A new species of Choranthus from Hispaniola (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)

Abstract

Choranthus maria is described from a single female reared from a larva found feeding on the leaves of a young Sabal palm. The type locality is a tropical hardwood forest near Sosua, on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, Hispaniola. The closest relatives of C. maria are C. schwartzi and perhaps C. melissa which are also endemic to Hispaniola. These other species differ from C. maria in color pattern, morphology of the female genitalia, biogeographical distribution, and probably larval hostplants.