Description of a new pronophiline butterfly from the Venezuelan Cordillera de Mérida previously known as Pedaliodes ferratilis form luteocosta Adams & Bernard with data on its altitudinal distribution (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae)

A new species of butterfly, Pedaliodes minabilis (Nymphalidae, Satyrinae), is described from the cloud forests of the Cordillera de Mérida in Venezuela. It was previously confused with P. ferratilis found in Peru and Bolivia, related to P. proerna found at lower elevations in the Cordillera de Mérida. An individual form luteocosta Adams & Bernard (1981) appears to represent the dominant phenotype of the new species, whereas the ferratilis-like phenotype is common exclusively in the Chama valley and is excessively rare elsewhere. P. minabilis occurs in high elevation cloud forest from 2200 m to timberline, at 3100-3200 m asl. It is the dominant species in pronophiline community above 2500 m.