An updated list of the butterflies of Chile (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea) including distribution, flight period, conservation status and comments on biology. Part III/1, subfamily Polyommatinae (Lycaenidae) with descriptions of three new species of Pseudolucia

Abstract

Part III/1 of the updated list of Chilean butterflies deals with 46 species of the subfamily Polyommatinae (Lycaenidae). The presence of Paralycaeides vapa (Staudinger, 1894) in the Chilean fauna is confirmed. The taxa Pseudolucia malleco Bálint and Benyamini, sp. n., Pseudolucia domeyko and Pseudolucia pascualama Benyamini and Bálint, spp. n. are described. Two synonyms are established: Pseudolucia annamaria Bálint and Johnson, 1993 = Pseudolucia clarea Bálint and Johnson, 1993, new junior subjective synonym and Lycaena ludicra Weymer, 1890 = Madeleinea sigal Benyamini, Bálint and Johnson, 1995, new junior subjective synonym. Data on regional distribution, flight periods, conservation status and comments on biology are included. Species endemic for Chile (n = 27) are also identified. The species Nabokovia ada Bálint and Johnson, 1994, Pseudolucia johnsoni Benyamini and Bálint, 2011, Pseudolucia kechico Bálint, Benyamini and Johnson, 2001 and Pseudolucia faundezi Benyamini and Bálint, 2011 are considered to be locally extinct. The fast pace of agricultural and industrial innovation, yielding rapid habitat alterations, are endangering many of polyommatine species occurring in restricted areas, because of their special life history strongly associated with specific larval hostplants and attending ant species. In an appendix, the occurrence of Dione juno miraculosa Hering, 1926 in the Arica and Parinacota region is recorded as new species for the Chilean fauna.