Bassarona teuta anh T. Saito & Vu, 2023

Tamamitsu, Saito & Lien, Vu Van, 2023, Four new subspecies of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea) from Phu Quoc Island, southern Vietnam, Zootaxa 5293 (1), pp. 161-170 : 167-169

Bassarona teuta anh T. Saito & Vu subspec. nov.

Figure 6

Description:

Male. Upperside. Both wings ground colour is black. Series of discal yellowish spots well developed and similar to the male patterns in other subspecies; this discal band slightly narrower. Blackish submarginal band on both wings obscure. Underside: both wings have dark brown ground colour with dark blackish stains at different areas; series of discal whitish spots narrower than in other subspecies but somewhat similar to that in subspecies g oodrichi (Distant, 1886).

Female. Upperside. Both wings ground colour is dark blackish brown. Forewing: Series of discal whitish spots extends from cell 2 to 6; whitish spots in cells 2 to 4 much smaller than elongated spots in cells 5 and 6. Submarginal black fascia includes separated black spots in cells 1b to 6. Hindwing: Series of whitish discal spots reduced to dot like spots only in cells 5-7; submarginal black fascia is divided into black arrow-shaped spots in cells 1a to 7.

Underside. Both wings ground colour is grayish brown with blurred areas of blackish hue. Forewing with series of separated whitish spots in cells 1b to 6; elongated spots in cells 5 and 6 larger; submarginal fascia obscure and blackish markings reduced to small dots. Hindwing with rather distinct but thin whitish discal band; submarginal black fascia reduced into separate small black strokes.

Forewing length. J 32.4–35.3 mm (n = 3, avg. 33.9 mm); ♀ 39.8–45.2 mm (n = 7, avg. 43.0 mm).

Diagnosis. The population of males from Phu Quoc Is reveals similarity to males of other known subspecies, such as teuta , gupta, goodrichi, rayana etc. It is quite difficult to distinguish the features by which it is possible to separate males of a new taxon. Among such characters, we can note the blacker colour of the upperside of both wings; the absence of submarginal black fasciae on the upper surface of the wings, as well as smaller whitish spots of the disc stripe.

The greatest differences from other subspecies of Bassarona teuta is demonstrated by the population of females. Dark brown, almost black ground colour of the upper surface of both wings, as well as the reduction of the number and size of whitish discal spots are the main features of the new taxon.

Type material. Holotype. ♀ S. Vietnam, Kien Giang province, Phu Quoc Is., Ganh Dau Commune , Suoi Ganh Dau 4.VII.2015 T. Saito leg. Paratypes: 3J 6♀, same location as Holotype, 3J 3♀ 4.VII.2015 T. Saito leg., 2♀ 3.VII.2015 T. Saito leg., 1♀ 5.VII.2015 T. Saito leg.

Etymology. The subspecific name is dedicated to Mrs. Anh, who is the wife of the second author.

Depositary. The holotypes of four subspecies are deposited in the Research Institute of Evolution Biology in Tokyo, Japan. The Paratypes are deposited in the Vietnam National Museum of Nature, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Bassarona teuta anh T. Saito & Vu ssp. nov., A–B—J HT, B—Ditto underside; C–D—PT ♀ same location as HT.; E—J Bassarona teuta gupta (de Nicéville, 1886) Kao Soi Dao (E. Thailand), F—Ditto un.; G—♀ same location, H—Ditto underside.