demophanes

16. Ssp. demophanes Fruhstorfer, 1913 ¹⁸⁾ [♂, ♀]

(Distribution) [Map 22]

PNG [MBP] D’Entrecasteaux Islands (Fergusson Is., Normanby Is., Trobriand Islands (Kiriwina (=Trobriand) Is., Kaileuna Is., Vakuta Is.), Engineer Islands.

(Episodes of discovery and original description)

The first report of this subspecies from Ferguson Island was by Rothschild (1895). He described a blackened form of ♀ (♀-f. brunneus) as a variant of Poseidon. However, Fruhstorfer (1913) noted that those from Ferguson, Trobriand, and the Engineer Islands differed from the southeastern New Guinea subspecies eurysaces (= poseidon) and described them in the same paper as a separate subspecies demophanes.

(Characteristics)

This may be an early stage of the second (southeast) route to the East (Woodlark Island).

(Spotted pattern)

♂: Compared to ssp. poseidon, this subspecies has a finer median stripe and a narrower, wavier submarginal band, on FW. The apex of HW is rounded, and the semi-translucent golden spot on the subcostal space is absent. Black scales spread thickly from the base of the wing to the whole area. The black discal spots are larger on the anterior side of the wing. The color of the patches is dark green with a slight blue tinge.

♀: Only the dull (=pale) form. The FW apex is pointed, and the wing width is narrow. The outer margin of HW is remarkably uneven. Both FW and HW spots are reduced and strongly obscured by grayish-brown scales. This subspecies is characterized by its large yellowish-brown marginal spots of both wings and its orange-brown color of the underside of abdomen.

(Variation)

No specific aberration is known, except for the variation on ♂ FW median stripe.

♀-f. brunneus (Rothschild, 1895)⁴⁹⁾: [Aberrant FW pattern] White markings on FW upper side entirely obliterated, except for a point-like spot in space 2.

*f. loc. goodenoughensis Deslisle, 2004⁷⁾ [♂, ♀]

(Distribution) [Map 22]

PNG [MBP] D’Entrecasteaux Islands (Goodenogh Is.)

(Spotted pattern)

♂: This local form from Goodenough Island differs from ssp. demophanes from other islands in the presence of semi-translucent golden spot on the subcostal space of HW (in some specimens, this spot is absent).

♀: As in ssp. demophanes, only the dull (=pale) form is known, with no difference in pattern.

*f. loc. medeia Kobayashi, 1987²⁶⁾ [♂, ♀]

(Distribution) [Map 22]

PNG [MBP] Trobriand Islands (Kitava Is.), Marshall-Bennett Islands (Iwa (=Jouveney) Is., Gawa Is.)

(Characteristics)

It is very interesting to note that it seems to prove that ssp. poseidon was on its way to Woodlark Island., the final distribution site of the second (=southeast) route where it spread eastwards.

(Spotted pattern)

♂: Wing pattern resembles these of ssp. demophanes, but bluish and darker.

♀: The pattern is intermediate between ssp. demophanes and ssp. boisduvalii. FW spots are small, the cell-spot is minute, and there are only three small discal spots and some submarginal spots, but the brown scales are less shaded and white. HW pale band resemble ssp. demophanes, but larger than those of ssp. boisduvalii.