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Post by nomad on Dec 17, 2016 11:42:41 GMT
S rothschildi is very variable in size too: see a giant on the picture The top right hand male looks like janetae, I am sure that colour form was described by Schaffler.
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aureus
New Aurelian
Posts: 5
Country: Germany
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Post by aureus on Dec 17, 2016 12:14:41 GMT
Hi at all ! Sorry for posting quite late. Here are some pictures of the male Holotyoe upperside and underside, and also a comparison to a nominate rothschildi. Again: I can underline that the complete Paratype-serie is VERY stabil in apperance (males and females !). I knew that rothschildi is very variable (thank you for posting the other pictures) and I myself was very critical with this new subspecie, but due seeing more and more of these from Sibjo area, it is very clear that this MUST be a new and constanst subspecie. In the describition I mentioned several differneces, which caused me to describe these as a new subspecie (thank you to Adam, who posted alreaddy some of these differences). All differences from janetae to rothschildi are constant. Remarkable is the big "opportunity" for variation in rothschildi (seen in many books and describtions), but the stability of janetae in apperance, when you compare both. For me it is very interessting and new to see the pictures of the rotschildi from Isim/Ingsim. From the first look (underside) it really looks quite similar to ssp. janetae. It maybe could be a pair janetae from another locality. Please notice the single, quite rounded golden spots at the hindwings, which are ALWAYS separated from each other with greenish/turquoise coloration from the veins. Sometimes, some nominate rothschidi have also some very tiny small greenish lines between this gold-transparent parts, but these parts are ALWAYS NOT separated from each other ! They always make an "optical complete golden part" of the hindwing. This is not in janetae ! Ssp. janetae have always these singular golden spots. You see this difference very good in the picture of the hindwing-comparison (thank you Manfred for posting it). There are also the very remarkable difference in the body-coloration (less hairs, more yellow, white rounded eyes) and in the general coloration of the wings. Also the structure of the greenish/tourquoise coloration in the forewing is more "remarkable" than in the nominate rothschildi (more structure and very stabil in occurance). If somebody needs a copy of the original describiton (german language), yust send me and email and I will send the copy back. Best regards JENS JAKUSCH
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aureus
New Aurelian
Posts: 5
Country: Germany
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Post by aureus on Dec 17, 2016 12:15:08 GMT
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aureus
New Aurelian
Posts: 5
Country: Germany
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Post by aureus on Dec 17, 2016 12:15:31 GMT
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Post by wollastoni on Dec 17, 2016 18:01:09 GMT
Congrats Jens ! A new Delias ssp and a new Ornithoptera ssp described in the same year ! Nobody has done this since Lord Rothschild !
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Post by Adam Cotton on Dec 17, 2016 20:44:20 GMT
S rothschildi is very variable in size too: see a giant on the picture The top right hand male looks like janetae, I am sure that colour form was described by Schaffler. It may possibly have been named as a "colour form" by Schäffler, but that would be an infrasubspecific name and have no validity under the ICZN Code. There are actually 8 names described as forms of O. rothschildi including imperialis Dufek & Schäffler, 2006. I can list them all for you if you like, but since none of them have any official status janetae has priority over all of them. Adam.
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Post by exoticimports on Dec 21, 2016 19:04:44 GMT
While geographic distance, particularly barriers, are generally (and properly) considered drivers for genetic diversification, it does not always hold true.
Argyronympha rubaianensis masolo occurs only on Tetepare Island, which is less than 5km from Rendova Island. And if some experts are considered correct in separating OV reginae from OV maramasikensis, that narrow 250 meter slot of water purportedly separating the two ssp is far from sufficient to eliminate movement between Malaita and Maramasike.
Not to distract from the original topic, which is extremely interesting, and I'm glad Adam posted the specifics of habitat.
Chuck
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Post by dynastes on Feb 21, 2017 8:48:52 GMT
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Post by nomad on Feb 21, 2017 9:28:35 GMT
One of the joys of describing new Ornithoptera subspecies.
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