Abstract
We review the genus Elymnias Hübner, 1818, a morphologically diverse satyrine butterfly clade involved in multifarious Batesian mimicry relationships throughout Asia and Africa. A variety of different model species are mimicked, and many Elymnias species are sexually dimorphic mimics, with males and females resembling different model species. We revise species and subspecies delimitations in light of an integrative taxonomic investigation using external morphology, male and female genital morphology, and a multi-locus molecular phylogeny. There is little interspecific genitalic variation among species in this group, and previous taxonomists therefore relied almost entirely on wing patterns. Our molecular phylogenetic analysis reveals several examples of polymorphism or wing pattern divergence within a single species currently classified as two or more different species. We also found examples of wing pattern convergence among disparate lineages that mimic the same widespread model species. Frequently, two or more phenotypically similar species were classified as a single species. This comprehensive checklist reviews all names associated with Elymnias to align its taxonomy with the evolutionary history of the group. All available information on nomenclature, type localities, repositories of type specimens, and geographical distributions is summarized, and images of adult specimens and genitalia are provided along with distribution maps of all species and selected subspecies. We identify 2 species incertae sedis, establish 15 monophyletic species groups (including 1 species unplaced in any species group), and make 49 taxonomic changes, including 35 new synonyms, 7 new combinations (2 of which have new status), 1 resurrected combination, 1 resurrected subspecies, and 7 status changes.
Highlights
Elymnias Hübner, 1818 (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) is a species-rich and widespread butterfly genus distributed throughout the Old World tropics (Aoki et al 1982)
Article 45.6.2 of the Code, agina was not an available name when Fruhstorfer first proposed it as an aberrant form of nigrescens. This name might have subsequently become available by Corbet (1943) when he discussed the taxonomy of the Elymnias hypermnestra of Malay Peninsula, and first used agina to represent the populations in Johor and Singapore
Many Elymnias are found on islands in the Indo-Australian Archipelago, and the isolation provided by islands seems to provide the opportunity for divergence and local adaptation, facilitating resemblance to different model species in different locales
Summary
Elymnias Hübner, 1818 (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) is a species-rich and widespread butterfly genus distributed throughout the Old World tropics (Aoki et al 1982). The most recent comprehensive generic revision was completed by Fruhstorfer (1907; 1911), who recognized over 200 species-level taxa This most recent study established the genus’ higher classification, infrageneric grouping, geographical distributions, diagnostic characters, and synonyms. Integrative taxonomic practice employing multi-locus molecular phylogenetics in concert with data from wing and genitalic characters has informed taxonomic decisions to retain or revise contentious classification and nomenclature This checklist is meant to clarify taxonomic problems in the genus and aid biologists interested in studying butterfly biodiversity, but will serve as a framework for future studies on the phylogeny, biogeography, wing pattern evolution, and speciation of this fascinating radiation of Batesian mimetic butterfly species
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
