Pieris latouchei Mell, 1939

Ge, Si Xun, Jiang, Zhuo Heng, Wang, Jia Qi, Song, Kui, Zhang, Chao & Hu, Shao Ji, 2023, A revision of the Pieris napi - complex (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) and similar species with distribution in China, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 81, pp. 257-287 : 257

Pieris latouchei Mell, 1939

Pieris extensa latouchei Mell, 1939; Dt. Ent. Z. Iris 52 (1938): 138-139. TL: "Kuatun, NW-Fukien" [N.W. of Shaowu City, Fujian] (original description)

Pieris erutae latouchei ; Eitschberger (1983): Herbipoliana 1(1-2): 376 (as subspecies of Pieris erutae Poujade, 1888)

Pieris melete latouchei ; Wu (2010): Fauna Sinica Insecta 52: 300 (as subspecies of Pieris melete Ménétriés, 1857)

Pieris latouchei ; Tadokoro et al. (2014): Butterflies 65: 25 (raised to distinct species from subspecies of Pieris erutae )

Description.

Both wings white on the upperside while bright yellow on the underside (in autumn form males whitish). Spring form: medium size. Male (Fig. 10A ): apical spot blackish with slightly whitish powder, merging as a small dark subtriangular spot on the apex. The 1st discal spot and outer spot rather faint or absent on the upperside. All spots absent on the underside, except the 2nd discal spot vaguely developed. Female: apical spot brownish, partly merging as a subtriangular spot on the apex. The 1st, 2nd and outer spot strongly developed on the upperside while faintly present on the underside (except outer spot absent). All veins narrowly brown powdered on both upperside and underside. Summer form: medium to large size. Resembles spring form but larger in size and rounder wing shape. The 1st discal spot of males (Fig. 10B ) present on both sides and the brown powder along veins is stronger in summer form of females (Fig. 10D ) than spring forms. Autumn form: large size. Male (Fig. 10C ): resembles summer form but less yellowish on the underside (near whitish), the apical spot merging as a triangular spot and the 1st and 2nd discal spots rather distinct on both sides (the outer spot distinct on the upperside while absent on the underside). Female (Fig. 10E ): resembles summer form but dark yellowish on the underside, all veins strongly brown powdered on the upperside while quite narrow on the underside.

Distribution.

East China (Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian)

Phenology.

Multivoltine, occurs from April to September.

Male genitalia.

(Fig. 5K ) tegumen relatively slender, with its median part slightly concave, the distal margin of tegumen without distinct convex; basal margin of the uncus slightly narrower than the tegumen; uncus with its apical obtusely digitation.

Female genitalia.

(Fig. 7A ) posterior apophysis slender, extended reach to the 8th tergum; inner distal of sterigma lobe-shaped, extend to center, with a distinct convex at the trailing edge; inner basal of sterigma near trapezoidal extend to the center, smoothly connected at the basal margin; signum cordiform-shaped, relatively slender, smoothly tapering to the basal.

Note.

This taxon was elevated to species level by Tadokoro et al. (2014), based on results from his phylogenetic analysis, which is also supported by our molecular results. This species is closely related to P. erutae and shows three different seasonal forms in generations, thus can be only distinguished from the bright yellow color of wings on the underside (while in autumn forms are -variable) and the basal 1/2 dark powdered discocell on the underside (only developed in autumn forms).

Figures

Figure 5. Tegumen and uncus of male genitalia in dorsal view. Scale bar represents 1 mm.

Figure 7. Female genitalia of P. napi - complex species. Scale bar represents 0.5 mm.

Figure 10. Habitus of P. napi - complex species occurring in China. Composite pictures on the left show the upper sid, on the right show the underside. A - E Pieris latouchei Mell, 1939. F - K Pieris erutae erutae Poujade, 1888. L - O Pieris erutae kneitzi Eitschberger, 1983 comb. rev. P - R Pieris erutae reissingeri Eitschberger, 1983. S - T P. steinigeri Eitschberger, 1983. Scale bar represents 10 mm. (All type specimens reference Eitschberger, 1983).