MORPHOLOGY

External characteristics

Male
Forewing length (mm): 54-56. Wingspan (mm): 93-98.
Forewings: Upperside basal 1/4 to more than half sky blue with strongly toothed edge, rest of wing black, but with six elliptical patches of dull gray-black sex-scales on veins 1-6, causing the indentation of the edge of the blue field; underside, basal 3/5 dark brown, rest of wing violet-gray, finely powdered whiten in a triangular area next to the dark basal field, starting narrow at tornus and almost reaching apex. Hindwings Hindwing crenulate with long spatulate tail at end of vein 4; upperside, basal 1/3 to 3/4 sky blue, edge rather sharp and more or less toothed, rest of wing black; underside, basal 4/5 dark brown, some inconspicuous white powdering in an indistinct band from inner margin to apex (end of costa), rest of wing violet-gray, submarginal spots indicated more or less elliptical white scaling.

Female
Forewing length (mm): 69. Wingspan (mm):108.
Blue patches reduced in size and intensity, may be all present but disappeared in some forms. No sex scales on forewing upperside.

Subspecies and variation

There is much variation in overall size and in the extent of the blue fields; 14 to 16 subspecies have been recognised.

Similar species

No similar species. P. lorquinianus is very similar in wing pattern and the possession of the gray-black seks scales on the forewing, but its color, sea green, is very different.

_{source: Jan Moonen, peronal communication 2020}