The nomenclature of Ogyris halmaturia (Tepper, 1890) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to clarify and resolve the nomenclature of Ogyris halmaturia (Tepper, 1890), a nationally threatened butterfly which has had a long and complex nomenclatural history. This complexity has arisen because: (1) the species group name halmaturia was based on a mixed series comprising two different species; (2) historically at least six authors have attempted to resolve the nomenclature of halmaturia, but most failed to render a valid and unambiguous lectotype designation; (3) one of these authors (N.B. Tindale) made a particularly confusing lectotype designation in 1923; and (4) introduction of the name Ogyris waterhouseri (Bethune-Baker, 1905). The proposal to treat O. waterhouseri as a junior synonym of O. halmaturia is accepted. We argue that Tindale made the first valid and unambiguous lectotypification in 1923. Consequently, we propose, with the intention of bringing closure to this matter, that O. halmaturia is the senior synonym of O. waterhouseri and that Tepper's syntype 'female' is the lectotype male of O. halmaturia. Attention is drawn to ambiguity in Article 74.5 (lectotype designation made before 2000) in the most recent edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.