Hypsochila wagenknechti (Ureta 1938)

Hypsochila wagenknechti (Ureta)

For references see under the subspecies.

MALE (Figures 9, 21, photographs of H. wagenknechti wagenknechti from El Veso, Chile; Figures 11, 23, photographs of H. wagenknechti sulfurodice from Mamiña, Tarapacá, Chile).—This species is relatively smaller than H. galactodice and has a much smaller black spot at the end of the discal cell on the forewing. It resembles the latter in having subapical series of black spots on uppersurface of forewing ending in interspace M2 and differs from that species in having this series of spots located closer to the apex.

Length of forewing, 19–26 mm (average 20.2 mm).

FEMALE (Figures 10, 22, photographs of H. wagenkneckti wagenknechti from Río Seco, Chile; Figures 12, 24, photographs of H. wagenknechti sulfurodice paratype from Putre, Tarapacá, Chile).—This species in this sex is also relatively smaller than H. galactodice and has a smaller black spot at the end of the discal cell on the forewing. The subapical and submarginal spots on uppersurface of forewing are closer to the outer margin than in H. galactodice. Some females lack the submarginal row of spots on this surface of hind wing and when present they are not as prominent as they are in H. galactodice.

Length of forewing, 19–23 mm (average 20.3 mm).

VENATION (Figure 166).—With vein M2 connate with stem of veins R3 + R4+5 + M1.

CLAW, PARONYCHIUM, AND PULVILLUS (Figure 185).—Claw with ventral tooth about as in H. galactodice (Figure 184), not as small as in H. penai (Figure 186), paronychium not distinctly different from the other species, pulvillus smaller than in the other species except H. penai, which has a still smaller pulvillus.

GENITALIA (Figure 130, male, drawn from preparation WDF 6644; Figure 148, female, drawn from preparation WDF 6656).—As illustrated, very much like the other species of Hypsochila and figured mainly to show its similarity.

ETYMOLOGY.—The name wagenknechti is a masculine noun in the genitive case, a patronym after Rodolfo Wagenknecht, the collector of part of the type series of this species.

DISTRIBUTION (see Map 1).—This species including both subspecies ranges from the Cordillera de Parral, Province of Linares north through central Chile and northern Chile almost to the boundary between Peru and Chile and in the mountains of the Province of Mendoza, Argentina.

This species flies at lower elevations in the southern part of its range and at higher and higher elevations northward. In the southern part of its range it flies at from between 2200 and 2700 meters, gradually being found at higher elevations up to 4500 meters in the Province of Tarapacá, Chile.

Hypsochila wagenknechti suljurodice Ureta

Hypsochila wagenknechti suljurodice Ureta, 1955:63–65, fig. 2; 1956:161, pl. 1: figs. 2[a]–2[c]; 1963:98.

Hypsochila (Hypsochila) wagenknechti suljurodice.—Peña, 1970:262.

MALE (Figures 11, 12, photographs of a specimen from Mamiña, Tarapacá, Chile).—Wings on both surfaces with dark markings as illustrated, differing from H. wagenknechti wagenknechti in being smaller, in having these markings reduced in size, and in having the ground color of the undersurface of hind wing and apex of forewing sulphur yellow.

Length of forewing, 19–20 mm (average 19 mm).

FEMALE (Figures 12, 24, photographs of a paratype from Putre, Tarapacá, Chile).—As does the male, in the female sex this subspecies differs from H. wagenknechti wagenknechti in being slightly smaller and in having the dark markings reduced in size with the ground color of the uppersurface of wings yellowish white and with this color on undersurface of hind wing and on apex of forewing a sulphur yellow. The females differ from the males in having the submarginal row of fuscous spots on both surfaces of forewing extending to below vein Cu1 and in having this submarginal row of spots present also on the hind wing.

Length of brewing, 19–20 mm (average 19 mm).

TYPE DATA.—The type-locality is “Lequena, San Pedro, 3,900 m., Prov. de Antofagasta.” This subspecies was described from the holotype male 8 May 1955); allotype female (Putre, Province of Tarapacá, 3600 meters, 23 November 1952) and from 24 male and 12 female paratypes from various localities in the Provinces of Antofagasta and Tarapacá. Holotype, allotype, and 14 male and 6 female paratypes in the collection of the National Museum of Natural History, Santiago, Chile. Three male and two female paratypes in the collection of Luis E. Peña. Six male and three female paratypes in the collection of S. Barros; one male and one female paratypes in the collection of Sr. Heimlich.

ETYMOLOGY.—The name sulfurodice is a feminine noun in the nominative singular in apposition with the generic name. “Sulfur” is the Latin sulfur meaning “brimstone” and refers to the yellow color of the undersurfaces of the wings of this subspecies. The “dice” ending of this name is a commonly used suffix or a compounding element often used for the names of pierid butterflies and is derived from the Greek dike meaning “law, order, right.”

NATURAL HISTORY.—The females of this subspecies like the males of H. penai fold their wings together and lie with one side close to the ground when resting. The males repeatedly fly over the same area, from 10 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon, seemingly following the same route near the ground from the top to the bottom of a hill and back. It has been observed at the flowers of Senecio wernerioides Weddell.

DISTRIBUTION (see Map 1).—This subspecies is found in northern Chile from the mountains of the Province of Antofagasta north through the Province of Tarapacá almost to the border between Chile and Perú. It flies at 3200–3900 meters elevation in the Province of Antofagasta and at 2800–4500 meters elevation in the Province of Tarapacá.

MATERIAL EXAMINED (20 males, 4 females).—CHILE: Province of Antofagasta, Chinina, Camino Talabre (October); Lequena, San Pedro de Conchi (May, July, 3900 meters); Llano de Quima! (March, 3200 meters); Ollagüe; Talabre (December, 3200 meters); Tumbre (December, February, 3200 meters). Province of Tarapacá, Belén, Arica (October); Chuzmisa (November); Mamiña (September, 2800 meters); Parca, Arica (February); Putre (November, 3600–4500 meters); Río Seco, Arica (October, November, 4200 meters). ARGENTINA: Province of Calamarca, Antofagasta de la Sierra (January).