| An unusual species which appears to be similar to D.
aruna of Group 19, but was placed here as part of Group 13, linked to D.
eximia by Morita based on morphological features ( forewing upperside
white with black margin, forewing underside black with white subapical
band, hindwing underside with red sub-basal spot and red discal
markings). As more specimens are found, it is to be hoped that a study
of genitalia will be made to help establish the true position of this
species.
It is extremely rare, and as far as I know, only 3 males and 1 female have been found.
Description by kind permission of Robert Gotts
(Australian Entomologist,2003, 30(1):1-4)- Robert I. C. Gotts and
Scott G. Ginn :" Male. Forewing length 32.5mm. Head and
thorax dorsally black; abdomen dorsally grey. Head, thorax and anterior
portion of abdomen ventrally orange-yellow; posterior of abdomen white.
Forewing upperside white tinged with grey distally; apex and costa
black; outer margin to tornus broadly black but not entering discal
cell. Forewing underside ground colour black, covering all but a narrow
white strip along the inner margin (below vein 1A+2A); basal anterior
lobe of costa edged with yellow; subapical band of 5 white spots.
Hindwing upperside white with broad black margin extending into
subterminal area. Hindwing underside black with large red sub-basal spot
occupying most of cell Sc+R1, yellow scaling present basally: broad red
median band entering outer third of cell and extending slightly beyond,
not reaching costa or inner margin."
(Original Description) "Female. Forewing
length 33mm, antenna 15mm. Head dorsally black, ventrally pale yellow;
antenna black; labial palpus pale yellow; thorax clothed with pale
yellow hairs; legs black, femora with yellow hairs; abdomen pale yellow.
Forewing upperside ground colour white; basal one-third of white areas
suffused with clear pale yellow; black margins broader than in male;
black area very broad along costa almost completely filling discal cell,
leaving just a narrow band of yellow with black dusting above cubitus;
black margins on both wings grade to grey along inner edges; veins
black; submedian area yellow, extending to origin of vein CuA2; distad
of CuA2 white. Forewing underside ground colour black; broad submarginal
band of six white spots extending from costa to vein CuA2, much broader
than in male and separated by black veins; small white disco-cellular
spot present; posterior half of wing white extending from inner margin
to cubitus, filling proximal third of cell CuA1 and most of cells CuA2
and 1A+2A; basal third of white area suffused with pale yellow scales;
black border of outer margin ends at tornus and extends along veins.
Hindwing with termen more convex than in male; upperside ground colour
white; black margins broader than in male; white area suffused with
yellow in basal half of cell Sc+R1, and extending from vein Rs to 1A+2A,
remaining white distally.. Hindwing underside ground colour black; red
sub-basal spot almost entirely occupies cell Sc+R1; yellow scaling
prominent in basal area, diffusing with black ground colour, and
extending to proximal region of costa, sub-basal red spot and discal
cell; red median band much broader than in male, with red areas more
extensive distally; red median band commencing with vestigial spot in
distal portion of cell Sc+R1, then continuous from vein Rs to 3A and
including distal third of discal cell; median band distally
convex."
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