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Dione ( Agraulis ) dodona (Nymphalidae: Heliconiinae) is a butterfly restricted to the western slopes of the Andes of Peru and Chile and is associated with Malesherbia tenuifolia in xerophytic environments. In this study, we found six additional species of host plants for D. ( A. ) dodona belonging to the genus Malesherbia (Passifloraceae). We used mitochondrial DNA sequences (COI) and microsatellites to screen genetic variation and investigate population structure in six geographic disjointed populations of D . ( A .) dodona associated with distinct Malesherbia species. The PCoA analysis based on allele frequencies evidenced a lack of differentiation among populations and a low F ST . The Bayesian cluster analyses revealed the existence of three genetically distinct groups, but almost all individuals present an admixture ancestry. An absence of isolation by distance pattern was observed. Possible scenarios are discussed: a bottleneck or recent colonization from interconnected populations from the south, and ongoing gene flow among local populations by high dispersal through a landscape formed of isolated populations of Malesherbia .

Angelabella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae: Oecophyllembiinae) is considered a monotypic Neotropical genus of leaf miner micromoths known only from a few valleys of the arid environments of the Peru-Chile desert, particularly the southernmost part of Peru and northernmost part of Chile (type locality), where natural populations of its primary host plant occur. The geographic distribution of potential host plants provides a scenario for a wider range for this micromoth genus. The aims of this study were to explore the geographic range of Angelabella , determine the spatial distribution of mitochondrial lineages, and test lineage conspecificity hypotheses. The spatial distribution of genetic diversity indicated the presence of four spatial clusters, three of which are north of the previously known geographic range. Genetic distances were 0.2-0.8% and 3.6-8.3% (K2P) between haplotypes of the same and different spatial clusters, respectively. Phylogenetic relationships indicated reciprocal monophyly among the four spatial clusters, suggesting that allopatric differentiation processes have governed the recent history of Angelabella in these arid environments. These groups were defined as different species by four species delimitation methods, suggesting that Angelabella is not a monotypic genus, but harbors at least four morphologically cryptic allopatric species with restricted geographic ranges, including the type species and three candidate species.