102) from near Isla/Raudal El Esfuerzo (N2º15' W65º15'), on the upper Orinoco river, albeit he refers to it as "a blue hecuba" (it is quite clear from the text that this is not the same as a blue M. telemachus, which Lichy knew very well, although he referred to that species as "M. perseus"). This is a notable record, as it lies equidistant (about 450kms) between the three widely separated recorded areas for this species in southern Venezuela, thus filling in a vast void in its known range. Lichy notes it flying at 3.5 metres over the Orinoco, and at 5m in a forest clearing. Presumably he did not catch any specimens of this species (or of M. telemachus) as he does not include either species in his final report (Lichy, 1984).
Page 233: Telenassa delphia
The male paratype of Telenassa delphia alani in the MUSM is in fact a specimen of T. d. austini.
Plate 10, figs. 252-259
Incorrect captions - these should all read "saundersi", and not "saudersi".
Plate 31, fig. 894
Incorrect caption. This should read "D. adina marica"
Appendix 1, p. 235
MIZA has only 1 male paratype, and not 2.