Delias clathrata parsonsi, Davenport & Grimaldi, 2019

Davenport, Chris & Grimaldi, Nicolas, 2019, A new subspecies of Delias clathrata Rothschild, 1904 and records of other Delias species occurring on Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea (Lepidoptera: Pieridae, Pierinae), Sugapa Digital 11 (2), pp. 53-67 : 55-56

Delias clathrata parsonsi subsp. nov.

( Figs 1-4 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AABCD02F-B12C-4731-BED4-148E1F53C45D

Holotype: ♂ NMSUK, Papua New Guinea, Enga Province, Mt Hagen, Maropi Creek , 2550m, 22.12.201 6, N. Grimaldi.

Paratypes: (7 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀) 1♂ NG, Mt Hagen , Maropi Creek, 2550m, 24.12.2016 ; 1♂ CD, Mt Hagen Maropi Creek , 2550m, 24.12.2016 ; 1♂ OP, Mt Hagen , Maropi Creek, 2550m, 24.12.2016 ; 1♂ NG, Mt Hagen , Pap Creek, 2650m, 24.12.2016 ; 1♂ NG, Mt Hagen , Kumul Lodge, 2850m, 26.12.2016 ; 1♂ NG, Mt Hagen , Maropi Creek, 2550m, 07.09.2017 ; 1♂ PS, Pap Ck, Hagen Ra. 2800m, 12.xi.1973; 1♀ NG, Mt Hagen , Maropi Creek, 2550m, 24.12.201 6 ; 2♀♀ NG, Mt Hagen , Maropi Creek, 2550m, 08.09.201 7 .

Diagnosis: The subspecies is distinguished from previously described races of clathrata by the grey brown coloration of the pale areas, the narrow vein markings and smaller yellow basal spot on the hindwing underside.

Description: Male ( Figs 1-2 ) Wingspan 55mm, forewing length 30mm. Upperside: forewing ground color white, black costal border partly absorbing black discocellular bar, black border along termen widening toward apex, indented on inner edge at cubital veins, 3 creamy-white subapical spots. Upperside of hindwing is white with a thin black terminal border.

Underside: forewing white with black costal and terminal borders narrower than in the nominate subspecies, discal cell incompletely filled with black, connected to termen on vein R3. Three orange-yellow subapical spots and two smaller terminal spots. Underside of hindwing: pale grey-brown with a triangular black sub-basal area from costa toward top of inner margin, crossing discal cell at sub-basal level and including a yellow basal spot that is anteriorly white and divided from the costal margin by a pale streak. Median area dark grey to sepia, divided by narrow, pale grey vein markings. The size and shade of the median patch is variable and more diffuse in flight-worn individuals. Black postmedian spot in space M2-M3 that interrupts the pale marking of vein M 2 in approximately 50% of individuals. Terminal area pale grey, variable in width, shading to white at tornus in some specimens. Anal area with yellow and black scaling. Female ( Fig 4 ) Wingspan 50mm, forewing length 28mm. Upperside: forewing ground color white, black costal border partly absorbing broad black dc bar. Black border along termen narrower and less serrated than in the nominate subspecies, widening toward apex, inner edge dusted with grey, three creamy-white subapical spots. Hindwing white with narrower black terminal border than the nominate.

Underside: forewing white with black costal and terminal borders, discal cell incompletely filled with black extending to the termen on vein R3. Three orange-yellow subapical spots and 2 smaller terminal spots. Underside of hindwing is pale coffee-brown with triangular black subbasal area and yellow basal spot as in the male. Median area dark sepia brown, wider and

more diffused than in other races and divided by narrower vein markings. Black median spot in space M2-M3. Anal area with more pronounced yellow scaling than male.

Distribution: Mt Hagen, Western Highland Province, Papua New Guinea. Records of the species from the Wabag, Enga Province and Tari, Southern Highlands Province require confirmation.

Etymology: The subspecies is named after Michael Parsons who first mentioned and illustrated the new taxon in his seminal work ‘The Butterflies of Papua New Guinea. Their Systematics and Biology’ ( Parsons, 1998).

Discussion: The population of D. clathrata on Mt Wilhelm exhibits a variety of phenotypes that intergrade between the nominate subspecies and ssp limata from Wau. These suggest that limata should be considered a synonym of the nominate subspecies.

The population from Gumine in south Simbu province also has a variable phenotype, the hindwing base colour ranging from white to coffee brown. The darkest of these resemble ssp. nov. parsonsi but are distinguished on the hindwing underside by the grey colour and elongated shape of the hindwing basal streak, more sharply defined median patch and broader white vein markings. The female has not been recorded and the identity of the population remains uncertain. Though less than 40km from Mt Wilhelm, Gumine is situated at the eastern extreme of the Kubor Range that extends westward to the Mt Hagen massif, and may therefore be a hybrid zone.

Figures

Figs 1-4. Delias clathrata parsonsi subsp. nov. 1. ♂ holotype, PNG, Mt Hagen, Murmur Pass, 2850m (NHMUK), dorso; 2. Idem, verso; 3. ♂ paratype, PNG, Mt Hagen (CD), a. dorso, b. verso; 4. ♀ paratype, PNG, Mt Hagen (NG), dorso, b. verso.