Orange fringes, crenulate hindwings and genomic DNA identify a new species of Jonaspyge from Honduras (Hesperiidae: Pyrrhopyginae).

Abstract

Jonaspyge elizabethae n. sp. is described from southwestern Honduras. It is similar to the other two Jonaspyge O. Mielke, 2002 species in having metallic dark-blue wings with purple sheen, crenulate hindwing outer margin, and black body with orange palpi and an orange abdomen tip. It is diagnosed by bright-orange (instead of white) fringes and dark (instead of orange) cheeks. Genomic sequence analysis of Jonaspyge reveals that it is a close relative of Jonaspyge jonas (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1859) and Jonaspyge tzotzili (H. Freeman, 1969), differing from them by 5.3% in the COI DNA barcode. This new, third species of Jonaspyge is the most divergent member of the genus.