Volume 27, Number 1 79
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Fig. 1. Callithomia skinneri new species, holotype female, Ocama Mission, Amazonas, Venezuela, February 1967. Natural scale.
The general appearance and the relatively narrow male forewings place Callithomia skinneri in the subgenus Leithomia which includes xantho (Felder), methonella (Weymer), inturna (Fox), epidero (Bates), foxi Masters, zingiber Fox, lenea (Cramer) and drogheda (Weeks). Of these, only lenea and drogheda in any way resemble skinneri; skinneri can be separated from both of them by its distinct more opaque forewings and the large oval yellow spot in them. In several respects, drogheda bridges the distinctions between skinneri and lenea—these three may be found ultimately to be geographic subspecies of a single species. None of the species in the nominate subgenus have a similar appearance.
AN "ALBINO" LYCAENA HELLOIDES (LYCAENIDAE)
White or whitish specimens of Lycaena phlaeas Linnaeus have been recorded on both sides of the Atlantic (e.g. Fuller 1962, J. Lepid. Soc. 16: 59; Martin 1962, J. Lepid. Soc. 16: 59-60) but do not seem to be on record for L. helloides Boisduval, the most widespread purely Nearctic member of the genus. A fresh female L. helloides with the orange coloration completely replaced by creamy white on both surfaces was taken 17 April 1972 in the Putah Creek Recreation Area near Davis, Yolo Co., California. The blanching includes the normally deep reddish-orange ventral subterminal line of the hind wing. It is associated with curled or "frizzled" scales as previously reported for "albino" L. phlaeas. L. helloides is very common near Davis and shows considerable minor variation, especially in the maculation of the females.
Arthur M. Shapiro, Department of Zoology, University of California, Davis, California 95616.