MORPHOLOGY

External characteristics

Male
Forewing length (mm): 43-45. Wingspan (mm): 67-72.
Forewings: Upperside black, pale green spots as follows: complete series of submarginal spots (double spot in space 1b), series of median spots from hind margin to near apex, lower spots largest, but all separate, seven spots in cell and one at end cell, basal-most one continued across base of space 1b to hind margin; underside similar, but ground color rather dark brown, often with a violet sheen Hindwings Crenulate, at end of vein 4 elongated but not a real tail; upperside black with small pale green submarginal, small median spots in spaces 2 to 4 or 5, large square whitish spot from costa to cell, continued through cell as a narrowing pale greenish spot and further through space 2 towards tornus, but not reaching it, pale greenish stripe from costa near wing base to and connecting with pale greenish spot in cell, pale greenish stripe from wing base through space 1b to half wing; underside ground color as underside forewing, wing markings as upperside but small red marks at costa near wing base and at base of space 6.

Female
Similar to male, but the spots are whitish instead of pale green.

Subspecies and variation

There is much variation in size and in the development and extension of the wing markings. About four subspecies are recognized, the extreme one being the small (male wingspan 67 mm) ssp. seminigra, which has the hindwing almost completely black.

Similar species

Unmistakable.

_{source: Jan Moonen, peronal communication 2020}