Immature stages and natural host plant of the Neotropical skipper Pheraeus pulcher Grishin, 2023 (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Moncina) in the Peruvian Amazon

Abstract

Skippers (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) are an extremely diverse group of butterflies in the Neotropics. However, basic biological information is still lacking for the vast majority of species, hindering studies of the group’s evolutionary relationships, diversification, and species interactions. Here, we describe the immature stages, natural host plant, and larval shelter construction of Pheraeus pulcher, a recently described species in the particularly diverse subtribe Moncina from southeastern Peru. The life cycle, based on an individual reared from the egg, lasted 61 days and included six larval instars. The host plant is Guadua weberbaueri, a widespread bamboo species that forms dense stands throughout the study region. Our findings represent a significant improvement in our knowledge of this highly diverse yet poorly studied group of skippers in one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots.