Cynitia lepidea phuquoca T. Saito & Vu, 2023

Tamamitsu, Saito & Lien, Vu Van, 2023, Four new subspecies of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea) from Phu Quoc Island, southern Vietnam, Zootaxa 5293 (1), pp. 161-170 : 164-167

Cynitia lepidea phuquoca T. Saito & Vu subspec. nov.

Figure 5

Description:

Male. Upperside. Both wings have velvety brownish to black ground colour with broad and very dark greenish gray submarginal border on the hindwing continued along the marginal edge of forewing where it gradually narrows from tornus to apex. Underside. Both wings ground colour dark grayish brown with purple marginal area on forewing and grayish marginal border on hindwing; forewing with black prominent submarginal fascia and discreet broad black discal fascia; hindwing with well developed postdiscal and submarginal black fasciae.

Female. Upperside. Both wings ground colour dark velvety brownish to black; hindwing with broad very dark gray submarginal border and blackish marginal area; series of whitish discal spots in cells 2-6 is absent, though there are two barely noticeable discal spots in cells 5 and 6. Underside. Both wings ground colour brownish with yellowish tinge in basal, subbasal and discal areas; submarginal and marginal areas grayish purple; both wing with broad black discal fascia and prominent submarginal fascia; series of paler discal spots reduced to small dark yellowish spots in cells 5 and 6.

Forewing length. J 29.4–33.5 mm (n = 8, avg. 31.7 mm); ♀ 33.9–40.4 mm (n = 10, avg. 37.3 mm).

Diagnosis. The discovery of Cynitia lepidea population on the Phu Quoc Island is of considerable scientific interest. It is well known that the range of this species is restricted to continental part of South-East Asia. It is noteworthy that this species has not yet been found either on oceanic islands (Andamans, Nicobars), nor on islands of mainland origin such as Hainan, Taiwan, Con Sean, Tioman, Aur, Langkawi and some small islands situated in the Gulf of Thailand. Unlike continental populations of C. lepidea , the population on Phu Quoc Island is characterized by a darker, almost black colour of the upperside of the wings. This is especially true for females, whose colour on the continent is lighter and often accompanied by a pattern of light spots on the upper surface of the wings (subspecies lepidea Butler ; cognata Moore; flaminia Fruhstorfer; penerka Talbot & Corbet). Females of the new taxon have barely noticeable light spots in cells 5 and 6. Thus, the combination of the dark, almost black ground colour of the wings with other elements of the pattern that also have a dark shade or absent (e.g. discal spots on the upper surface of the forewing) allows us to recognize this taxon as previously unknown and judge it the status of a new subspecies.

Type material. Holotype. ♀ S. Vietnam, Kien Giang province, Phu Quoc Is., Ganh Dau Commune , Suoi Ganh Dau 3.VII.2015 T. Saito leg .; Paratypes. 8J 10♀, Suoi Ganh Dau 1♀ 3.VII.2015 T. Saito leg., 3♀ 29.XII.2015 T. Saito leg.,1J 28.XII.2015 T. Saito leg.,1J 1♀ 4.VII.2015 T. Saito leg., Suoi Da Ban 2J 27.XII.2014 T. Saito leg., 1♀ 23.XI.2013 T. Saito leg.,1J 28.XII.2014 T. Saito leg.,1J 30.III.2014 T. Saito leg.,1J 25.XII.2017 T. Saito leg., 1♀ 29.III.2014 T. Saito leg., 1♀ 27.XII.2014 T. Saito leg., Duong Dong town 1J 20.XI.2006 I. Nihira leg., Suoi Tranh 1♀ 21.XI.2013 T. Saito leg., Bai Thom 1♀ 5.I.2014 T. Saito leg.

Etymology: Named after the type locality, Phu Quoc Island.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Cynitia lepidea phuquoca T. Saito & Vu ssp. nov. A–B—HT J, B -Ditto underside; C–D—PT ♀ same location as HT., D—Ditto underside; E—J C. l. cognata Moore, 1897. Dong Tien, Binh Thuang, S. Vietnam, F—Ditto underside; G—♀ C. l. cognata, Nam Cat Tien, Dong Nai, S. Vietnam, H—Ditto underside.