Delias luctuosa

MORPHOLOGY


External characteristics


Male 

Forewings: The forewing upper side has a white coloured area and is much shaded with black in the cell. There are three subapical dots and a black border, which is broad at the hind margin. The forewing underside has a white area and a black coloured border, which strongly narrows posteriorly (Pequin, 2021). Hindwings The hindwing upper side has a black coloured margin, which narrows moderately behind. There are three white submarginal dots. The hindwing underside has a central area is uniformly suffused with sulphur-yellow. There is a red line, white, somewhat triangular, spots are placed at its outer side and black marginal spots (Pequin, 2021).

Female  
No description available (Pequin, 2021).  

Subspecies and variation

 
Six subspecies are described, of which three subspecies are found in Papua New Guinea and two are found in Papua. Females of ssp. mizukamii have a white coloured upper side wing surface. There is of ssp. archboldi a yellow form, called f. butyracea (Pequin, 2021).

Similar species

This species is similar to Delias iltis, but can be distinguished by the larger amount of black on both sides of the forewing (Pequin, 2021).

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