Thisbe silvestre sp. nov. (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) a new myrmecophilous butterfly from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
This paper describes a new species of Thisbe Hubner from the Atlantic Forest of south eastern Brazil. Both adult and immature morphology are described and illustrated, and the natural history, behaviour and symbiotic interactions with ants (myrmecophily) are documented. This new species, T. silvestre sp. nov. is known only from the type locality at Parque Nacional do Caparao, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Due to the isolation of the known population, specialised host plant use, restricted geographic distribution and high degree of specificity in a vulnerable habitat, T. silvestre is considered threatened. Thus, monitoring this population is urgently needed, as well as the search for other populations of this butterfly in potential localities in order to evaluate its conservation status.