MORPHOLOGY
External characteristics
Male
Forewing length (mm): 27 (Joicey and Talbot, 1922).
Forewings: The forewing upper side has a black distal edge. The forewing underside has subapical yellow spots and a black coloured distal area (Pequin, 2021). Hindwings The entire hindwing underside has a black ground colour, except for a small white apical patch and occasional white dusting in the upper part of the cell. There is a subbasal stripe which has a lemon colouration and a white coloured apico-costal triangular patch, bordered heavily with red on the inner edge (Pequin, 2021).
Female
Forewing length (mm): 28 (Joicey and Talbot, 1922).
The females generally have a different underside wing surface than the males, by being darker with broader margins on both wings (D'Abrera, 1982). The forewing and hindwing upper side of female have a much more black on it. The forewing underside is as above, with yellow subapical spots. The hindwing underside is as in the males, but the apical white patch is reduced on its lower edge and more or less powdered with black (Pequin, 2021).
Subspecies and variation
Four subspecies are described, of which three subspecies are found in Papua (Pequin, 2021).