MORPHOLOGY
External characteristics
Male
Forewing length (mm): 23 (Kirton, 2018). Wingspan (mm): 44 - 54 (Bingham, 1907).
Forewings: Has broad black apical markings in the forewing underside (D'Abrera, 1982). The apex on the forewing is pointed and the termen are almost straight, the marginal border is black coloured and widened toward the apex (Yata and Morishita, 1979). The upper and underside wing surface is a very pale yellow (Kirton, 2018).
Female Wingspan (mm):44 - 54 (Bingham, 1907).
Colouration of the wings is always white (D'Abrera, 1982).
Subspecies and variation
Thirteen subspecies are described, of which three subspecies are found in Philippines. Females of ssp. distanti have pale yellow coloured wings (D'Abrera, 1982; Yata and Morishita, 1979). Males of ssp. elis and ssp. hainana are similar to those of ssp. distanti. The Philippine subspecies have in both sexes a tendency to broad black apical margins, where the females have a wing colouration varying from yellowish white to light ochre-yellow, probably due to seasonal variation (D'Abrera, 1982); the ground colour is shaded with orange (Yata and Morishita, 1979). Some males from ssp. mindanensis are dull orange (D'Abrera, 1982). In this species, there is geographical variation. Females from ssp. elis are almost completely white coloured and the male of this ssp. is the palest of all subspecies. The female of ssp. palawanica is tinged with orange colouration. Females from ssp. austrosundana are milky white coloured and the inner edge of the black border is not sharply zigzagged (Yata and Morishita, 1979).