Brassolis sophorae (Linnaeus)

(Fig. 2 A–D, G–H, K–L; 8B, F)

Type species.

Diagnosis: Recognized by a combination of two characters: (1) in males, dorsal FW postmedial band normally orange and nearly entire (small brown spot at crossvein m2–m3), in females, this band is nearly bifurcated into two branches at the distal edge of the discal cell; (2) in both males and females, dorsal HW postmedial band well defined (Fig. 2).

Distribution: B. sophorae is a widespread polytypical species, reported to occur from Colombia to Paraguay (Casagrande 2004).

Subspecies: Casagrande (2004) listed seven subspecies: nominal sophorae (type locality America), ardens Stichel (Peru), dinizi d’Almeida (Brazil, Paraíba) elevated here to full species status (see below), laurentii Stichel (Brazil, Minas Gerais), luridus Stichel (Colombia), philomela Stichel (Ecuador), and vulpeculus Stichel (Paraguay). Bristow (2008) synonymized philomela under luridus. We examined specimens from locations that potentially represented most of these subspecies, plus Bolivia (Fig. 2). Given that Hans Stichel described several of these subspecies, it is possible that he recognized the color pattern variation within B. sophorae sensu lato that we encountered during this study (see Phylogenetic analysis and Discussion).

Remarks: We encountered much variation in color in our examined specimens, and some of this variation overlaps with diagnostic characters for other Brassolis species. For example, in some specimens dorsal FW postmedial band was orange and white (as in B. dinizi and B. haenschi). In some females the dorsal HW postmedial band was faded (as in B. haenschi, B. isthmia, and B. astyra astyra). Dorsal color of abdomen is usually brown, but it is faded orange in specimens from the Brazilian Atlantic coast. See the Phylogenetic analysis section for characters that are polymorphic within B. sophorae, and Discussion for implications of this variation.