Data from: A snow-dwelling tropical butterfly? An unprecedented discovery of a new genus of the Pedaliodes clade in an extreme, high-altitude Andean environment (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Satyrinae)

A new genus of satyrine butterflies, Nivaliodes gen. nov., is described for three species, all new – N. negrobueno sp. nov.,N. virococha sp. nov. and N. puriq sp. nov. (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae) – with a support of molecular data and adult morphology. Target enrichment-based phylogeny indicates Nivaliodes gen. nov. is sister to the genus Pherepedaliodeswithin an extremely diverse Pedaliodes clade of the predominantly Andean subtribe Pronophilina. Whereas an overwhelming majority of species of this group occur in tropical montane forests, N. negrobueno sp. nov. was discovered in a central Peruvian desert puna at some 4600-4800 m asl., the highest elevation reported for any species of the Pronophilina. Individuals were observed overflying rocky slopes and resting directly on snow-covered surfaces, which is an exceptionally unusual behaviour among butterflies. The other two species of the new genus were found at lower elevations, some 3300-4200 m asl. at the timberline and in puna grassland.