Phylogenetic position and taxonomic rearrangement of Davidina (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae), an enigmatic butterfly genus new for Europe and America

Abstract

Davidina, an enigmatic butterfly genus described from China in the 19th century, has been long time considered a member of the family Pieridae due to its pierid-like wing pattern. In the 20th century, it was transferred to the family Satyridae (now subfamily Satyrinae of Nymphalidae) based on analysis of genitalia structure and placed next to the species-rich genus Oeneis (subtribe Satyrina), being separated from the latter by supposed differences in wing venation. Here we conducted phylogenetic and taxonomic study of the subtribe Satyrina using analysis of molecular and morphological characters. We show that the genus Oeneis is not monophyletic, and consists of two non-sister, genetically diverged and morphologically differentiated groups (Oeneis s.s. and Protoeneis). We also demonstrate that Davidina is closely related to Protoeneis, not to Oeneis s.s. To avoid the discovered non-monophyly and morphological heterogeneity, several species should be extracted from Oeneis and transferred to the genus Davidina. As a consequence, we conclude that the name Protoeneis Gorbunov, 2001 is congeneric with Davidina Oberthur, 1879. We also conclude that Davidina is not a monotypic Chinese endemic genus as it has been previously supposed, but is composed of nine species and has a broad distribution area in the Holarctic region including Europe and America.