Delias butterflies

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Delias waterstradti Rothschild 1915 yellow

Subspecies and range of Delias waterstradti :

. waterstradti Rothschild 1915 - Halmahera

. cameriae Morita 1989 - Bachan

. jini Nakano 1995 - Morotai

 

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Notes on Delias waterstradti :

A very easily identifiable species, recognised by the pale yellow upperside.
Not so common in collections. 

The nominate subspecies is extremely rare and has not been found on Halmahera for many years. The subspecies most commonly to be found on offer, or in collections is D.w.cameriae.

Original description (Nominate form) - Rothschild - Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist (8) 15 - 1915- "Male: Above canary-yellow tinged with green; apex and costal area of fore wing and margin of hind wing brown. Below, fore wing black-brown, cell densely and rest of basal half of wing sparsely powdered with golden-yellow; beyond cell and along nervures the yellow powdering is more densely present, almost appearing like a band of yellow patches; a subapical band of large golden-yellow patches. Hind wing, basal three-fifths golden-yellow, powdered in basal half with sooty-black; outer two-fifths black-brown, with submarginal row of large golden-yellow patches.

Female: Unknown."

The females of the more recent subspecies are known but the original description is not currently available to me.

Group stresemanni species :