MORPHOLOGY

External characteristics

Male
Forewing length (mm): 64-73. Wingspan (mm): 110-130.
Forewings: Upperside black, veins in cell inconspicuously paler; underside black with veins of cell finely outlined in gray and double violet-grayish stripes between the veins. Hindwings crenulate with strong spatulate tail at end of vein 4; upperside black with large, irregular, pale yellowish patch from front margin to vein 4, consisting of four spots (in spaces 4-7), the upper one the narrowest, less that half width the spot below it, inconspicuous red spot in space 1b just above tornus; underside same large pale spot white, intersected by dark veins, in addition there are red spots in spaces 1a-b and 2 enclosing a black 'eye' and three ill-defined blue spots between red spot in space 1b and white spot in space 4.

Female
Forewing length (mm): 74-82. Wingspan (mm):138-142.
Similar to male but upperside forewing similar to underside forewing of male and on hindwing two red spots in tornal area (in spaces 1b and 2) enclosing a black 'eye'; underside hindwing as in male.

Subspecies and variation

Slight geographical variation in size and development of spots; two subspecies have been distinguished, ssp. iswara from Sumatra and W Malaysia, ssp. araspes from Borneo.

Similar species

Not likely to be confused, except with P. iswaroides. Apart from being larger P. Iswara can easily be recognised by the pale patch on the hindwing consisting of four instead of three spots.

_{source: Jan Moonen, peronal communication 2020}