ferrari

5. Ssp. ferrari Tytler, 1926³⁴⁾ [♀] [♂: Tytler, 1939³⁵⁾]

(Distribution) [Map 119]

INDIA [Bay of Bengal] Nicobar Islands (Little Nicobar Is., Great Nicobar Is.).

(Episodes of discovery and original description)

It was first described as a new species by Tyler (1926), who named it ferrari in honor of Lt. Col. Ferrar, the Administrator of the Andaman Islands, based on three ♀♀ specimens collected by him on February 29, 1924, during his tenure on the Great Nicobar Island. At that time, no ♂ specimens had yet been found. Based on the ♀ specimens, he stated that the species was a close relative of Tr. darsius from Ceylon. Later, Ferrar found only the wings of a ♂ in a spider’s web. The wings were so similar to those of heliconoides, a subspecies of helena from the Andaman Islands, that Tytler (1939) redescribed it as a new subspecies rather than a species. Note that Neallotype (♂) was collected on Kondul Island, Nicobar Islands, on March 11, 1927.

(Characteristics)

The Nicobar Islands are located further south than the Andaman Islands, making navigation even more difficult. Therefore, there is no opportunity to search for it. This   subspecies is larger than ssp. heliconoides from Andaman Islands, which is close to distribution area, and its patterns are quite different. Only the light form is known for ♀.

(Spotted pattern)

♂: FW glossy black, with only fine vein-stripes. The cell-spot on HW is ovoid, and a triangular spot of subcostal space is situated laterally. The spot of space 1b is also short.

♀: Light form: The ground color of the wings is blackish brown, and the vein-stripes of FW (V^2nd– V^5th) are broad and distinct, with a bluish white color that stands out well. Like ♂, the cell-spot of HW is ovoid, and spots of discal spaces 1b and 6 are small and in contact with the cell. A yellow spot is present on subcostal space submarginally.