Four new species of Piruna Evans, 1955 from western Mexico (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Heteropterinae)

Abstract

Four new species of Piruna are described from Mexico, and notes on their morphology, distribution, phenology, biogeography and ecology are provided. Piruna uruapana sp. nov. is described from the Municipality of Uruapan, Michoacán, in the western Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (Eje Neovolcánico). Piruna chinicuila sp. nov. is described from the Municipality of Chinicuila, Michoacán, in the central subprovince of the Sierra Madre del Sur. Piruna bailowitzi sp. nov. is described from the northern Sierra Madre Occidental and its associated Sky Islands in Sonora and Chihuahua. Piruna temascaltepeca sp. nov. is described from near the town of Temascaltepec de González, Municipality of Temascaltepec, State of México, in the central Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Three of these new species appear to be restricted to fire-maintained grassy openings in montane pine-oak forest.