Delias butterflies

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Delias itamputi   Ribbe 1900 red.png

Subspecies and range of Delias itamputi :

No subspecies

. itamputi - Aroa River, Papua New Guinea

 

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Notes on Delias itamputi :

The name itamputi comes from the Malay, meaning 'black and white one'.
It is the only species in this group in which the female differs considerable from the male. In both sexes, there are large yellow subapical spots, unlike any other member of the group.
A rare species, found in very few collections indeed. 

Male: Upperside as in hypomelas without the paler distal scent-area of the heroni fore wing. Fore wing with black distal area slightly less broad than in hypomelas, and on the hind wing the black edging is more of a line. Underside with smoky-black ground-colour. Fore wing similar to heroni, but there is less black at the base of the cell, and the edge of the black area is only slightly angled at vein 4, and the black post-cellular patch is absent or vestigial. Two or three yellow subapical spots as in the allied species but larger and placed farther from the margin. There is usually a white post-cellular mark of variable size beyond the upper end of the cell. Hindwing with a small yellow basal costal spot. A silvery white patch occupies the greater part of the costa and reaches to vein 6 or below it. this patch is sometimes extended to below the cell and into the end of the cell, leaving a black discal patch, or the black patch may be large and leave only some white markings below the cell connected by a line through the cell to the costal patch. In some cases the costal patch suffers a distal reduction. A white submarginal line as in hypomelas, sometimes vestigial posteriorly, in other cases very pronounced with a large spot in 6. No distinct black distal spot.

Female: Upperside black with yellow markings. Fore wing with greenish-yellow proximal area extended to vein 3, its edge not sharply defined. A subapical row of four chrome-yellow patches, often also a subcostal streak and a fifth spot in 2. The patches in 4 and 5 are larger than the others. hind wing with proximal three-fourths of costa white, and a proximal greenish-yellow area (paler on the inner margin) extending to the end of the cell, its edge diffuse. Usually two yellow submarginal dots in 5 and 6.  Underside black. Fore wing with yellow subapical patches as above but much enlarged, forming a band of 5 or 6 patches, sharply defined on its outer edge. Proximal area reduced with two-thirds of the inner margin white. Hind wing with yellow basal spot and submarginal white line as in the male. A white subbasal costal stripe on vein 8, and the proximal half of vein 7 white. Sometimes a small yellow discal spot.

Group geraldina species :