An Evolutionary Subspecific Assessment of Deciduphagus henrici (Lycaenidae) Based on Its Utilization of Ilex and Non-Ilex Hosts: Description of a Third Ilex Associated Subspecies; Designation of a Neotype and Type Locality for Deciduphagus irus; with Appendix

Authors

Ronald R. Gatrelle, International Lepidoptera Survey

Date of this Version

3-1-1999

Document Type

Article

Citation

Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey (March 1, 1999) 1(6): 1-10 and 1(6A): 1-A-4-A

Also available at https://lepsurvey.carolinanature.com/ttr/ttr-1-6.pdf (main paper) and https://lepsurvey.carolinanature.com/ttr/ttr-1-6A.pdf (appendix)

Comments

Copyright 1999, International Lepidoptera Survey. Open access material

License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-SA-NC 4.0 International)

Abstract

Deciduphagus henrici subsists as six subspecies which have evolved into two distinct larval host associated groups of three taxa each. Group one is composed of those taxa which utilize primarily Ilex (holly, various species) as their host. They inhabit the non-montane area of the southeastern United States and up the Atlantic coast to at least southern New Jersey. They are: D. h. margaretae (T. L. Deland, Volusia County, Florida) occupying east-coastal to south central Florida; D. h. viridissima (T. L. Nag’s Head, Dare County, North Carolina) occupying the upper Outer Banks area of North Carolina north through the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays to perhaps Rhode Island; and a new subspecies herein described as D. h. yahwehus (T. L. Orangeburg County, South Carolina) occupying the area from south central North Carolina south through Georgia then westward to perhaps Mississippi and the upper west coast of Florida. This Ilex host association is believed to be peri-Pleistocene and Floridian in origin. Group two consists of two subspecies which use primarily non-Ilex plants, and one taxon which is oligophagous (including Ilex). The primarily non-Ilex subspecies are: D. h. solatus (T. L. Blanco County, Texas) occupying south central Texas westward; D. h. turneri (T. L. Cowley County, Kansas) occupying the area from north Texas northeast to at least Indiana; and (the oligophagous) D. h. henrici (T. Ll Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) occupying southeastern Canada south through the Appalachians. Nominate D. h. henrici is the most recently evolved of the six henrici subspecies. In parts of the northeastern United States. Deciduphagus h. henrici is in tension with D. h. viridissima, both phenotypically and biologically. Deciduphagus henrici and D. irus were often confused. To stabilize the taxonomy, the false holotype of D. irus is designated as neotype. Its type locality is restricted to southern New Jersey.