Taxonomic reassessment of species within the chrysaoros group of Calisto (Lepidoptera : Nymphalidae : Satyrinae)

Abstract. The taxonomic status of the Hispaniolan species of Calisto Hubner, 1823 included in the chrysaoros group is reassessed. Morphological data and COI barcode sequences were analysed through different methods: Neighbour-Joining clustering, ABGD, Median-Joining Haplotype Network, Maximum Likelihood, and Bayesian Inference. Analyses yielded two deeply separated groups or putative species: C. clydoniata and C. chrysaoros. A shallower split was found, except in the Bayesian Inference approach, among populations of southern and northern Hispaniola palaeo-islands. In light of these findings we propose the recognition of two species: C. clydoniata and C. chrysaoros. Within the latter, the populations of the southern and northern Hispaniola palaeo-islands should be recognised as different subspecies: C. chrysaoros chrysaoros Bates and C. chrysaoros galii Schwartz, respectively. Calisto clenchi, syn. nov. is a synonym of C. chrysaoros chrysaoros whereas C. galii galli, syn. nov. and C. galii choneupsilon, sy...