Immature stages of the turquoise‐banded shoemaker Archaeoprepona amphimachus pseudomeander (Fruhstorfer, 1906) and a comparative review of the Preponini (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

Abstract

We describe the external morphology and natural history of the immature stages of the turquoise-banded shoemaker Archaeoprepona amphimachus pseudomeander (Fruhstorfer, 1906) (Charaxinae: Preponini), found in a forest fragment in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Immature stages of this species use two species of Cinnamomum (Lauraceae) as host plants. We also provide morphological descriptions and illustrations and discuss morphological characteristics of taxonomic significance of immature stages of other species of Preponini known to date. These data support the synonymisation of Noreppa Rydon, 1971 with Archaeoprepona Fruhstorfer, 1915 and the close relationship between species formerly included in Agrias Doubleday, 1844 and the other species of Prepona Boisduval, [1836]. Our results agree with recent morphological and molecular findings, supporting the assertion that immature stages are an important source of information for systematics.