Delias stresemanni  Rothschild 1915 green.png

Forms and range of Delias stresemanni :

No subspecies - Ceram, Indonesia

. f.oenus Talbot 1920

. f. mediofasciata Talbot 1920

. f. lutea Talbot 1920

. f. basiflava Talbot 1920

. full yellow form red.png

 

delias-stresemanni.png

 

Notes on Delias stresemanni

The female of this species is extremely variable with five named forms. Apart from the typical form described below, females can have a complete absence of any band on the underside hind wing (f. oenus), a broad yellow or yellowish-white discal band from costa to inner margin (f. mediofasciata), upperside buff-yellow instead of grey (f. lutea) and with the hind wing below with the proximal area to beyond the cell yellow or yellowish-white, some admixture of dark scaling in the basal area (f. basiflava).

There is another undescribed form with the underside of HW very yellow (see figure 8 above). This yellow form is wonderful and very rare in collection. 

Original description : Rothschild Novitates Zoologicae xxii, p.110 (1915) - "Male: Above- Fore wing cream white, apex broadly black running down in diminishing width along termen to vein 2, costa black. Hind wing cream-white narrowly edged with black. Below - Fore wing black-brown with strong metallic bronzy glaze, a white dot at the end of cell, three yellow spots in apex and three whitish small spots along termen. Hind wing black-brown strongly glazed with metallic bronze, and orange costal band and a terminal line of orange streaks, a white spot at apex of cell and a broad cloud-like whitish postmedian band.

Female: Above - Fore wing, basal three-fifths obliquely pale grey, outer two-fifths obliquely black-brown with a curved subterminal row of grey streaks. Hind wing basal two-thirds pale grey, outer one-third black-brown. Below - Fore wing black-brown glossed with metallic bronze basal and cellular areas slightly powdered with yellow scales, a subterminal curved band of white oblong spots. Hind wing black-brown strongly glossed with metallic bronze, a white spot at the end of cell, basal streak and row of subterminal spots golden yellow."

delias-stresemanni-yellow-form.png
2 other examples of the rare yellow form of Delias stresemanni female. (coll. OP)

Group stresemanni species :