Revancha Dartwhite

Original published description: Rey, F., and T. W. Pyrcz (1996) A perfect mimicry of two cloud forest pierids: Leptophobia eleone and Catasticta revancha new sp. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Genus (Wroclaw) 7(3): 497-502, 3 figs.

Type Locality: Fundo Piedra Blanca, San Vicente de la Revancha, Parque Nacional El Tamá, Táchira, Venezuela, 2350 m.

Description

Small butterfly with about 2.2 cm wing length. Predominant lemon yellow with black margins in the dorsal surface, the ventral surface with typical Catasticta-pattern in pale-yellow and black color.

Diagnosis
Wing pattern resembles that of C. poujadei Dognin, from southern Ecuador, but ground color is lemon-yellow instead of white.


Morphometric measurements

Following measures were performed on two specimens in NeoMaps database:
RFL: Right forewing length (base to appex).
FWS: Forewing span (right appex to left appex, wings spread).
AWA: Wing area (sum of four wings, wings spread, fore- and hindwing overlap not considered).

<table>
<tr><th>Catalogue number</th><th>RFL (cm)</th><th>FWS (cm)</th><th>AWA (cm^2)</th></tr>
<tr><td>FPB - 51573</td><td>2.1156</td><td>3.7135</td><td>7.09010</td></tr>
<tr><td>FPB - 51574</td><td>2.31875</td><td>4.125</td><td>7.69741</td></tr>
</table>

A black and lemon-yellow pierid, found on the edge of cloud forest, near streams, also seen in the ecotone between cloud forest and páramo at high elevations. Known only from the northeast side of the Tamá mountain in Venezuela, around its type locality.

It is among the few Catasticta species that can fly both in sunny or foggy weather. Males don't display the typical hilltoping and patrolling behaviour of other species in the genus. Both sexes have been found flying along with other more abundant black and yellow pierids, such as Leptophobia eleone.

Due to its restricted distribution range, it should be considered of conservation concern. However a formal evaluation of its status has not been possible with the currently available information.