Prioneris hypsipyle

Prioneris hypsipyle belongs to Pieridae. The Florida Museum catalogue recognizes the species, while Harvard’s Sumatran specimen is catalogued as Prioneris autothisbe hypsipyle. [1][3]

Weymer’s males have almost entirely black-brown ventral forewings, with white along the inner margin, pale streaks through the central cell and two curved rows of smaller pale marks. The ventral hindwings are gold-yellow with black veins, a broad dark border containing four small yellow dots, and a vermilion patch near the base. [5]

Above, Weymer distinguished hypsipyle from autothisbe by two additional white forewing spots, a narrower black hindwing margin and broader blue-grey dusting along its inner edge. He recorded a body length of 25 mm and a forewing length of 38 mm. [5]

The original males came from the Padang hinterlands of western Sumatra and were collected in November. Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology also holds a Sumatran specimen under the subspecific combination. [5][3]

Weymer described Prioneris hypsipyle in 1887, publishing a figure on plate I of the Stettiner Entomologische Zeitung. The name also occurs in the combination Prioneris autothisbe hypsipyle. [5][3]

The ventral surface displays the strongest contrasts in Weymer’s diagnosis: dark forewings, gold-yellow hindwings and four small yellow dots within the hindwing border. [5]

Bold contours separate the pale fields from the dark veins and borders, retaining the sharp contrast of the ventral pattern.

Keep framed specimens enclosed and away from direct sunlight, moisture and pests. Handle the frame and avoid contact with the fragile wings. [4]