A phylogenetic analysis of the Neotropical riodinid butterfly genera Juditha, Lemonias, Thisbe and Uraneis, with a revision of Juditha (Lepidoptera :Riodinidae : Nymphidiini)

A cladistic analysis is presented for all twenty-four species in the Neotro pical riodinid butterfly genera Juditha Hemming, Lemonias Hubner, Thisbe Hu bner and Uraneis Bates based on sixty-nine characters of male and female mo rphology and external facies, and utilizing Audre domina Bates as the outgr oup. All characters are illustrated. The analysis confirms the monophyly of Juditha and Uraneis, but indicates that Lemonias is polyphyletic and Thisb e is paraphyletic with respect to Uraneis, leading us to synonymize Uraneis with Thisbe (syn.n.). Juditha is found to be the sister clade to true Lemo nias +(Thisbe + Uraneis). A revision of Juditha is presented which includes discussions on the taxonomy, biology and distribution of its species, and illustrations of the adults and male and female genitalia of all taxa and t he early stages of an exemplar, J. caucana. Eight species are recognized in Juditha, including two, J. naza and J. inambari, which are described as ne w. The following new generic combinations are made: rubigo Bates is transfe rred from Juditha to Pachythone Bates; agave Godman & Salvin and leucogonia Stichel are transferred from Lemonias to Pseudonymphidia Callaghan; ochrac ea Mengel, theodora Godman and albofasciata Godman are transferred from Aud re Hemming to Lemonias; fenestrella Lathy is transferred from Thisbe to Syn argis Hubner; hyalina Butler, ucubis Hewitson and incubus Hall, Lamas & Wil lmott are transferred from Uraneis to Thisbe; and odites Cramer (= phylleus Auctt.) is transferred from Synargis to Juditha (comb.n.).