Catopsilia pyranthe

MORPHOLOGY


External characteristics


Male 
Forewing length (mm): 28 - 30 (Otsuka, Kazuhisa, 2001), 35 (Kirton, 2018). Wingspan (mm): 53 (Braby, 2004).
Forewings: The underside wing surface has ripple markings. The forewing underside has a reduced, black coloured border, but this border is never absent (Yata and Morishita, 1979).The upper side wing surface has a green-ish white colouration. The underside wing surface is a darker shade of green-ish white and is heavily mottled with fine brown streaks (Kirton, 2018). 

Female  Wingspan (mm):53 (Braby, 2004).
The female has on the upper side wing surface no yellow colouration (Yata and Morishita, 1979).  

Subspecies and variation

 
Three subspecies are described. This species has seasonal polymorphism in the higher latitudes and places with extreme dry or wet conditions of its distribution; the wet season form has on its upper side wing surface a white ground-colour, with a well developed black marginal border on the forewing. There are ripple markings on the underside wing surface and the discocellular spot is vestigial or lacks completely. The antenna of the wet season form is yellow coloured; The dry season form has on the upper side wing surface a pale yellow ground-colour, and a less developed marginal border on the forewing. The ripples on the underside wing surface are darker and tinged with a reddish brown colour, the discocellular spot is conspicuous. The antenna of the dry season form are pink coloured. The wingshape of ssp. evangelina is much more rounded and the discocellular spot is much reduced, in comparison with the nominate species. Ssp. alorensis has a much whiter ground-colour and blackened veins on the submarginal portion of the forewing upper side. The submarginal marking on the underside wing surface is well developed (Yata and Morishita, 1979).

Similar species

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