Delias pasithoe

Species of butterfly

Delias pasithoe, the redbase Jezebel is a medium sized butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites. The species is found in parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. There has been some dispute for which species the specific name aglaja (or aglaia), used twice by Linnaeus in 1758, applies – the redbase Jezebel, or the dark green fritillary (Speyeria aglaja), a brush footed butterfly. Here, Delias pasithoe is used for the redbase Jezebel, based on the replacement name proposed by Linnaeus himself.

Upperside: black. Forewing with more or less distinct, somewhat diffuse, broad streaks from base, in the discoidal cell and interspaces 1 and 2, the streak in the last the most produced; a white oval spot at lower apex of cell traversed by the lower discocellular, followed by a subterminal series of greyish white hastate (spear shaped) markings with their points turned inwards, the markings opposite the apex of the wing elongate and shifted a little inwards. Hindwing: a broad subbasal transverse greyish white band merged posteriorly in a large bright yellow dorsal patch that fills the apical two thirds, the extreme apex excepted, of interspaces 1a, 1, and of 2; a white transversely elongate spot along the middle discocellular, and beyond it a postdiscal curved series of greyish white elongate hastate spots in interspaces 3 to 7. Underside: black. Forewing: somewhat elongate greyish white markings in interspaces 1, 2, 3 and in cell, formed into a conspicuous oblique broad bar across the middle of the wing; a white spot at lower apex of cell and a postdiscal series of hastate spots as on the upperside. Hindwing: black, a rich dark crimson patch at base, a yellow dorsal patch as on the upperside but darker; the apical two thirds of the cell, three spots above it and one below at bases of interspaces 3, 6 and 7 respectively and a curved discal series of elongate spots beyond apex of cell, rich chrome yellow; of these latter spots the spot in interspace 5 is much the longest. Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen above black, abdomen on the sides and below grey.

Brownish red, each segment with a transverse row of long bristles, The outer bristles black, the middle yellow. Length about 2 inches. Found in March feeding on the young leaves of the binga tree (Nauclea rotundifolia).

Very dark reddish brown or black, smooth, sinuate; head with three sharp points and a broad truncation in front; segments of the abdomen and the front with small acute tubercular projections.