Delias battana Fruhstorfer 1896 green.png

Subspecies and range of Delias battana : 

. battana Fruhstorfer 1896 - Mt Lompo Batang, S Sulawesi

        . form auricoma Fruhstorfer 1911   
        . form defasciata Niepelt 1920

. ariae Nakano 1993 - Pulupulu, Seiko & Palolo, C Sulawesi

delias battana

Notes on Delias battana

This species is easily identified by having the upperwings predominantly of a cream or yellow colouring.


This species is not uncommon within its range. It seems to prefer flying in damp conditions, as according to Fruhstorfer, "battana was commonest in misty conditions, or even rainy weather". At this time they apparently can be easily captured, and remain docile in the nets. This changes in sunny weather, when they fly at great heights, at the top of flowering trees.


The subspecies ariae is brighter in colouration to the type subspecies.

Male: Upperside sulphur-yellow. Fore wing with a black distal marginal border of variable width, but not reaching the cell. the inner broader part of the area is grey-black, separated from the narrower marginal black border by six yellow submarginal spots, of which the two lower ones are usually larger than the others. Costal margin and veins black, often a black discocellular bar joined to the costa. Some slight dark basal scaling. Hindwing with the veins only black at the margin, inner margin greyish-white, slight dark basal dusting and sometimes an indistinct black postdiscal mark in cellules 4 and 5. Underside with deep coffee-brown ground-colour and veins, and pale yellow markings. fore wing with a cell-patch between veins 2 and 3, pale yellow below the cell from inner margin to vein 4, the stripe in 2 shorter than the one below it and a spot at the base of 3. A postcellular bar formed by a narrow subcostal stripe, and two somewhat square spots in 4 and 5. Submarginal spots much larger than above, the one in 3 the larger, and the one in 6 the longer, all with prolongations to the margin; a small marginal spot in 1b. Hind wing markings much as in georgina, all the stripes distally narrow and touching the margin, forming five triangular marginal spots; the one in 6 extends nearly to the base of the cellule, the one in 3 nearly to the cell, the one in 1c broken before the end of the stripe above it. discal patch extending well beyond the cell in 4 and 5. All the patches are marked with a deep yellow line through the middle. Basal area dusted with grey.

Female: Upperside creamy-white and similar to georgina. Fore wing markings as on the male underside, but white proximal area more complete and submarginal spots smaller. Hind wing with small triangular black marginal spots on veins 2-5, and a more or less distinct black bar beyond end of cell. underside of fore wing as in the male, spots larger. Hindwing as in the male.