Delias butterflies

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Delias albertisi Oberthür 1880 green.png

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Delias albertisi albertisi
Arfak, Papua
16 August 2016
Picture by Mehd Halaouate

Subspecies and range of Delias albertisi :

. albertisi Oberthür 1880 - Arfak Mounts, Papua
         f. africanus Kenrick 1911
. albiplaga Joicey & Talbot 1922 - Weyland Mts, Papua
. discoides Talbot 1937 - Cyclop Mounts, Papua 

 

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Notes on Delias albertisi : 

Easily distinguished by the yellow subbasal band on the underside of the hind wing.

None of the forms are very common. The subspecies D. a. albiplaga is distinguished by having the hindwing patch white instead of yellow.

Status of Delias albertisi discoides : 

The subspecies, Delias albertisi discoides is often to be found listed as a subspecies of D. discus. Talbot, in his monograph described it as a ssp. of albertisi so we have kept it here for the moment as no revision has ever been published about that. The size (much larger than other albertisi ssp) and the upper side let us think it is a ssp of discus. Future DNA testing may confirm that. 

The locality of Delias albertisi discoides has long been a mistery. Talbot mentions North Dutch New Guinea, and many people, included Les Day, concluded that he meant the Doberai Peninsular. However, Henk van Mastrigt has corrected him on this, advising that it is actually to be found around the Cyclop Mounts in Jayapura. Henk caught only one specimen in his life (at 700m. altitude) but other specimens has now been found in higher altitude (1500m) on the famous Cyclop Mounts. 

Group albertisi species :