Phyciodes (Phyciodes): new discoveries,new subspecies, and convergence

Abstract

The paper presents new discoveries in Phyciodes (Phyciodes). New life history information is given for P. mylitta arizonensis, P. pallida pallida, P. pallida barnesi, P. tharos tharos, P. cocyta selenis, P. cocyta diminutor, P. batesii lakota, P. b. apsaalooke, P. b. anasazi, P. pulchella camillus, and P. picta picta. P. batesii anasazi was found to significantly converge toward P. cocyta in western Colorado in appearance of some adults larvae and pupae, and P. cocyta selenis from the same area was found to converge a little toward anasazi in adult wing pattern and larval head pattern, so some individuals of these two taxa are difficult to distinguish. The nomenclatural identity of P. tharos form marcia is clarified. Five new subspecies are named: P.tharos orantain has orange antenna nudum and is somewhat intermediate between P. tharos tharos and P. cocyta. P. cocyta diminutor is multivoltine with late-flying summer generations that are small like P. tharos, and might possibly even be a separate species from the sympatric univoltine larger P. cocyta selenis. P. pulchella deltarufa has oranger ups than ssp. pulchella. P. pulchella owimba differs from ssp. pulchella by having an orange antenna nudum and some different wing pattern details. P. phaon jalapeno has paler median ups bands.