Zootaxa 4371 (1): 001–187 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Monograph ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2018 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4371.1.1 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D04AA5A5-84B4-40D1-866B-A058A9CA3DFA ZOOTAXA 4371 Butterflies (Lepidoptera) of Guyana: A compilation of records HEMCHANDRANAUTH SAMBHU1 & ALLIEA NANKISHORE2 2/227 McLeod Street, Cairns North, Queensland 4870, Australia 1Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected] 2E-mail: [email protected] Magnolia Press Auckland, New Zealand Accepted by C. Prieto: 26 Oct. 2017; published: 16 Jan. 2018 HEMCHANDRANAUTH SAMBHU & ALLIEA NANKISHORE Butterflies (Lepidoptera) of Guyana: A compilation of records (Zootaxa 4371) 187 pp.; 30 cm. 16 Jan. 2018 ISBN 978-1-77670-294-7 (paperback) ISBN 978-1-77670-295-4 (Online edition) FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2018 BY Magnolia Press P.O. Box 41-383 Auckland 1346 New Zealand e-mail: [email protected] http://www.mapress.com/j/zt © 2018 Magnolia Press All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, transmitted or disseminated, in any form, or by any means, without prior written permission from the publisher, to whom all requests to reproduce copyright material should be directed in writing. This authorization does not extend to any other kind of copying, by any means, in any form, and for any purpose other than private research use. ISSN 1175-5326 (Print edition) ISSN 1175-5334 (Online edition) 2 · Zootaxa 4371 (1) © 2018 Magnolia Press SAMBHU & NANKISHORE Table of contents Abstract . 3 Introduction . 3 Methods . 4 Results . 4 Family: Hesperiidae. 4 Subfamily:Eudaminae . 4 Subfamily: Hesperiinae . 17 Subfamily: Pyrginae . 40 Family: Lycaenidae . 51 Subfamily: Polyommatinae . 51 Subfamily: Theclinae . 52 Family: Nymphalidae . 63 Subfamily:Apaturinae . 63 Subfamily:Biblidinae . 63 Subfamily: Charaxinae . 72 Subfamily: Cyrestinae . 76 Subfamily: Danainae . 77 Subfamily:Heliconiinae. 86 Subfamily: Libytheinae . 94 Subfamily: Limenitidinae . 94 Subfamily: Morphinae . 97 Subfamily: Nymphalinae. 107 Subfamily: Satyrinae . 112 Family: Papilionidae . 126 Subfamily: Papilioninae . 126 Family: Pieridae . 132 Subfamily: Coliadinae . 132 Subfamily: Dismorphiinae . 136 Subfamily: Pierinae . 137 Family: Riodinidae . 139 Subfamily: Euselasiinae . 139 Subfamily: Riodininae. 142 Discussion . 180 Acknowledgements . 180 Literature cited . 180 Abstract An examination of the available literature shows that a total of 1,205 butterfly species from 457 genera, 22 subfamilies and six families have been recorded in Guyana. Specimens that are unidentified above genus level and those that require further verification are excluded from this checklist. Although investigations have been conducted in all of the natural re- gions and administrative regions of Guyana, additional research is required on a number of aspects including species bi- ology and behavioral ecology. It is hoped that this list will facilitate research on such data gaps. Key words: butterfly diversity, checklist, insects, neotropical, south america Introduction Butterflies are terrestrial, diurnal/crepuscular insects belonging to the order Lepidoptera. They are primarily herbivores during the caterpillar stage of their life cycle, consuming foliage and extracting nutrients for development to the pupal stage. During this period, their excrements add to nutrient cycles within ecosystems and other organisms (e.g., plants) benefit. Adults are predominantly pollinators and, like caterpillars, are also a source of nutrients for other organisms (e.g., ants, spiders, birds, lizards, etc.) that prey on them. At the adult stage, butterflies are aesthetically pleasing to people. Additionally, the various forms and colours have been influential in the fashion and marketing industries, and have helped to shape the way people think (e.g.,"the butterfly effect"). Because of these features and many more, butterflies are widely studied. BUTTERFLIES OF GUYANA Zootaxa 4371 (1) © 2018 Magnolia Press · 3 Records of investigation of butterflies within Guyana date back as far as the 19th century and continue to present day. Additionally, these records indicate that investigations were conducted within the four natural regions and ten administrative regions of Guyana, from as low as 8 meters below sea level to as high as 1,676 meters above sea level. However, they are dispersed within various organizations in Guyana as well as abroad within host organizations of visiting researchers. Most of these documentations are in the form of field reports, organization reports and unpublished lists. This paper aims to present a checklist of butterfly species documented in Guyana. Methods This checklist was developed by collecting names of documented butterfly species emanating from journal articles, personal observations, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), research work conducted.