Páramo de Belmira as an important centre of endemism in the northern Colombian Andes: new evidence from Pronophilina butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae, Satyrini)

Abstract

Páramo de Belmira (Páramo de Santa Inés) is the highest part of the Andean Central Cordillera in the Colombian department of Antioquia. It harbours a pocket of highlands grassland vegetation isolated from the nearest southerly other large paramo extensions by some 150 km. Butterflies sampling was carried out for over three years in the cloud forest-paramo mosaic and open grassland at 2650-3350 m. As a result, several new taxa of various butterflies groups were identified, including three species and two subspecies belonging to the Satyrinae subtribe Pronophilina, described herein: Lymanopoda casneri n. sp., L. ionius lilliput n. ssp., Panyapedaliodes rojasi n. sp., Pedaliodes nutabe n. sp. and Apexacuta orsedice mariadelmarae n. ssp. L. casneri is particularly interesting from the biogeographical perspective as its nearest relative is L. hazelana Brown, found in south-central Ecuador, some 1000 km southwards. Overall, 48 species of Pronophilina were identified. Considering the occurrence of several endemic species and subspecies of butterflies in the extremely restricted paramo grasslands in the study area, and the anthropogenic pressure from surrounding locations, it is worth attributing the Páramo de Belmira a protection area status.

Island biogeography in continental areas: inferring dispersal based on distributional patterns of Pronophilina butterflies (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) in the north Andean massifs

“…Possibly, the Satyrini underwent a quick diversification in a considerably short span of time, since virtually all the subtribes of the Satyrini, including Pronophilina, appeared during the Oligocene, between 32-24 mya (Peña et al, 2011). Otherwise, DNA sequences comparative analysis coupled with molecular clocks can be used as another tool for the setting of timing of possible divergence and climatic disturbances (Casner & Pyrcz, 2010;Garzón-Orduña et al, 2014;Marín et al, 2017;Matos-Maraví et al, 2013;Nattier et al, 2017;Peña et al, 2011;Pyrcz et al, 2016;. For example, molecular phylogenies of the genus Lymanopoda indicate that the moment of divergence between sister-species Lymanopoda caeruleata Godman &Salving, 1880 andL.…”

Discovery of a remarkable new species of Lymanopoda (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) and considerations of its phylogenetic position: An integrative taxonomic approach

“…paramera Adams &Bernard, 1979, whereas the other contains six species including L. fl ammigera sp. n. and two other species not included in the generic phylogeny produced previously (Casner & Pyrcz, 2010), L. tolima and L. casneri Pyrcz & Clavijo, 2016, the latter, however, sequenced by Marín et al (2017. The resolution of this clade is low and presents a polytomy, therefore the position of the new species relative to other fi ve species is not established.…”

Mariposas diurnas (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) en la Reserva Forestal El Romeral, Cordillera Central, Antioquia, Colombia

“…En el caso de las mariposas diurnas (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea), se ha demostrado una gran riqueza de especies que varía en su composición a medida que se asciende en altitud (Fagua, 1999(Fagua, , 2011Arias & Huertas, 2001;Viloria, 2002;Pyrcz, 2004;Pyrcz et al, 2009;Pyrcz & Garlacz, 2012). En zonas de altura por encima de los 2000 m s.n.m., el grupo dominante en términos de riqueza y abundancia es la subtribu Pronophilina (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae; Camero & Calderón, 2007;García-Pérez et al, 2007;Ríos-Málaver, 2008;Pyrcz et al, 2016). Esta subtribu presenta afinidad y restricción ecológica a estos hábitats, por lo que muchos estudios en zonas elevadas se concentran exclusivamente en este grupo (Viloria, 2007;Pyrcz et al, 2009;Viloria et al, 2010;Pyrcz et al, 2016;.…”

“…En zonas de altura por encima de los 2000 m s.n.m., el grupo dominante en términos de riqueza y abundancia es la subtribu Pronophilina (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae; Camero & Calderón, 2007;García-Pérez et al, 2007;Ríos-Málaver, 2008;Pyrcz et al, 2016). Esta subtribu presenta afinidad y restricción ecológica a estos hábitats, por lo que muchos estudios en zonas elevadas se concentran exclusivamente en este grupo (Viloria, 2007;Pyrcz et al, 2009;Viloria et al, 2010;Pyrcz et al, 2016;.…”