Delias mariae   Joicey & Talbot 1916
Subspecies : mariae - Joicey & Talbot 1916
menooensis - Joicey & Talbot 1922
boschmai - Roepke 1955

                       recto                Male                  verso                                     recto              Female            verso

                                            Lectotype                     Delias mariae mariae                   Paralectotype

Coll. British Museum of Natural History

İHenk van Mastrigt 
Wingspan : c. 50mm
Range        : mariae - Wandammen Mtns, Irian Jaya
menooensis - Weyland Mtns, Irian Jaya
boschmai - Arabu River, Irian Jaya
Notes         :
An uncommon species.

Delias mariae mariae was originally described by Joicey & Talbot (1916) from 2 males and 2 females collected by A., C. & F Pratt from the Wandammen Mountains of Irian Jaya in November 1914.

Delias sigit was originally given as a subspecies of D.mariae, but this has now been upgraded to specific status.

Mastrigt, in his recent publication, also upgrades D.m.menooensis to specific status, and includes D.m.boschmai as a subspecies of that. There is certainly some substantiation for this, particularly as D.m.mariae is found in the Wandammen Mtns, and the other subspecies are from the Weyland Mtns and Homeyo region. D.m.mariae differs, by having the black area of the inner hindwing verso enclosing one large and one smaller orange spot. Also, the subapical spots are of a different colour. (This, however, is quite a common variation in the species of this group). A full structural and DNA examination should be undertaken to resolve this matter.

The subspecies D.m.menooensis differs from D.m.boschmai in that it has the black basal band extending into the discal area to such an extent that it joins up with the black distal spot.