Papilio krishna benyongi Hu & Cotton, 2023

Hu, Shao-Ji, Cotton, Adam M., Lamas, Gerardo, Duan, Kuang & Zhang, Xin, 2023, Checklist of Yunnan Papilionidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) with nomenclatural notes and descriptions of new subspecies, Zootaxa 5362 (1), pp. 1-69 : 40-41

64b. Papilio krishna benyongi Hu & Cotton ssp. nov. ( Figure 19 )

Description: ♁. Forewing length: 54–59 mm. Forewing upperside: velvet black scattered with gold green scales, postdiscal band straw white with gold green borders. Forewing underside: ground colour blackish brown, discocell greyish with four black streaks, area below discocell peppered with gold greenish-blue scales, outer half greyish with black veins and intervenous streaks, postdiscal band whitish and broader. Hindwing upperside: velvet black scattered with gold green scales, postdiscal band gold green, connected with large serrate metallic blue apical patch, subterminal lunules purple red shaded with blue and green scales, tornal purple red marking nearly circular. Hindwing underside: ground colour blackish brown, basal half peppered with straw white scales, postdiscal band whitish, continuously zigzagging in cells CuA 2 to M 2, subterminal lunules larger, purple red shaded with blue scales, termen marked with orange at end of each cell. ♀. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis: Size similar to ssp. thawgawa , forewing length 54–59 mm. The distinct difference is the creamy postdiscal band on the underside of the hindwing is continuous in spaces M 2 and M 3, instead of being interrupted as in other known subspecies. Differs from ssp. charlesi in the larger size, better developed markings and green hue to the forewings, dull blackish in ssp. charlesi .

Type material: HOLOTYPE: ♂, Pingpo, Yangbi, 2019-V-6, S. J. Hu leg. [ KIZ] . PARATYPES: 4♂♂, the same collecting data as the holotype [ SJH]; 1♂, Pingpo, 2,200 m, Dali, 2016-IV-25–V-20, Y. Yang leg. [ AMC]; 2♂♂, Pingpo, 2,200 m, Dali, 2017-V–VI, Y. Yang leg. [ AMC] .

Distribution: currently only known from the Yangbi area of Dali.

Etymology: The subspecies name is dedicated to Prof. Ben-Yong Mao in Dali University, who contributed in the survey and conservation of butterflies in Cang Shan. The subspecies name is a masculine noun in the genitive case.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Types of Papilio krishna benyongi Hu & Cotton ssp. nov.; upperside on the first row, underside on the second row; A: holotype, ♂, B–C: paratypes, ♂; scale bar = 10 mm.