Luminary Oddities · Natural history & art
Delias surprisa
Delias surprisa
Lepidoptera / Pieridae
A Sulawesi jezebel with greenish-grey upper-wing colouring and large central and outer spots on the hindwing underside.
Read the species accountAt a glance
- Upper surface ↘
- Greenish-grey colouring [2]
- Lower surface ↘
- Large central and outer hindwing spots [2]
Taxonomy and related species
Adult morphology
Compared with belladonna, surprisa has a greenish-grey upper-wing ground and large spots in the central and outer regions of the hindwing underside. [2]
Distribution and habitat
Delias surprisa is recorded from Sulawesi, Indonesia. [2]
Taxonomic history
Martin described surprisa in 1913. [2]
Dorsal and ventral characters
The upper surface shows the greenish-grey ground; the underside exposes the large central and outer hindwing spots. [2]
Illustration notes
The illustrations retain the reference adult’s spot arrangement and restrained upper-wing colour. The dorsal and ventral patterns are represented as distinct surfaces.
Specimen care
Keep the enclosure away from direct sunlight, dampness and large changes in temperature or humidity. Handle the frame, clean only its exterior, and inspect for loose fragments, moisture and pests. Retain the specimen’s original labels and follow the enclosure maker’s care instructions. [3]
Sources and further reading
- Delias classification and museum-image catalogue ↗
University of Florida Lepiverse; Catalogue of Life 2026-08-26 XR · Accessed 2026-10-09
- Delias surprisa: specialist records and comparison plates ↗
Delias of the World; international Delias specialists · Accessed 2026-10-09
- Caring for natural history collections ↗
Canadian Conservation Institute; Fiona Graham · Accessed 2026-10-09
Related species
Sources checked 2026-10-09. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.
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