Structures related to pheromone storage in alar androconia and the female abdominal scent gland of Heliconius erato phyllis, Heliconius ethilla narcaea, and Heliconius besckei (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae).

We describe the morphology of alar androconia and the female abdominal scent gland of Heliconius erato phyllis, Heliconius ethilla narcaea, and Heliconius besckei. Androconial scales of Heliconius, which are arranged in overlapping wing bands, release pheromones during courtship, probably through vibratory movements of male wings over the female to induce her to mate. An antiaphrodisiac is produced by glands located in the valves of the male and is transferred during copulation to the yellow dorsal abdominal sac present in the virgin female, causing this sac to emit a scent that reduces the attractiveness of the female for courtship with other males. Stereomicroscopy, SEM, and TEM analyses were conducted to describe the morphology of the internal and external scales and the external abdominal scent sac. The findings revealed different sizes of external androconial scales and an internal group of porous structural vesicles that are probably related to the preservation of internal space, reception and storage of secretions, and elimination of volatiles when the male is actively involved in courtship. Translucent projections on the female abdominal scent sac create open reservoirs for the reception, storage, and emission of antiaphrodisiac volatiles along with stink clubs. Male valve denticles vary in form and probably attach securely to the female sac during mating, thus ensuring secretion transfer. These features are discussed in the context of a comparative analysis.

Exoskeleton Morphology of Three Species of Preponini, with Discussion of Morphological Similarities among Neotropical Charaxinae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)-I. Head, Cephalic Appendages, and Cervix.

The present study compares the morphology of the head, appendages, and cervical region of three species of the butterflies Archaeoprepona demophon demophon (Linnaeus, 1758), Archaeoprepona licomedes licomedes (Cramer, 1777), and Prepona pylene pylene Hewitson, [1854], through descriptions, illustrations, and scanning electron micrographs. The results are compared with Prepona claudina annetta (Gray, 1832), Memphis moruus stheno Hübner, [1819], and Zaretis itys itylus (Westwood, 1850), showing unique characteristics for each species and/or genus, or characteristics shared among the species analyzed. The detailed morphology of these three species was previouslyunknown.

Exoskeleton Morphology of Three Species of Preponini, with Discussion of Morphological Similarities among Neotropical Charaxinae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)-II. Thorax and Thoracic Appendages.

The present report, the second part of a study of the external morphology of Preponini, compares the thorax and thoracic appendages of Archaeoprepona demophon demophon (Linnaeus, 1758), Archaeoprepona licomedes licomedes (Cramer, 1777) and Prepona pylene pylene Hewitson, [1854], through descriptions and illustrations. The results are compared with three other species, Prepona claudina annetta (Gray, 1832), Memphis moruus stheno Hübner, [1819] and Zaretis itys itylus (Westwood, 1850), revealing previously unrecognized similarities among species of Charaxinae.

Exoskeleton Morphology of Three Species of Preponini, with Discussion of Morphological Similarities among Neotropical Charaxinae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)-III. Abdomen and Genitalia.

The present paper is the final part of a study of the external morphology of Preponini, which compares the abdomen and genitalia of Archaeoprepona demophon demophon (Linnaeus, 1758), Archaeoprepona licomedes licomedes (Cramer, 1777) and Prepona pylene pylene Hewitson, [1854], through descriptions and illustrations. The results are compared with three other species, Prepona claudina annetta (Gray, 1832), Memphis moruus stheno Hübner, [1819] and Zaretis itys itylus (Westwood, 1850). The abdomen is commonly the most informative tagma for butterflies. In Charaxinae, this tagma supports diagnoses of both genera and species, besides providing a solid morphological base for recent molecular findings for Preponini.

Male genitalia of neotropical Charaxinae: a comparative analysis of character variation.

Charaxinae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) has a worldwide distribution, although it occurs mainly between the tropics. Most species occur in the Neotropics, where three tribes, Preponini, Anaeomorphini, and Anaenini, can be found. Collectively, these three tribes encompass 109 species. Because of its relevance to systematics and taxonomy, the male genitalia of Lepidoptera have been extensively studied. The male genitalia are composed of the last two abdominal segments and their modifications for mating, known as claspers of the bodies. In order to improve upon the systematic classification of the subfamily, 31 species of 13 genera of Neotropical Charaxinae were analyzed. All characters relevant to species and generic taxonomy were analyzed. Most structures showed morphological variations among tribes, genera, and species. These variations demonstrated to be important to Preponini, because the structural patterns of the genitalia allow the separation in two groups, Prepona Boisduval and Archaeoprepona Fruhstorfer, and are in accord with the recent taxonomic classification proposed by Ortiz-Acevado and Willmott ( 2013 ), wherein Agrias Doubleday is synonymized in Prepona and Noreppa Rydon within Archaeoprepona. In the same way, Anaeomorpha splendida Rothschild showed considerable differences from Preponini's genera, the tribe in which it was included, confirming the revalidation of the tribe Anaeomorphini ( Ortiz-Acevado and Willmott 2013 ). Substantial variation was found in the genital structures of Anaeini, making it difficult to establish structural patterns for this group. Such structural variation, however, may be very efficient to diagnose species, such as some species of Memphis Hübner and Fountainea Rydon, which can be easily identified through the presence and location of spines on the valva.

Riqueza de borboletas em dois parques urbanos de Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil / Butterflies's richness in two urban parks in Curitiba Parana, Brazil

In order to contribute to the knowledge of butterflies of Curitiba, were studied two urban municipal parks, the Botanical Garden which has total area of 178,000 m² and has a grove of preserved Araucaria forest only for scientific research, and the Municipal Park of Barreirinha which has total area of 275,380 m² and the area used for sampling of free access to population, with predominance of reforested vegetation. After 10 months of sampling, totaling 240 hours, 787 individuals and 166 species were registered, distributed to the families: Hesperiidae - 46 spp. (27.7 percent), Nymphalidae - 75 spp. (45.2 percent), Pieridae - 17 spp. (10.3 percent), Lycaenidae - 13 spp. (7.8 percent), Papilionidae - 8 spp. (4.8 percent) and Riodinidae - 7 spp. (4.2 percent), among which 22 species are new records for Curitiba, belonging to the families: Hesperiidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Riodinidae and Nymphalidae. About the recorded species, only 33 percent are considered common to the parks, Sorensen similarity index of 48 percent confirm that each location has a characteristic lepidopterofauna and distinct from each other.

Com o objetivo de contribuir com o conhecimento das borboletas de Curitiba, foram estudados dois parques municipais urbanos, o Jardim Botânico que possui área total de 178.000 m² e um bosque de Floresta Ombrófila Mista preservada restrito a pesquisa científica, e o Parque Municipal da Barreirinha que possui uma área total de 275.380 m² e a área utilizada para as amostragens de livre acesso a população, com predominância de vegetação reflorestada. Após 10 meses de amostragem, perfazendo 240 horas, foram registrados 787 indivíduos e 166 espécies, distribuídos nas famílias: Hesperiidae - 46 spp. (27,7 por cento), Nymphalidae - 75 spp. (45,2 por cento), Pieridae - 17 spp. (10,3 por cento), Lycaenidae - 13 spp. (7,8 por cento), Papilionidae - 8 spp. (4,8 por cento) e Riodinidae - 7 spp. (4,2 por cento), dentre estas 22 espécies são novos registros para Curitiba, pertencentes as famílias: Hesperiidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Riodinidae e Nymphalidae. Das espécies registradas, apenas 33 por cento são comuns a ambos os Parques, sendo que o índice de Similaridade de Sorensen de 48 por cento confirma que cada um dos locais estudados possui lepidopterofauna característica e distinta um do outro.