Butterfly taxa discovery via genomic analysis

Authors

• Jing Zhang, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9050, USA
• Qian Cong, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9050, USA
• Jinhui Shen, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9050, USA
• Leina Song, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9050, USA
• Nick V. Grishin, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390-9050, USAFollow

Date of this Version

6-21-2026

Document Type

Journal Issue

Citation

Zhang, J., Q. Cong, J. Shen, L. Song, & N. V. Grishin.  2026.  Butterfly taxa discovery via genomic analysis.  The Taxonomic Report 14(1): 1-151.

Abstract

Expanding a genomics-guided assessment of butterfly taxonomy, we integrate phylogenetic evidence from all protein-coding genes with morphological considerations to refine our understanding of butterfly systematics and discover new taxa. As a result, 2 subgenera, 39 species, and 5 subspecies are proposed as new (type species in original combinations or type localities are listed in parentheses): Erebia (Magda) magdalena uintana Grishin, ssp. n. (USA: Utah, Uintah Co.) in Nymphalidae Rafinesque, 1815; Myselasia rondea Grishin, sp. n. (Brazil: Rondônia), Myselasia pseudocrinon Grishin, sp. n. (Ecuador: Pastaza), Myselasia paramatuta Grishin, sp. n. (Ecuador: Morona-Santiago), Euselasia anapellos Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Loreto), Ectosemia lavanda Grishin, sp. n. (Brazil: Amazonas), Ectosemia dira Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Cuzco), Ectosemia attavus cyanea Grishin, ssp. n. (Ecuador: Tungurahua), Mesosemia tinypuncta Grishin, sp. n. (Panama: Chiriquí), Mesosemia parabanda Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Cuzco), Napaea extraperlata Grishin, sp. n. (Ecuador: Morona Santiago), Ithomiola (Ithomiola) cuscola Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Cuzco), Ithomiola (Ithomiola) bolitanos Grishin, sp. n. (Bolivia: La Paz), Ithomiola (Ithomiola) ecuatanos Grishin, sp. n. (Ecuador: Tungurahua), Ithomiola (Ithomiola) tanos cuscanos Grishin, ssp. n. (Peru: Cuzco), Ithomiola (Ithomiola) manchola Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Madre de Dios), Ithomiola (Ithomiola) triola Grishin, sp. n. (Bolivia: Santa Cruz), Apodemia (Apodemia) estrellada Grishin, sp. n. (Mexico: Sonora), and Synargis corta Grishin, sp. n. (French Guiana: Roura) in Riodinidae Grote, 1895 (1827); Idiospilix Grishin, subgen. n. (Rapala subguttata Elwes, [1893]) in Lycaenidae [Leach], [1815]; and Drephalys (Paradrephalys) cremoreus Grishin, sp. n. (Bolivia: Santa Cruz), Dyscophellus megaporsena Grishin, sp. n. (Northern Argentina), Cecropterus (Murgaria) perichales Grishin, sp. n. (Peru), Cecropterus (Murgaria) guatemalensis Grishin, sp. n. (Guatemala: Petén), Charidia paronia Grishin, sp. n. (Brazil: Rondônia), Quadrus (Quadrus) teelatus Grishin, sp. n. (Venezuela: Aragua), Quadrus (Quadrus) truncatina Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Junín), Gindanes vittatus Grishin, sp. n. (Brazil: Rondônia), Arteurotia artistella sinalima Grishin, ssp. n. (Mexico: Sinaloa), Bolla (Sebia) azora Grishin, sp. n. (Mexico: Oaxaca), Bolla (Sebia) brennatus Grishin, sp. n. (Panama: Darién), Bolla (Sebia) zuelisa Grishin, sp. n. (Venezuela: Trujillo), Bolla (Uniphylus) martea Grishin, sp. n. (Colombia: Magdalena), Staphylus (Capilla) lemesi Grishin, sp. n. (Venezuela: La Guaira), Anisochoria minorella hermieri Grishin, ssp. n. (Argentina: Salta), Justa Grishin, subgen. n. (Thoressa justini Inoué & Kawazoé, 1969), Isma bulaga Grishin, sp. n. (Philippines: Mindanao), Isma leytatus Grishin, sp. n. (Philippines: Leyte), Decinea buenia Grishin, sp. n. (Bolivia: Santa Cruz), Decinea brocki Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Cuzco), Zenis parlatus Grishin, sp. n. (Brazil: Rondônia), Zenis doris Grishin, sp. n. (Ecuador: Morona-Santiago), Mucia rustana Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Cuzco), Mucia castanuza Grishin, sp. n. (Peru: Cuzco), Alerema uniplex Grishin, sp. n. (Bolivia: La Paz), and Racta racteca Grishin, sp. n. (Ecuador: Tungurahua), in Hesperiidae Latreille, 1809. Lacturnea Nazari & Fric, 2025, stat. nov., Huegelia Nazari & Fric, 2025, stat. nov., and Everes Hübner, [1819], stat. rev. are subgenera of Cupido Schrank, 1801 (not genera). The following are new combinations: Ajenorix subguttata (Elwes, [1893]), comb. nov. (not Virachola F. Moore, 1881) and Halpe justini (Inoué & Kawazoé, 1969), comb. nov. (not Thoressa Swinhoe, 1913). The following taxa are species (not subspecies or synonyms of the taxa given in parentheses): Erebia (Magda) avinoffi W. Holland, 1930, stat. rest. (not Erebia (Magda) fasciata Butler, 1868), Myselasia gonzaloi (Salazar & Henao, 2019), stat. nov. (not Myselasia gradata (Stichel, 1927)), Ectosemia attalus (Seitz, 1913), stat. nov. (not Ectosemia eumene (Cramer, 1776)), Ectosemia furia (Stichel, 1910), stat. nov. (not Ectosemia erinnya (Stichel, 1910)), Cupido (Sinocupido) korlana Staudinger, 1901, stat. nov. (not Cupido (Everes) prosecusa duplex (Alphéraky, 1887)), Plebejus (Lycaeides) scudderii (W. H. Edwards, 1861), stat. rest. (not Plebejus (Lycaeides) idas (Linnaeus, 1760); consequently, all North American subspecies formerly assigned to P. idas are treated here as subspecies of P. scudderii), Cecropterus (Cecropterus) capys Godman & Salvin, 1894, stat. rest. (not Cecropterus (Cecropterus) longipennis Plötz, 1882), Cogia terranea (Butler, 1874), stat. rest. (not Cogia calchas (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869)), Halpe raphaeli (Nuyda & Kitamura, 1994), comb. et stat. nov. (not Halpe justini (Inoué & Kawazoé, 1969), comb. nov.), and Potanthus (Potanthus) pavor (De Niceville, 1894), stat. rest. (not Potanthus (Potanthus) euria (Plötz, 1883)). The following taxa are valid subspecies, not species or synonyms: Erebia (Magda) avinoffi semo Grum-Grshimailo, 1899, stat. rev., Satyrium californica helenae M. Fisher, 2009, stat. rest., Cecropterus (Cecropterus) longipennis punctisignatus Bryk, 1953, stat. rest., Bolla (Bolla) nigerrima banosa (Bell, 1937), stat. nov., Staphylus (Capilla) azteca machuca (Schaus, 1913), stat. nov., and Staphylus (Capilla) tyro nicoleae Lemes, 2026, stat. nov. The following taxa are confirmed as valid: Erebia (Magda) mackinleyensis Gunder, 1932, Satyrium californica wapiti M. Fisher, 2006, and Isma bipunctata Elwes & Edwards, 1897. The following taxa are new junior subjective synonyms: Lethina Reuter, 1896 of Parargina Tutt, 1896, Euselasia ella terrea Stichel, 1924 of Myselasia eulione (Hewitson, 1856), Euselasia gradata Stichel, 1927 of Myselasia cucuta (Schaus, 1902), Euselasia pseudomys Callaghan, 1999 of Myselasia rhodon (Seitz, 1913), Euselasia crotopus form. mutator Seitz, 1916 of Erythia micaela (Schaus, 1902), Mesosemia meyi Brévignon, 1997 of Ectosemia eumene (Cramer, 1776), Lycaena gisela Püngeler, 1901 of Cupido (Sinocupido) korlana Staudinger, 1901, stat. nov., and Pamphila orfitus Mabille, 1883 of Potanthus (Potanthus) euria (Plötz, 1883); and the following are revised junior subjective synonyms: Sinocupido lokiangensis Lee, 1963 of Cupido (Sinocupido) korlana Staudinger, 1901 and Staphylus inconstans Bell, 1932 of Staphylus (Capilla) azteca machuca (Schaus, 1913), stat. nov. A confidently resolved phylogeny suggests partitioning the tribe Satyrini Boisduval, 1833 into 13 subtribes and places Llorenteana Viloria & Luis-Martínez, [2019] in Euptychiina Reuter, 1896 (not Ypthimina Reuter, 1896). The following species described from a single specimen are confirmed by genomic sequencing of additional specimens: Phanus centralis Grishin, 2025 (known from El Salvador), Phanus ecutinus Grishin, 2025 (range extended from northwestern Ecuador to Panama), Telegonus (Rhabdoides) elorianus Grishin, 2025 (recorded from southern Brazil and Argentina), and Rhomba pulla Grishin, 2023. Furthermore, we clarify the type locality of Apodemia (Apodemia) apache Grishin, 2026 as USA: Arizona, Apache Co., US-60, 8 mi west of Greens Peak Road, elevation 7000 ft; provide additional evidence for the distinction of Satyrium dryope (W. H. Edwards, 1870) as a species-level taxon that possibly does not form a monophyletic group with Satyrium sylvinus Boisduval, 1852, and demonstrate that both Arteurotia artistella Grishin, 2023 and Arteurotia tractipennis A. Butler & H. Druce, 1872 occur in eastern Chiapas (Mexico) and Guatemala. Lectotypes are designated for 18 taxa: Erebia magdalena Strecker, 1880 (USA: Colorado, Clear Creek Co.), Erebia fasciata Butler, 1868 (Canada: Nunavut, Victoria Is.), Euselasia ella Seitz, 1916 (Bolivia: La Paz, Río Zongo), Euselasia ella terrea Stichel, 1924 (Brazil: Pará, Río Moju), Eurygona cucuta Schaus, 1902 (Venezuela: Táchira, vic. Cúcuta), Eurygona matuta Schaus, 1913 (Costa Rica: Cartago, Juan Viñas), Eurygona micaela Schaus, 1902 (Peru), Euselasia crotopus form. mutator Seitz, 1916 (Peru), Mesosemia eumene form. attalus Seitz, 1913 (French Guiana: Nouveau Chantier), Mesosemia albipuncta Schaus, 1913 (Costa Rica: Limón, Guápiles, La Esperanza), Apodemia multiplaga Schaus, 1902 (Mexico: Veracruz, Rinconada), Lycaena gisela Püngeler, 1901 (China: Xinjiang, Tarim River area vic. Aksu), Lycaena prosecusa v. korlana Staudinger, 1901 (China: Xinjiang, Korla), Eudamus calchas Herrich-Schäffer, 1869 (Brazil: Rio de Janeiro), Nisoniades braco Herrich-Schäffer, 1865 (Cuba), Bolla nigerrima Mabille & Boullet, 1917 (Peru: Puno, Chaquimayo), Anisochoria minorella Mabille, 1898 (Bolivia: La Paz, Río Tanampaya), and Hesperia euria Plötz, 1883 (Java). Neotypes are designated for Papilio eumene Cramer, 1776 (Suriname) and Nisoniades undulatus Herrich-Schäffer, 1865 (Cuba: Matanzas). A full-length COI barcode sequence is provided for every designated lectotype and neotype.