hecuba

12. Ssp. hecuba Röber, 1891⁴⁷⁾ [♂, ♀]

(Distribution) [Map 17]

INDONESIA [Maluku] Kai Islands (Kai Besar Is., Kai Kecil Is., Ur Is., Kai Tanimbar Is.).

(Episodes of discovery and original description)

It was discovered by Jacobsen and Kühn, who visited Seram, Kai, Goram, and the islands of the Lesser Sunda Archipelago for about a year from 1887 for a folklore survey at the request of the Folklore Museum in Berlin. Their main purpose was the study of folklore, but they were also collectors, and their collections were not very large, as they suffered from diseases and other problems in the unfamiliar lands. Röber (1891), who sorted out the specimens and reported them, named the local form hecuba (the name of King Priam’s queen), because it resembles pegasus (= poseidon) but differs somewhat from it. The number of specimens examined is unknown, but given that he stated that most of the ♀ specimens were ex pupa and all of the ♂ specimens were wild-caught, it is assumed that there were a considerable number of specimens.

(Characteristics)

This subspecies is thought to have been derived from ssp. poseidon. Many individuals are rather large.

(Spotted pattern)

♂: The green median stripe on FW is large and distinct. The black marginal border on HW is broad and distinctly wavy. The occurrence of a semi-translucent golden spot on the subcostal space is high.

♀: There are two phenotypes; dull (=pale) form (light brown ground color with shaded spots) and contrasted (=dark) form (blackish brown ground color with white spots). Most individuals belong to the contrasted form. Patch pattern is stable and is characterized by a large cell-spot occupying 1/3 of the cell and small submarginal spots on FW. Inner side of HW pale band is characterized by a blurred appearance due to scattered gray scales. The dull form resembles it of ssp. arruana and very rare.

(Variation)

The spotted pattern of ♀ is well stabilized, but the ♂ is very variable.

♂-f. femineus Parrott & Deslisle, 1989⁴³⁾: [Aberrant FW/HW pattern] FW with the   submarginal band narrower in the tornal area. Underside with reduced green patches. HW with the marginal black scaling intruding into spaces 4 – 7 and, on underside connected with the black discal spot in space 5. These features are such as typically associates with ♀.

♂-f. aureoradians Deslisle & Sclavo, 2008⁹⁾: [Aberrant FW pattern] FW with an unusual extensive radial band, moreover, invading within cell and radiating over the disc from cell apex, and presence of one semi-translucent golden patch within the cell and one smaller basally in space 8. (➡teucrus )

♂-f. kibleri Przegendza, 1912⁴⁴⁾: [Aberrant FW pattern] Green spot enlarged type. FW with a large green spot enough to covered with the entire of the cell, but not a radial spot as in ♂-f. aureoradians. The submarginal band is narrow.

♂-f. virido-cellularis Przegendza, 1912⁴⁴⁾: [Aberrant FW pattern] Presence of a１or 2 cm circular green patch within the cell on FW. (➡arruana )

♂-f. transiens Przegendza, 1912⁴⁴⁾: [Aberrant FW pattern] Presence of scattered green scales within the cell of FW upperside.

♂-f. nigra Przegendza, 1912⁴⁴⁾: [Aberrant FW pattern] The median stripe on FW lacking.

♂-f. viridofusura Deslisle & Sclavo, 2015¹⁰⁾: [Aberrant FW pattern] (➡euphorion, misoollae ).

♂-f. flavomaculata Przegendza, 1912⁴⁴⁾: [Aberrant HW pattern] HW with several submarginal semi-translucent golden spots. (The same as ♂-f. poseidon ).

♂-f. inaureomaculata Przegendza, 1912⁴⁴⁾: [Aberrant pattern] A semi-translucent golden spot on the subcostal space is absent. (Very rare in this subspecies).

♂-f. immaculata Przegendza, 1912⁴⁴⁾: [Aberrant HW pattern] There are no black discal spots, but several minute brown submarginal spots and a subcostal semi-translucent golden spot are present. (➡arruana ♀-f. chrysophila ).

♂-f. aurea (Kaiser, 1917)²⁵⁾: [FW/HW discoloration] The color of iridescent scaling is golden-green instead of the typical green.

♂-f. insolationecyanea (Kaiser, 1917)²⁵⁾: [FW/HW discoloration] The color of iridescent scaling is a glittering purplish blue. (This discoloration could be caused by sunlight.)

♂-f. cyanoides Haugum & Low, 1979²¹⁾: [ FW/HW discoloration] The color of iridescent scaling is blue green or blue but is less bright and less turquoise. (It is thought to be discolored due to an old specimen).

♀-f. pseudoarruana Deslisle, 2004⁷⁾: [Dull (Pale) form resembles ssp. arruana ] Ssp. hecuba is mostly always in the contrasted (dark) form and the dull (pale) form is rare, while ssp. arruana is rarely in dull form (♀-f. pseudohecuba).

♀-f. flavescens (Hulstaert, 1924)²³⁾ (=arlequina Rousseau-Decelle, 1935⁵³⁾): [HW discoloration] HW pale band is yellow instead of the normal cream-white.

♀-f. margaretae Bryk, 1918⁴⁾: [Abnormal venation of FW] The 7^th and 8^th veins arise directly from 1^st discocellular vein, and so their common stem is absent.

f. loc. albireo Kobayashi & Hayami, 1987²⁸⁾ [♂, ♀]

= tayandensis von Knötgen, 1997⁵⁹⁾ [♂♀] (Tayandu Islands)

(Distribution) [Map 17]

INDONESIA [Maluku] Tayandu Islands (Tayandu Is., Walir Is., Kur Is.), Watubela Islands (Kasiui Is.).

(Episodes of discovery and original description)

It was described as a subspecies by Kobayashi and Hayami based on 6 ♂♂, 3♀♀ collected at Kasiui Island in July 1987 and 12♂♂, 11♀♀collected at Kur Island in August 1987. The subspecies is named after Albireo, a double star with gold and emerald colors shining in the summer night sky.

(Characteristics)

Both sexes closely resemble ssp. hecuba but are smaller. However, they can be distinguished by the following points.

(Spotted pattern)

♂: The underside of the FW/HW are pale yellowish green, while ssp. hecuba is characteristic blue, and the submarginal semi-translucent golden spots appear in many individuals.

♀: The spotted pattern resembles ssp. hecuba, but the white spots of both FW and HW are brighter because of less shades of brown scales. The submarginal white spots on FW are larger.