The Genus Hyalyris Boisduval, 1870 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Systematics, Taxonomy and Conservation

ABSTRACT The neotropical butterfly tribe Ithomiini (Danainae) comprises about 400 species distributed from Mexico to Northern Argentina, 58 of which occur in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Among these are two species assigned to the genus Hyalyris Boisduval, 1870: Hyalyris fiammetta (Hewitson, 1852) and Hyalyris leptalina (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865). The present study represents an intensive effort to compile all available data for both species of Hyalyris from the Atlantic Forest. Based on a molecular phylogeny of the subtribe Napeogenina, with a total of 2592 base pairs and three genes, COI (1498 bp), GAPDH (691 bp) and wingless (403 bp), the two above species of Hyalyris are not closely related. Hyalyris fiammetta was recovered as sister to Hypothyris euclea (Godart, 1819) and is here reclassified as Hypothyris fiammetta (Hewitson, 1852) comb. reinst . Hyalyris leptalina is revised and two subspecies are recognized: Hyalyris leptalina leptalina (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1865) and Hyalyris leptalina krenak Freitas, Brown & Lamas ssp. nov . Both species have restricted geographic distributions, within which most of their original habitats have been modified or destroyed.