A new mimetic species of Heliconius(Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), from southeastern Colombia, revealed by cladistic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences

Abstract

A new species of Heliconiusand a new geographical race of Heliconius melpomeneare described from the vicinity of Mocoa, Dpto. Putumayo, Colombia, based on molecular and morphological characters. The new species, H. tristero, is a close relative of H. cydno, a geographically differentiated species which lacks red coloration and engages in Müllerian mimicry with other blue and yellow Heliconiusspecies in Central and northwestern South Africa. H. tristerohas switched mimetic associations, instead mimicking the local, sympatric forms of two widespread mimetic species, H. eratoand H. melpomene. This discovery provides evidence that the splinter species H. heurippa, H. tristeroand H. timaretarepresent phenotypically divergent members of the H. cydnogroup that are endemic to successive river valleys on the eastern slope of the northern Andean Cordillera. The nominal taxon Heliconius amaryllis bellulaStichel, currently misapplied to both H. tristeroand H. melpomenepopulations from the Mocoa region of Colombia, is considered here to represent a hybrid between H. heurippaand H. tristero. The Mocoa melpomene race is formally named Heliconius melpomene mocoa, new subspecies.