purahu

Ssp. purahu Kobayashi, 1987⁷⁾ [♂, ♀]

(Distribution) [Map107]

INDONESIA [S.-E. Sulawesi] Batuata Is.

(Episodes of discovery and original description)

A new subspecies is described on the basis of 13♂♂and 12♀♀ collected in February 1976 on Batuata Island, an isolated island in the Banda Sea, south of Sulawesi. The new subspecies purahu is a small boat endemic to Indonesia.

(Characteristics)

This subspecies is more alike ssp. pistor and ssp. eleonorae than to ssp. pallens but is smaller and rounder FW and HW. Further comparative study with ssp. eleonorae from Buton Island, which is closed to the habitat, is also needed.

(Spotted patterns)

♂: The darker FW vein-stripes, and the shape and size of semi-translucent golden patches on HW are the same as in ssp. pistor and ssp. eleonorae.

♀: FW pattern is well stabilized and vein-stripe on the V^1b indistinct on the surface. As in ssp. eleonorae, there are two types of black discal spots on HW, one small and solitary, and the other large and fused together to form a black band. The pale spot of HW underside is yellow. (Variation)

♀-f. pseudostaudingeri Rumbucher & Schäffler, 2004¹³⁾: [Aberrant HW pattern] Dark discal spots are large and fused completely with each other, in addition fused completely with a marginal border.

♀-f. staudiphron Rumbucher & Schäffler, 2004¹³⁾: [Aberrant HW pattern] The size of dark discal spots on HW are a little smaller than the above variation. Consequently, there are small yellow spots on submarginal area.

♀-f. schmidti Rumbucher & Schäffler, 2004¹³⁾: [Aberrant HW pattern] The dark discal spots are reduced and isolated from each other or disappear.