Delias campbelli Joicey & Talbot 1922

Subspecies and range of Delias campbelli :

. campbelli Joicey & Talbot 1922 - Weyland Mts, Papua

. microleuca Roepke 1955 - Idenburg River, Papua

f.subflavescens Roepke 1955

. dentatus Yagishita 1993 - Kerowagi, Papua New Guinea

. maria Talbot 1937 - Mt Cyclops, Papua

(junior objective synonym cyclops van Mastrigt 1997)

Notes on Delias campbelli :

In this gorgeous species, the black ground colour extends over the entire hind wing with the exception of a small white apical patch and occasional white dusting in the upper part of the cell.

Original Description: Joicey & Talbot - Bull. Hill Mus. i, pt 2 - 1922. "Male: Upperside almost as in hapalina, the distal black on the fore wing broader apically, and with a straight edge from vein 2 to 6.

Underside of fore wing with subapical yellow spots as in hapalina, and distal black area as on the upperside. Hind wing black. A subbasal stripe of lemon colour (iv) larger than in hapalina. An apico-costal triangular white patch between vein 6 and the margin, bordered heavily with red on the inner edge. A little distad of the red edging to the white patch is a thin red line from vein 6 to 1b, curved outwards to vein 5, inwards to vein 2, and downwards to 1b.

Female: Upperside of fore wing with much broader black, reaching end of cell, or with a little white powdering outside in the cell. Hind wing with broad black outer margin intermixed with white scaling and inner edge nebulous.

Underside of forewing as above. Yellow subapical spots as in male. Hind wing as in male, but the apical white patch reduced on its lower edge, and more or less powdered with black."

Notes on Delias campbelli maria / cyclops :

Delias campbelli maria was originally described by Talbot in 1937 from 2 males from the Cyclops Mounts (1,000m.).

In 1997, Henk van Mastrigt wrote that maria is pre-occupied by Delias mariae J&T 1916, and Mastrigt has therefore proposed the new name "cyclops" in recognition of the area where it is to be found. But the ICZN code doesn't accept that change as "mariae" and "maria" are not homonyms. So the right name of this ssp. remains "maria".

Parsons synonymised "maria" with the nominate ssp. in 1999 studying the type specimens. But the following reasons make us think that maria taxon is valid :

- The first known female of Delias campbelli maria caught in 2023 (Coll. Pequin) is very different from nominate fameles.

- some morphological differences in males too,

- the huge distance between Weyland Mounts and Cyclops Mounts,

- the fact that the Foja Mts population discovered in 2008 after Parsons paper (located between Weyland Mts and Cyclops Mts) is different,

- the high endemism on Cyclops Mounts (Delias maaikeae, Delias albertisi discoides...).

Notes on Delias campbelli from the Foja Mounts.

In November 2008, Henk van Mastrigt discovered a population of campbelli during his second expedition to the remoted Foja Mounts (see Sugapa article here). A rapid look at the 3 specimens he found makes me think they are very close to ssp. microleuca. (Olivier PEQUIN).