prometheus

7. Ssp. ‘prometheus’ (tentative name): [♂, ♀]

As mentioned earlier, the Central (=Maoke) Mts. population of Irian Jaya was classified in ssp. atlas by Haugum & Low (1979)⁸⁾, but this population is similar to the highland ssp. samson, so it is possible that they are the same subspecies, as Ohtani & Kimura (1998)¹⁸⁾ stated, or that they could be different subspecies. Further study is needed on this issue and at this point we would like to leave the subspecies name of the Central Mts. population as a tentative name.

(Distribution) [Map 55]

INDONESIA [Irian Jaya] Wandammen Peninsula (Wondiwoi Mts.), Nabire, Lake Yamur, Wanggar River basin, Kobowre Mts. (Mapia), Lake Paniai (=Wissel) area, Enarotali, Central (=Maoke) Mts. (Tembagapura, Baliem Valley (Wamena), Yahukimo, Sterren (=Star) Mts.).

(Spotted patterns)

♂: Not distinguishable from ssp. samson.

♀: Huge, with large and conspicuous subapical streaks on FW. HW pale band is entirely yellow. Abdomen is striped with black and yellow.

(Variation)

♀-f. albiflora Sumiyoshi, 1989²⁵⁾: [Aberrant FW pattern] FW with well-developed white patches as in ♀-f. schmidi of ssp. supremus, but the fusion of discal and submarginal spots is milder than ♀-f. schmidi.

♀-f. tenebricosus Deslisle & Sclavo, 2015⁴⁾: [Aberrant FW pattern] Only two vestigial white subapical streaks on FW. On HW, pale band is yellow shaded by dark scales and dark discal spots are bigger and rounded.