propinquus

17. Ssp. propinquus Rothschild, 1895²⁹⁾ [♂, ♀] (♀: 2 forms)

(Distribution) [Map 131]

INDONESIA [West Nusa Tenggara］Sunbawa Is., [East Nusa Tenggara] Sumba Is.

(Episodes of discovery and original description)

The subspecies propinquus was described by Rothschild (1895) as a new subspecies similar to the subspecies cerberus from Indo-Malay, based on the specimens from Sumbawa (1♂, 1♀) in the collection of Staudinger. The subspecies name propinquus is Latin for “approximate”.

(Characteristics・Spotted pattern)

The number of specimens is very scarce. The original description of this subspecies was reported for one ♂ (aberration with four black discal spots on HW) and one ♀ (light form). Both ♂ and ♀ (dark form; unpublished) collected afterwards could not be clearly distinguished from ssp. saggitatus.

As a result, both are considered the same subspecies, but further study is needed to make a final decision. If they are same subspecies, the priority should be given to ssp. propinquus, which was published one year earlier.