Species Delias harpalyce (Donovan, 1805)
Delias harpalyce, the Imperial Jezabel, pupae and adults, on mistletoe in Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra
© Copyright A. Wells, ABRS
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Species Delias harpalyce (Donovan, 1805)
Imperial Jezebel, Imperial White
- Papilio harpalyce Donovan, E. 1805. An Epitome of the Natural History of the Insects of New Holland, New Zealand, New Guinea, Otaheite, and other Islands in the Indian, Southern, and Pacific Oceans: including Figures and Descriptions of One Hundred and Fifty-three Species of the more Splendid, Beautiful, and Interesting Insects, hitherto Discovered in those Countries, and which for the most Part have not appeared in the Works of any Preceding Author. London : Rivington iv + [167] pp. + [41] pls. [Date published January] [pl. [18] fig. 1] [nomen protectum; Braby and Lamas (2020) observed that Papilio harpalyce Donovan, 1805 from Australia is a junior primary homonym of Papilio harpalyce Cramer, 1777 from Africa and, under most circumstances, cannot be used to designate the pierid butterfly currently known as Delias harpalyce (Donovan, 1805). The oldest available name for the Australian species is Papilio lewini Thon, 1827. Under Article 23.9.2 of the Fourth Edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, however, they regard the name Papilio harpalyce Donovan, 1805 as valid and qualified as a nomen protectum and declare the name Papilio lewini Thon, 1827 as invalid and qualified as a nomen oblitum.].
Type data:
Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown ♂, Sydney, NSW (as New Holland in original description; the date of description indicated that the type locality must be Sydney as no other area within its range was settled at the time of description
Comment: Donovan in the original description did not indicate the number of specimens described. - Papilio lewini Thon, T.C.G. 1828. Entomologisches Archives. Jena : Thon Vol. 1(2). [publication date: Moulds, M.S. 1977. Bibliography of the Australian Butterflies. Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea 1773–1973. Greenwich, N.S.W. : Australian Entomological Press pp. 239. [203]] [38 pl. 3 fig. 10] [nomen oblitum; Braby and Lamas (2020) observed that Papilio harpalyce Donovan, 1805 from Australia is a junior primary homonym of Papilio harpalyce Cramer, 1777 from Africa and, under most circumstances, cannot be used to designate the pierid butterfly currently known as Delias harpalyce (Donovan, 1805). The oldest available name for the Australian species is Papilio lewini Thon, 1827. Under Article 23.9.2 of the Fourth Edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, however, they regard the name Papilio harpalyce Donovan, 1805 as valid and qualified as a nomen protectum and declare the name Papilio lewini Thon, 1827 as invalid and qualified as a nomen oblitum.].
Type data:
Status unknown, whereabouts unknown ♀, New South Wales (given in title to Lewin's book)
Comment: Thon recognised that the second edition (1822) of Lewin's classic A natural history of the lepidopterous insects of New South Wales contained a frontispiece not in the first edition; the frontispiece illustrated Delias harpalyce (Donovan), but without name or explanation; Thon provided a name without realising that the species had been described by Donovan; the type(s) will be the specimen(s) illustrated by Lewin.Type locality references:
Edwards, E.D., Newland, J. & Regan, L. 2001. Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea. In Wells, A. & Houston, W.W.K. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 31.6. Melbourne : CSIRO Publishing, Australia. x 615 pp. (the specimen(s) must have been collected before 1822 so probably came from Sydney but there is no evidence for this assumption).
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
- Butler, A.G. 1897. Revision of the Pierine butterflies of the genus Delias. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 6 20: 143-167 [151]
- Talbot, G. 1932. Familia Pieridae I. Lepidopterorum Catalogus. Pt 53 pp. 1–320. [108]
- Talbot, G. 1937. A Monograph of the Pierine Genus Delias. Pt 6. London : British Museum pp. 261-656. [Date published 23/January/1937] [427]
- Braby M.F. and Lamas G. 2020. Protected taxonomic status for Papilio harpalyce Donovan, 1805 (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), a junior primary homonym of Papilio harpalyce Cramer, 1777 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Australian Entomologist 47: 177–182
Distribution
States
Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria
Extra Distribution Information
Australian Endemic.
IBRA
ACT, NSW, Qld, Vic: Australian Alps (AA), Brigalow Belt North (BBN), Brigalow Belt South (BBS), Broken Hill Complex (BHC), Central Mackay Coast (CMC), Cobar Peneplain (CP), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Desert Uplands (DEU), Darling Riverine Plains (DRP), Einasleigh Uplands (EIU), Flinders (FLI), Murray Darling Depression (MDD), Mulga Lands (ML), Nandewar (NAN), Naracoorte Coastal Plain (NCP), New England Tablelands (NET), NSW North Coast (NNC), NSW South Western Slopes (NSS), Riverina (RIV), Sydney Basin (SB), South East Coastal Plain (SCP), South East Corner (SEC), South Eastern Highlands (SEH), South Eastern Queensland (SEQ), Victorian Midlands (VM), Victorian Volcanic Plain (VVP), Wet Tropics (WT)
Original AFD Distribution Data
Australian Region
- Australia
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales: Murray-Darling basin, SE coastal
- Queensland: Murray-Darling basin, NE coastal
- Victoria: Murray-Darling basin, SE coastal
Ecological Descriptors
Larva: herbivore (associated flora: Amyema pendula (Sieber ex Spreng.) Tiegh. [LORANTHACEAE] Drooping Mistletoe; Amyema quandang (Lindl.) Tiegh. [LORANTHACEAE] Grey Mistletoe; Amyema miquelii (Lehm. ex Miq.) Tiegh. [LORANTHACEAE] Stalked Mistletoe; Amyema preissii (Miq.) Tiegh. [LORANTHACEAE] Wire-leaf Mistletoe; Muellerina eucalyptoides Tiegh. [LORANTHACEAE]).
General References
Anderson, E. & Spry, F.P. 1893. Victorian Butterflies and How to Collect Them. Part 1. Melbourne : H. Hearne & Co. 78 pp. [35] (biology)
Braby, M.F. & Douglas, F. 1992. Observations on the biology of Delias harpalyce (Donovan) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) near Melbourne. Australian Entomological Magazine 19(1): 9-18 [9] (included bibliography)
Common, I.F.B. & Waterhouse, D.F. 1981. Butterflies of Australia. Sydney : Angus & Robertson xiv 682 pp. 49 pls. [287] (biology)
McCubbin, C. 1971. Australian Butterflies. Melbourne : Nelson xxxi 206 pp. [114, 121] (biology)
Talbot, G. 1937. A Monograph of the Pierine Genus Delias. Pt 6. London : British Museum pp. 261-656. [Date published 23/January/1937] [427] (biology)
Waterhouse, G.A. 1932. What Butterfly is That? A Guide to the Butterflies of Australia. Illustrated by Neville Cayley. Sydney : Angus & Robertson 291 pp. 34 pls. [Date published 15/Dec/1932] [54]
Waterhouse, G.A. & Lyell, G. 1914. The Butterflies of Australia: a monograph of the Australian Rhopalocera introducing a complete scheme of structural classification, and giving descriptions and illustrations of all the butterflies found in Australia, including a number now recorded for the first time. Sydney : Angus & Robertson 239 pp. 38 pls + 3 unnumbered colour pls. [Date published 25 July 1914] [139] (biology)
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07-Mar-2024 | PAPILIONOIDEA | 07-Mar-2024 | MODIFIED | Dr Michael Braby |
| 04-Feb-2023 | PAPILIONOIDEA | 22-Dec-2023 | MODIFIED | Dr Michael Braby (ANU) |
| 13-May-2022 | PAPILIONOIDEA | 07-Mar-2024 | MODIFIED | Dr Michael Braby |
| 26-Feb-2021 | PAPILIONOIDEA | 07-Mar-2024 | MODIFIED | Dr Michael Braby |
| 04-Jun-2020 | PAPILIONOIDEA | 07-Mar-2024 | MODIFIED | Dr Michael Braby |
| 06-Sep-2017 | PAPILIONOIDEA | 07-Mar-2024 | MODIFIED | |
| 05-Mar-2013 | 07-Mar-2024 | MODIFIED | ||
| 30-Mar-2012 | 07-Mar-2024 | MODIFIED | ||
| 05-Apr-2011 | 05-Apr-2011 | MOVED | ||
| 28-Mar-2012 | 07-Mar-2024 | MODIFIED | ||
| 28-Mar-2012 | 07-Mar-2024 | MODIFIED | ||
| 07-Mar-2024 | MODIFIED |