Páramo de Belmira as an important centre of endemism in the northern Colombian Andes: new evidence from Pronophilina butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae, Satyrini).

Páramo de Belmira (Páramo de Santa Inés) is the highest part of the Andean Central Cordillera in the Colombian department of Antioquia. It harbours a pocket of highlands grassland vegetation isolated from the nearest southerly other large paramo extensions by some 150 km. Butterflies sampling was carried out for over three years in the cloud forest-paramo mosaic and open grassland at 2650-3350 m.

Hypandrium as a key character in resolving species-level taxonomy on the example of Perisama oppelii (Latreille) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Biblidinae).

A detailed comparative study of the subspecies of Perisama oppelii (Latreille, [1809]) is carried out. Ten out of eleven subspecies are illustrated, including the females of P. o.

Type species fixation of the genus Abloxurina Johnson, 1992 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae).

The goal of this paper is to clarify the status and identity of the type species of the lycaenid genus Abloxurina Johnson, 1992 so that the name can be used correctly in future taxonomic work. Abloxurina was originally typified with Thecla amatista Dognin, 1895. However, the specimen examined and illustrated by Johnson (1992) to diagnose the genus was an individual of Penaincisalia ismaeli Busby & Hall, 2005, an undescribed species at that time.

Taxonomy and distribution pattern of the African rain forest butterfly genus Euphaedra Hübner sensu stricto with the description of three new subspecies of Euphaedra cyparissa (Cramer) and one of E. sarcoptera (Butler) (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Limenitidinae, Adoliadini).

Updated data on the distribution, ecology and taxonomy of Euphaedra cyparissa (Cramer) and Euphaedra sarcoptera (Butler) are presented. Three new subspecies of Euphaedra cyparissa and one of Euphaedra sarcoptera are described and their geographic distribution is presented. The monophyly of the genus Euphaedra sensu Hecq is assessed based on morphological, in particular male and female genitalia, and behavioural traits.

New species of high elevation cloud forest butterflies of the genus Pedaliodes Butler from the northern Colombian Andes (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Satyrinae).

Four new species of Pedaliodes Butler (i.e., P.

Diversity and distribution patterns of Pronophilina butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) along an altitudinal transect in north-western Ecuador.

Samplings of Pronophilina, a species-rich group of neotropical montane butterflies, were carried out along an elevational transect in Ecuador to assess the effect of altitude on their distribution patterns, diversity and community structure. All diversity indices were significantly correlated with altitude. Maximum diversity expressed in species-richness, Shannon index and Fisher alpha was recorded at 2600 m.