Abrota ganga pulcheria Monastyrskii & Vu, 2021

Monastyrskii, Alexander L. & Lien, Vu Van, 2021, New taxa and new records of butterflies from Vietnam (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea), Zootaxa 5048 (4), pp. 486-510 : 493-495

Abrota ganga pulcheria Monastyrskii & Vu , subspec. nov.

( Fig. 5 )

Description: Male: Length of forewing: ♂ HT 39 mm; ♂ PT 38, 42 mm (n= 2).

Forewing upperside ( Figure 5A ). Ground colour dark orange with blackish brown markings: terminal fascia from apex to dorsum; thin, upper subterminal fascia extends from apex to vein M 3; separated lower part of subterminal fascia thick and extended from vein M 3 to tornus; this fascia joins the curved, thick postdiscal fasciae in cell M 3, starting from radial vein R 5, bend in cell M 2 and undulate through the mid areas of cells M 3, Cu 1a, Cu 1b and 1A+2A; basal areas of cells Cu 1b and 1A+2A densely dusted with black scales; discal cell includes dark undulating marking over the discocellular veins. Forewing underside ( Figure 5B ). Ground colour is mainly beige with rich pattern of fulvous markings principal of which is thick postdiscal fascia extending from apex to mid of vein 1A+2A; discoidal cell bears undulated spot at the place of non-existent discocellular veins and two round spots merged; along the termen there is subterminal series of arrow-like spots bordering the termen. Hindwing upperside ( Figure 5A ). Ground colour similar to the forewing; There are four dark brown parallel fasciae crossing the hindwing in parallel with the termen: terminal, subterminal, postdiscal and subbasal fasciae arise from vein 1A+2A and gradually narrow at vein Rs; marginal and submarginal fasciae extend to subcostal vein. Hindwing underside ( Figure 5B ). Ground colour similar to the underside of forewing with a pattern of diverse markings tinged with brownish-violet. Thick terminal fascia extend from vein 1A+2A to vein M 1; subterminal and postdiscal zigzagged fasciae also extend from vein 1A+2A to vein M 1; discal fascia extends from vein 1A+2A to vein Sc+R 1; subbasal area bears some round shape spots.

Female: Length of forewing: ♀ PTs 47.0, 45.0, 48.0 mm (n = 3).

Forewing upperside ( Figure 5C ). Ground colour blackish brown; the pattern includes a discal cell streak and streak beyond the discal cell that merges with spot at base of cell M 3; upper and lower postdiscal bands and subterminal fascia well developed; all markings fulvous. Forewing underside ( Figure 5D ). Ground colour dark reddish-brown with indistinct paler upper postdiscal bands in cells Rs and M 1 and lower postdiscal band in cells Cu 1a, Cu 1b; discal cell streak obscure and streak beyond discal cell unclear; other markings not distinct except well visible whitish dotted line extended from mid of cell Cu1b to the distal part of cell Rs. Hindwing upperside ( Figure 5C ). Ground colour blackish brown: the pattern includes discal and postdiscal fulvous bands extending from vein 1A+2A to vein Sc+R 1. Hindwing underside ( Figure 5D ). Ground colour dark reddish-brown with obscure indistinct pattern similar to moire.

Diagnosis. The wing patterns of both sexes are seasonally variable. In addition, the male ground colour and colour of female markings vary geographically. Yoshino (2021) describes three male forms differing in their dark wing pattern elements. While Yoshino (2021) purports that these forms have distinct geographic distributions, we have observed all three phenotypes throughout their distribution. These forms are therefore equivalent to subspecies. Other more significant characters include the ground colour of the wing upperside in males and colouration of the bands and spots in females.

Males of the new subspecies have dark fulvous (dark orange) ground colour ( Figure 5A ), which is usually duller than in other subspecies. The upperside wing pattern in the females is usually similar to the nominate subspecies; however, the colour of the markings varies geographically from pure white in Taiwan ( subspec. formosana ) and pale yellow in N.E. India, eastern Tibet and Yunnan (the nominate subspecies) to pale orange in Sichuan, Fujian, Guangdong, northern Vietnam (Ha Giang) ( subspec. pratti ) and clear dark orange in this new subspecies ( subspec. pulcheria ) from the southern part of central Vietnam. In addition, in the new subspecies all markings on the upperside of both wings are much broader.

Type material: Holotype: CENTRAL VIETNAM: ♂ Gia Lai province, K’Bang district , Kon Chu Rang N. R., 20.V.2015, evergreen forest trail at 500 m asl, ALM leg.

Paratypes: 1♂, 1♀ from the same locality as holotype; 20. V. 2015 and 21.V.2015 ; 1♂, CENTRAL VIETNAM, Khanh Hoa province, Mt. Hon Ba , 1,540 m asl; 16. V.2016, T. Miyagawa leg., ex coll. K. Saito ; 1♀, CENTRAL VIETNAM, Kon Tum, Mang Den , VI.2018, local collector (ex coll. K. Saito) ; 1♂, 1♀ CENTRAL VIETNAM, Quang Nam province, Ma Cooih district, Son Thanh N. R., 28.IX.2002, primary evergreen forest, 880 m asl, R. Shore leg.

Distribution: The new taxon has been recorded in the Vietnamese Central Highlands from Quang Nam to Lam Dong provinces.

Etymology: The name pulcheria may be translated as “beautiful”.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Abrota ganga pulcheria Monastyrskii & Vu, subspec. nov.: A–B—HT♂: central Vietnam, Gia Lai province, Kon Chu Rang N.R.; C–D PT ♀, same locality and date as in HT.