Delias hypomelas

MORPHOLOGY


External characteristics


Male 
Wingspan (mm): 60 - 64 (DBpedia, n.d.).
Forewings: The underside wing surface has a smoky-black colouration, with a small yellow costal spot, a black distal patch and a broken-white submarginal line. The upper side wing surface is creamy-white with a broad black distal area on the forewing. The inner margin of the forewing underside is white coloured, with two yellow subapical spots (Pequin, 2021).  Hindwings There is a narrow black margin on the hindwing upper side. The costa on the hindiwng is yellow coloured, and a white, broken at the veins, submarginal line (Pequin, 2021).

Female  
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 upper side has orange subapical spots. The proximal area is on both wings white (Pequin, 2021).  

Subspecies and variation

 
Six subspecies are described, of which three subspecies are found in Papua New Guinea and three are found in Papua. Ssp rubrostriata has red stripes on the hindwing (Pequin, 2021).

Similar species

This species is closely related to Delias heroni and Delias itamputi (Pequin, 2021).

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