In the Shadow of the Carmens: Afield with a Naturalist in the Northern Mexican Mountains

26. The JoBoni Satyr

For almost five years we had been working steadily on all phases of the flora and fauna baseline inventory for the Carmens when we realized in 2005 that we were lacking information on butterflies, which were everywhere in the spring through the fall months. We began fieldwork documenting the presence of species and collecting specimens. We had much other fieldwork to conduct on various research projects and baseline inventory, so we would pack up the butterfly collecting gear along with our other field equipment. When we saw butterflies, we would stop and take photos and collect. There are many different habitats for butterflies in the Carmens, as well as abundant water and food sources. Many migrants move through these mountains, as well as strays from farther south. Our list was growing daily, and we were pretty confident of our identification for most. We were delighted when Ro and Betty Wauer, Jim Brock, and Sally and Eric Fickelstein came for a visit. We had much to learn about butterflies and Jim and Ro were the experts. We spent as much time as possible with them, and they helped us identify several species we were not sure of. Butterfly collecting is a science; butterflies seem to float effortlessly along, so we thought they would be easy to catch. We learned quickly that you just didn’t step out of the truck and gently scoop up a butterfly. Amid much jumping , running, falling down, and unusual dance antics we 26 The JoBoni Satyr In the Shadow of the Carmens 158 were slowly improving our technique on butterfly capture. How could you miss a huge swallowtail butterfly with a big net when it was at eye level floating along? Very easily—I must have missed dozens. Each new species we added to the list was a small victory and our list continued to grow. Early in June 2005, we were on a ridge above Los Cojos and saw a medium-size butterfly rise up from Pringle’s speargrass and fly to another patch of grass. Jonás and I asserted simultaneously that this was a different butterfly. So we left the truck and commenced our weird dance of catch-the-butterfly. “Dancing with the Stars” contestants had nothing on us. We could turn, hop, swoop, twirl, glide, moonwalk, jitterbug, and tango after a butterfly, and we were getting better at it. Almost simultaneously we netted two specimens . Jonás dropped his net about ten seconds before I dropped mine. We prepared the specimens ; we were not sure of the identification as it was similar to Ridings’ satyr but somewhat different in both wing color and pattern shape on the wing. The habitat preference of the newly captured butterfly was the windswept ridges above La Cachuchua and below Casa Negro in pine-oak woodland habitat. We took photos of habitat, the Pringle speargrass, and of the butterfly itself. Ro and Betty Wauer, Jim Brock, and Eric and Sally Fickelstein made their annual visit to El Carmen in August. After studying the two specimens we had collected, Jim was sure this species was different. Working under permits issued by the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), we collected more specimens and carefully prepared them to send to Mexico City. I asked Salvador to hand carry the package to Monterrey and then have them ship it overnight to Mexico City to Jorge Llorente at UNAM. Then we anxiously awaited the DNA results. Andy Warren emailed me in late 2007 to inform me that it was definitely a new species. This new species differed from Ridings satyr by wing color, shape, and pattern of markings on the wing, and in the genitalia of both males and females. DNA analysis confirmed the differences compared to other Neominois species. In the meantime we had been referring to this species as the JoBoni satyr. We mulled over many common names before we settled on JoBoni. Jonás dropped his net seconds before I did, so he got the honor of being first in the common name, so “JoBoni satyr” it became. The most exciting part of discovering a new speJoBoni satyr. Photo Jim Brock, 2007 159 The JoBoni Satyr cies to science was the fact that the common name is not only named after us, but...