Delias agostina subsp. sushii Lo 2018, ssp. nov.
Creators: name: Lo, Yik-Fui Philip
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Lepidoptera
Pieridae
Delias
Delias agostina
Delias agostina sushii lo

description: Delias agostina sushii Lo ssp. nov.
(Figs. 1–4, 13, 14, 17)
Delias agostina, Zhu & Cao 1988 (name list); Wu & Hsu 2017 (in part): 348, Figs 11, ♂, Fig 12, ♀.
Delias agostina agostina, Chen & Gu 1994 (name list).
Delias agostina annamitica, Chou et al. 1994: 238, green labels, ♂ ♀; Gu & Chen 1997: 94 –95, Figs 64, ♂ ♀; Gu 2002: 688 (name list); Wei & Wu 2005; Wu 2010: 181.
Type material: HOLOTYPE: ♂, China: Hainan Island, Changjiang County, BWL NNR, Dong Wu, 1000m, 29.X.2015, Coll. Y. F. Lo (IOZ). PARATYPES: ♀, locality and date as holotype, Coll. Y. F. Lo (KFBG). 4♂ 2♀, China: Hainan Island, Qiongzhong County, YGL NNR, Yinggezui, 600m, 09.I.2016, Coll. Y. F. Lo (IOZ, KFBG, YFLC, JCC). ♂, China: Hainan Prov., Jianfengzhen, Tianchi, 900–1000m, V.6 /7.2013, Coll Y. F. Hsu, HSU No. 13E20, emgd. V.17.2013 (NTNU).
Additional material: ♂, China: Hainan Island, Bawangling, 05.V.1989, Coll. M. B. Gu (RITF). ♀, China: Hainan Island, no date (RITF).
Description. Male (Figs. 1, 2): Length of forewing 31.29–33.71 mm (32.69 ± 0.89mm, n = 5). Length of antenna 14.00– 15.23 mm (14.60 ± 0.56 mm, n = 5). Upperside: ground colour white, basal area weakly suffused with black. Forewing with costa narrowly black, dark brown scaling distally and proximally along veins. Parafocal element represented by a dark brown oblique stripe, submarginal band forming a black margin with black scales extending to parafocal element along each vein, enclosing a series of white spots from cell R 1 to M 3, all patterns become faint towards tornus. Fringe white, mixed with dark brown anteriorly. Hindwing with parafocal element obsolete, submarginal bands forming barely connected black terminal venous spots, become less pronounced towards apex, with slight proximal black extensions along veins. The pale yellow background on underside is faintly visible. Fringe white, mixed with dark brown posteriorly. Underside: basal area weakly suffused with grey. Forewing ground colour white, costa dark brown, with extensive dark brown scaling along veins. Parafocal element and submarginal band similar to those of upperside but better developed. Hindwing ground colour light yellow. Parafocal element represented by a thin dark brown stripe parallel to termen, submarginal bands forming an irregular dark brown margin, with slight proximal extensions along veins, enclosing a series of white spots from cell M 1 to CuA 2. Male genitalia: Uncus down curved with lateral lobes shoulder-like, the median lobe barely longer then the lateral ones (Figs. 13B, 13D, 17). Valva tapering distally toward the incurved acute tip (Figs. 13A). Phallus strongly curved, rather slender with a rudder-like process hanging ventrad (Fig. 13C).
Female (Figs. 3, 4): Length of forewing 28.90–31.56 mm (30.60 ± 1.47mm, n = 3). Length of antenna 13.11– 14.10 mm (13.63 ± 0.50 mm, n = 3). Upperside: forewing ground colour white, costa black, with extensive dark brown scaling along veins. Parafocal element represented by a dark brown oblique stripe, submarginal band forming a black margin with black scales extending to parafocal element along each vein, enclosing a series of white spots from cell R 1 to CuA 1. Fringe white, mixed with dark brown anteriorly. Hindwing ground colour pale yellow, suffused with dark brown scaling, more extensive at basal area and, along vein M 1 and anterior margin of discoidal cell. Parafocal element and submarginal bands fused, forming a dark brown stripe parallel to termen connected with terminal venous spots. Fringe white, mixed with dark brown posteriorly. Underside: dark brown markings similar to those of upperside but less prominent, hindwing ground colour light yellow, dark brown scaling confined to basal area.
Variations. Females exhibit variation in the extent of black suffusion on the upperside, especially the forewing.
Distribution and habitat. This subspecies is endemic to Hainan Island and confined to well preserved natural forests in mountainous area in the central part of the island.
Immature stages. Final instar larva (Fig. 14A): body olive-green, yellow tone laterally, with scattered pale green dots, a series of long white dorsolateral hairs each arising from a small yellow spot, and a few lateral white hairs; head dark brown with white hairs. Pupa (Fig. 14B): reddish brown, mottled with white patches, abdomen dark brown ventrally; thorax with a prominent dorsal ridge, abdominal segments 1 to 5 each with a short dorsal projection, segments 2 and 3 each with a short black dorsolateral projection; cremaster black.
Biology. One mature larva was found wandering around at the base of a large tree in montane rainforest at about 900 m in elevation. The larva pupated shortly after being found and no natural host plant was detected. Adults of both sexes were observed visiting flowers of Polyspora axillaris (Theaceae).
Voltinism. Multivoltine, adult occurs in January, May and October according to the materials examined.
Etymology. The name “ sushii ” is derived from SU Shi (1037–1101 AD), also known as SU Dongpo, an important and influential writer, painter and statesman of the Song Dynasty, who was exiled to Hainan and spent his final years of career on the island.
Diagnosis. D. a. sushii is readily distinguished by having light yellow ground colour on hindwing underside, whereas it is orange-yellow in all continental conspecific taxa. D. a. sushii also has the least developed black suffusion on forewing underside among all known subspecies. The male genitalia of D. a. sushii is similar to D. a. annamitica, with broader uncus.
description: Published as part of Lo, Yik-Fui Philip, 2018, A new subspecies of Delias agostina Hewitson (Lepidoptera: Pieridae: Pierinae) from Hainan Island, pp. 553-560 in Zootaxa 4532 (4) on pages 554-556, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4532.4.6, http://zenodo.org/record/2615661