Butterflies and Moths of the World Generic Names and their Type-species
Genus:
Potanthus Scudder, 1872 . Rep. Peabody Acad. Sci. 4 : 54.
Status:
Available Name
Homonyms: 1
Higher classification:
HESPERIOIDEA : HESPERIIDAE : HESPERIINAE
Type-species:
Hesperia omaha Edwards , 1863 Proc. ent. Soc. Philad. 2 : 21. .
Type-species designation:
by original designation
Notes:
Hemming (1967) stated:-
For many years it was impossible to assign a systematic position to the genus Potanthus, because it was impossible to determine the identity of the taxon represented by its type-species, the nominal species Hesperia omaha Edwards. Both that species and also the only other species (Potanthus californica Scudder, then a newly established species) were stated by their original authors to have been taken in the United States : Edwards giving Colorado as the locality for Hesperia omaha ; Scudder giving California as the locality for Potanthus californica. No known United States species correspond with the descriptions given by Edwards and Scudder for the nominal species cited above respectively and named by those authors. This led to consideration being given to the possibility that the original localities cited for these species were incorrect and that in fact the type-material might have been obtained from somewhere outside the United States. After a discussion of this matter between the late W. H. Evans and myself it was arranged that the assistance of the British Museum should be sought to obtain the loan of the types or surviving paratypes of these nominal species (and also those of the equally mysterious and unrecognizable Hesperia mingo Edwards, 1866) from the various institutions in the United States in which they were preserved. The very generous response to this request made it possible to solve these long-outstanding mysteries. Full particulars of the Institutions which assisted in this way are given in the paper published in 1935 (Stylops 4 : 100-101) in which Evans made known the conclusions which he had reached in the light of the material so made available. Of the three nominal species investigated only Hesperia omaha Edwards is relevant in this present question. Of this nominal species through the kindness of Captain Roswell C. Williams a paratype and a watercolour painting of the holotype were made available for study. The paratype was found to be a female of the species to which in 1879 (Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (5) 15 : 191) Butler had given the name Pamphila maesoides, of which the male holotype from Malacca is now in the British Museum. Referring to the watercolour of the holotype of Hesperia omaha, Evans added that it too belonged to Pamphila maesoides Butler.
In the light of the foregoing information, it can therefore be stated that the taxon represented by the nominal species Hesperia omaha Edwards is considered on taxonomic grounds to be the same as that represented by the nominal species Pamphila maesoides Butler, 1879. As the older of the two specific names concerned, the name omaha Edwards replaces the name maesoides Butler, which therefore sinks as a junior subjective synonym of omaha Edwards.
For the sake of completeness, it is useful to note that the taxon bearing the foregoing names is currently considered (a) to be a distinct species, and (b) to be congeneric with Pamphila maesa Moore, 1865, which is currently considered to represent the same taxon as that represented by the older-established nominal species Hesperia dara Kellar, [1844] (see Evans, 1949, Cat. Hesp. Europ. Asia Australia : 378, 379). Pamphila maesa Moore is the type-species of the genus Padraona Moore, [1881], to which it and its allies were referred up to the close of the investigation described above. At that stage Evans (1935, Stylops 4 : 101) realizing that Potanthus Scudder was the older of these two names, adopted it in place of Padraona Moore, which he sank as a junior subjective Synonym.
Junior name(s):
Padraona Moore, 1881: 170.
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