regis

1. Ssp. regis (Rothschild, 1895)¹⁸⁾ [♂, ♀]

= buinensis Le Moult, 1912 ¹⁴⁾ [♂, ♀] (Buin Is. (sic ))

= resplendens Ehrmann, 1925⁹⁾ [♂] (Choiseul Is. (sic ))

(Distribution) [Map 1]

PNG [NSP] Buka Is., Bougainville Is. (Buin, Konga, Hiru Hiru, Boku, Sibai (=Siwai), Sirowai, Kieta, Siroi, Wakunai, Mt. Balbi); SOLOMON ISLANDS: Ovau Is., Shortland (=Alu) Is.

(Episodes of discovery and original description)

It was described by Rothschild (1895)¹⁸⁾ on the basis of 1 ♂ (holotype) and 1 ♀ collected by C. Ribbe on Bougainville Island in 1894. In the same paper, he relegated reginae, previously described by Salvin (1888)²⁵⁾ as a new species, to a subspecies and compared the three subspecies, stating that this subspecies is intermediate between the subspecies reginae and victoriae. The subspecies name regis is a plural form of the Latin rex (king). The opposite word is regina (queen).

(Characteristics)

The best-known subspecies, whose habitat is the northern limit of this species. The subapical patch on FW of ♂ is the longest and the spots on FW/HW of ♀ are the smallest of the species.

(Spotted pattern)

♂: Of the subapical patches on FW, the space 8 spot extends long toward the basal side of the wing, while the space 6 spot is shot and small. The black scales on HW are lightly scattered and bright overall.

♀: Spots, especially the submarginal spots, are very small and poorly yellowed in both wings.

(Variation)

♂-f. ponceletanus (Rousseau-Decelle, 1946)²³⁾: [Aberrant FW/HW pattern] All patches are enlarged.

♂-f. lanieli Le Moult, 1912¹⁴⁾: [Aberrant FW/HW pattern] Black spots present on the subapical patch of FW and/or submarginal region of HW.

♂-f. infanta (Bryk & Peebles, 1932)²⁾: [Aberrant FW pattern] The subapical patch is enlarged.

♂-f. porteneuvei Deslisle & Sclavo, 2015⁸⁾ (➡epiphanes )

♂-f. gabrieli Le Moult, 1911¹³⁾: [FW/HW discoloration] The patches of upper and under sides of both wings are tinged with red.

♂-f. flammea (Rousseau-Decelle, 1946)²³⁾: [FW/HW discoloration] Similar to the above variation, but discoloration is only present on upper surface. Underside is normal.

♂-f. alexisi Le Moult, 1912¹⁴⁾: [FW/HW discoloration] All patches are golden-yellow.

♂-f. niclasi Schäffler, 2001²⁶⁾: [FW/HW discoloration] Basal area of FW/HW is blue instead of green. (➡archeri, rubianus, victoriae )

♂-f. brabanti Le Moult, 1912¹⁴⁾: [FW discoloration] Partially red on the subapical patch of FW.

♂-f. sanguinea Rousseau-Decelle, 1933²²⁾: [FW discoloration] The patch of subapical area underside is changed to reddish brown with framing in green.

♂・♀-f. ponceleti (Rothschild, 1936)²⁰⁾: [Specialized variation] mosaic hermaphroditism.

♀-f. nocturnus Deslisle & Sclavo, 2015⁸⁾: [Aberrant FW/HW pattern] The pale patches of both wings are very small or missing.