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Post by nomad on Jun 29, 2013 9:47:32 GMT -8
Here are some of my recent acquisitions of Delias butterflies from the mountains of New Guinea. It fascinates me that each mountain range has its own assemblage of different species and subspecies. These butterflies are without doubt, some of the most beautiful in the world. The first up are two rare species. Delias Wollastoni is rarely offered for sale. Ex Clive Pratt collection. Delias wollastoni bryophila [ Roepke 1955]  River Yagarak, N.W Baliem valley in Western New Guinea. 1990.  River Westi, Baliem valley. 1991.  River Nggoyage, Baliem valley 1990. Delias inexpectata. [ Rothschild 1915]  River Wau, South Carstensz, 2100 meters, Western New Guinea, 1992  River Wau, South Carstensz, 2100 meters 1992.  Tembagapura, 2001. The type specimens of both of these species held by the BMNH can be seen in the Wollaston thread. |
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Post by nomad on Jun 29, 2013 10:16:15 GMT -8
Delias Klossi gome [Mastrigt 2000]  Mulia, Western New Guinea 1990. Delias carstensziana carstensziana [ Rothschild 1915]  Catstensz area. Western New Guinea. 1991 A remarkable species discovered by the Wollaston expedition. A very high altitude species, has been observed above 13,000 feet. Delias toxopei morosa [Roepke 1955] This species is named after Dr L. J. Toxopeus who discovered this species during the 1938/39 Thrid Archbold expedition.  River Kawikei, South Carstensz, Western New Guinea, 1991. |
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Post by nomad on Jun 29, 2013 10:32:33 GMT -8
Delias roepkei roepkei [Sandford and Bennett 1955]  Kerowagi Chimbu Province, Papua, 1997. Delias roepkei cieko [ Arima 1996]  Pass Valley, Western New Guinea, 1991. Bernard d' Abrera considered this species a race of Delias mira. |
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Post by nomad on Jun 29, 2013 10:45:22 GMT -8
Two stunning species. Delias meeki meeki [Rothschild and Jordan] Named in honour of Alfred Stewart Meek who discovered this very beautiful butterfly in the Owen Stanley Range.   Kerowagi, Chimbu Province 1998. Delias anamesa [Bennett 1956]   Kerowagi,Chimbu Province, Papua New Guinea. |
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Post by nomad on Jun 29, 2013 10:57:45 GMT -8
Lastly for now, a magnificent species not from New Guinea but from Buru, I imagine the excitement of the Pratt Brothers when they discovered this superb butterfly. Delias prouti [ Joicey and Talbot 1923 ]  Male, Buru, 2500 meters. |
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Post by nomad on Jun 29, 2013 23:02:57 GMT -8
Any Delias specimens of New Guinea or its Islands would be most welcome here.
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 30, 2013 0:11:13 GMT -8
Thank you so much for showing these stunning and magnificent Delias. Here a photo of the right spot where we collected Delias meeki some years ago. I would be so glad to go back there ....  |
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Post by nomad on Jun 30, 2013 8:31:40 GMT -8
I am pleased  that you enjoyed the Delias butterflies lepidofrance. Nice to see the D. meeki Arfak habitat. I am sure you would like to go back there, what a experience  to have been to those remote mountains and collect butterflies. Delias will never be as popular as the Papilionidae group but they are just as beautiful and are very interesting and they do not take up so much cabinet space. They are certainly to collect. |
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Post by wollastoni on Jun 30, 2013 10:14:25 GMT -8
nomad < I have to say I am impressed. Some Delias collectors have been looking for those species for years before finding them ! You must have a very good network, which is the only way to find rare Papuan species today !
Your Delias mira cieko is a rarity, I don't have any in my collection.
Papuan Delias are by far the most interesting Delias to study and collect.
PS : be careful, there are some typos in your subspecies names. It is "klossi gome" and "alcicornis".
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 30, 2013 10:51:06 GMT -8
Whether you're a creationist and admirer of the divine work or whether you are a "materialist" supporter of the theory of evolution, it must be admitted, the Delias are among the most dazzling evidence of the wealth, variety, fantasy of Nature. As has been said on this page, not only Delias are staggering by their shapes, designs, colors, etc., but they are also (and this is not the least interesting) by their geographical and altitudinal distribution, their speciation from valley to valley, from mountain to mountain. Fantastic!  |
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Post by nomad on Jun 30, 2013 11:16:38 GMT -8
Wollastoni, oops, sorry about the typos,I have changed them. I put them up all in one go. I do try to recheck all the latin names, which are so important. One of these typos was from the d' Abrera book [alicornis]. I see you mention Delias roepkei as a subspecies of D. mira? Yes, some of these are really rare and I was very pleased to have obtained them. Hopefully I will have others to add soon. Lepidofrance. How wonderfully said, I agree with every word. |
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Post by lepidofrance on Jun 30, 2013 15:54:29 GMT -8
BTW, from the same river bed in Siobri, this nice guy, not uncommom but rather difficult to catch because flying quickly, close to the ground, between rocks where it's not easy to use the butterfly net : G. weiskei. First encounter with weiskei is unforgettable : a kind of violet light moving fast .... G. weiskei was mud-puddling with Delias heroni, D. kenricki, D. angiensis, D. microsticha flavopicta et Delias caroli caroli.  |
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jul 1, 2013 3:29:21 GMT -8
Lucky you managed to catch it mud-puddling; if you had caught it when flying the result would be nowhere near as nice! It must have been a fantastic experience seeing it live.
Adam.
PS. Please put the first 'e' in the first 2 'weiskei' above, some people will wonder which is the correct spelling.
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Post by lepidofrance on Jul 1, 2013 4:21:51 GMT -8
Dear Adam,
the "e" had been added : thanks !
What do you mean by "if you had caught it when flying the result would be nowhere near as nice!" ?
Yes, in deed, it was a great moment when watching G. weiskei flying : superb colour, speed of the butterfly : amazing !
Here, two others G. weiskei and one Delias toxopei (all mud-puddling) from the Pass Valley in Papua.
Sorry, I can't load the picture, something wrong with the software !
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Post by Adam Cotton on Jul 1, 2013 7:19:44 GMT -8
There's still 1 'e' missing "First encounter with wiskei is unforgettable" ;-)
Generally if you catch tailed Papilionidae when they are flying there will be some rub marks, and the tails may break off in the net too, especially Graphium like these that are faster fliers. It is always best to catch males mud-puddling if possible, and females when hovering on flowers, rather than when they are flying fast around a place or along a track. Even using the softest Japanese silk net bags there is still a high chance of damage when catching them flying, hence my comment.
Adam.
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that you enjoyed the Delias butterflies lepidofrance. Nice to see the D. meeki Arfak habitat. I am sure you would like to go back there, what a experience 
to have been to those remote mountains and collect butterflies. Delias will never be as popular as the Papilionidae group but they are just as beautiful and are very interesting and they do not take up so much cabinet space.
