archeri

2. Ssp. archeri Calderara, 1984³⁾ [♂, ♀]

(Distribution) [Map 2]

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Choiseul Is. (Liuliu, Takekacho, Chirovanga (=Siravanga), Ghazalata, Kuku, Sasamungga (=Sasamugga), Taora).

(Episodes of discovery and original description)

It was Ehrmann (1926) who first named the subspecies of Choiseul Is. as ssp. resplendens. These were based on specimens obtained from Professor Wm. Reiff. Ehrmann compared those to specimens from Guadalcanal Is., Malaita Is., New Georgia Islands and Santa Isabel Is., but not to the key subspecies from Bougainville Is. Schmid (1970) assigned those specimens to subspecies from Bougainville Is., based on the type specimens (the female type specimen was collected by Meek, who collected it on Bougainville Is., but not on Choiseul Is.) and specimens 8 ♂♂, 15♀♀ from the AMNH Collection. E. N. Archer a mouth on Choiseul Is. in 1974 and collected 4 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ specimens. These specimens differed from those of other subspecies and were described by Calderara in 1984 as a new subspecies archeri.

(Characteristics)

Most recently described subspecies of O. (A.) victoriae. Further research will be needed due to the small number of available specimens.

(Spotted pattern)

♂: This subspecies is more like the nominate victoriae and ssp. isabellae than ssp. regis.

The space 8 spot of subapical patches is shorter than that of ssp. regis. Shading by black scales spreading from inner margin to submarginal region of HW may be dense next to ssp. reginae.

♀: Pale spots in both wings are larger than those of ssp. regis, and no clear difference between nominate victoriae and ssp. isabellae may be found. (The brown color of basal area of both wings of the allotype seems to be caused by individual variation.)

(Variation)

♂-f. niclasi Schäffler, 2001²⁶⁾ (➡regis )