Talbotia naganum aurelia Monastyrskii & Vu, 2021

Monastyrskii, Alexander L. & Lien, Vu Van, 2021, New taxa and new records of butterflies from Vietnam (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea), Zootaxa 5048 (4), pp. 486-510 : 491-493

Talbotia naganum aurelia Monastyrskii & Vu , subspec. nov.

( Fig. 4 )

Description: Male. Length of forewing: ♂ HT 30 mm; ♂ PTs 30, 27.5, 31, 29, 26, 28, 27, 29, 28.5, 29, 27, 27.5, 30, 27.5, 25, 30, 29.5 mm (n=17; mean=28.32)

Forewing upperside ( Figure 4A ). Ground colour uniformly white with blackened costal edge at basal and sub-basal areas; black broad submarginal band bordered distal part of costa, apex and half of termen extends from costa to the cell Cu 1a with connection to large black submarginal spot in cell M 3, though rarely submarginal band is not connected with black spot in cell M 3; discocellular vein between M 2 and M 3 is ornamented by one black spot; submarginal area in cell Cu 1b sometimes bears blackish round spot varied in size. Forewing underside ( Figure 4B ). Ground colour uniformly white with yellowish ochreous margin from mid costa to mid termen which broadens at the apical area; large, usually rectangular black spot presented within centre of cell M 3; sometimes, small, blackened spots presented in cells Cu 1b and M 1. Basal and sub-basal part of discal cell densely covered by blackish scales; such dusty black area prominent at lower part of discal cell along cubitus; distinct black spot on the discocellular vein between M 2 and M 3 diffuses along cubitus. Hindwing upperside ( Figure 4A ). Ground colour of hindwing uniformly whitish with very pale creamy tinge which is the result of intensive yellow ground colour of the hindwing under surface. Hindwing underside ( Figure 4B ). Ground colour of the hindwing uniformly intensive yellow with light golden tinge and whitish scales on veins.

Female. Length of forewing: PTs 28, 27, 26, 27, 23 mm (n=5; mean= 26,2)

Forewing upperside ( Figure 4E ) Ground colour of the forewing varies from uniformly white to uniformly very pale yellowish unequally dusted with black scales; pattern includes a thick black border around the wing perimeter with small gap in cell Cu 1b, which includes a black oval spot; discal cell densely covered by black scales or it is fully black; discocellular veins covered by distinct black spot and thick black band connects discal cell with black border in cell M 3. Forewing underside ( Figure 4F ) Ground colour of the white, densely dusted with blackish scales especially within discal cell; yellowish ochreous border spread from mid costa to mid termen becoming broader at the apical area; black band within discal cell curve behind discocellular vein and broadened at termen within cell M 3; another black band extends within cells 2A and Cu 1b from the basal area to the termen where it terminates as a large oval spot in cell Cu 1b. Hindwing upperside ( Figure 4E ). Ground colour of hindwing varies from pale creamy (specimens of dsf) to yellowish; series of marginal blackish triangle spots from vein Cu 1b to M 2 and spot in cell Rs usually weakly developed; in some specimens of dsf these spots fully disappeared; basal area dusted with black scales. Hindwing underside ( Figure 4F ). Ground colour of the hindwing uniformly intensive yellow with light golden tinge; fringe is white.

Diagnosis and discussion: The bright golden yellow colouration and unique pattern of the hindwing undersides are the main distinctive characteristics in both sexes of the new taxon. The subspecies pamsi is distributed in northern Vietnam and the northern part of central Vietnam, and the intensity of the yellow colouration increases from north to south. Other subspecies found in China ( subspec. cisseis ) and Taiwan ( subspec. karumii ) have much paler hindwing undersides. The females of T. n. pamsi and the other subspecies mentioned above have prominent marginal black spots on the upperside of the hindwing while these spots are usually weakly developed or absent in the T. n. aurelia. In addition, all black markings on the underside of the forewing are larger and darker. Gia Lai province in the Vietnamese Central Highlands is the southern-most border of the subspecies’ distribution. Comparison of populations demonstrates intensification of yellow coloration on the underside of both wings from north to south.

Type material: Holotype: CENTRAL VIETNAM: ♂ Gia Lai province, Man Giang district , Kon Ka Kinh N.P., 19.V.2018, forest stream, 800 m asl, ALM leg . Paratypes 11♂, 5♀ from the same locality as HT; 18–19. V.2018; 13.IV.2019; 11.IV.1999 ; 6♂, CENTRAL VIETNAM, Quang Nam province, Son Thanh N. R., 30. V.2014 ; Kon Tum province, Ngoc Linh N.P . Paratypes 1♂ 12. VI.2018; ♀ 27.III.1998, forest valley at 1,600 m; VVL, ALM & PNT leg .

Distribution: The new taxon is distributed from Quang Nam to Gia Lai province.

Etymology: The name aurelia refers to the unusually bright golden yellow colour of the hindwing undersides.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Talbotia naganum aurelia Monastyrskii & Vu, subspec. nov. A–B—HT♂: central Vietnam, Gia Lai province, Kon Ka Kinh N.P.; E–F—PT♀ same location as the male. Talbotia naganum pamsi Vitalis de Salvaza, C–D—♂: northern Vietnam, Lang Son province, Mau Son; G–H—♀: northern Vietnam, Vinh Phuc province, Tam Dao N.P.