Upper Side. Head, thorax, and abdomen black, and beautifully powdered with fine green specks. All the wings are black, but have a greenish hue, occasioned by a multitude of powder-like specks of a fine green. On the posterior margin of the anterior wings, near the lower corner, arises a series of green spots, becoming weaker, disappearing near the middle of the wing, and composed of powder-like specks. Posterior wings scolloped or dentated, each furnished with one tail, each scollop being edged with white. At the anal angle, near the corner, is a deep red spot, shaped like a semi-eye, whose pupil is black; and towards the upper corner of the wing, is a large and very splendid blue spot, appearing in some directions of a saxon green colour, and diminishing to a line as it approaches the semi-eye, over which it extends in an arch-like form, being there of a fine green colour.
Under Side. It has apparently no palpi. Breast and abdomen of a very dark brown. The superior wings dark brown at the base; from the middle of the anterior edge of a dark ash colour, running towards the upper corner, the tendons between being dark brown, which unite together at the external edge. Posterior wings almost black, sprinkled, or finely powdered, with small grey specks near the abdomen; round the external edge is a series of eye-like rings of an orange colour, edged above with purple.
This very handsome species is often received from China, but in an imperfect condition. The female, according to Godart (Enc. Méth. ix. p. 67.) is the Papilio Bianor, Fabr. which has no trace of the shining green spot on the posterior wings. M. Boisduval, however, asserts, that this is not correct, and that the female differs only from the male in having the ground of the wings rather darker, and possessing a transverse interrupted fascia of green dots near the external margin of the upper wing; these being represented in Drury's figure, therefore indicate that his specimen was of the female sex.
Dr. Horsfield has figured another species from Java (Lepid. Javan. pl. 1. fig. 14.), differing very slightly from the preceding, under the name of Papilio Arjuna, of which he has also figured the larva and pupa (pl. 4. fig. 11.). The former has the three first segments of the body covered, as it were, with a leathery shield, elevated behind, and ornamented with several ocelli; the other segments are simple; the chrysalis is considerably curved, with the head bifid.
COLIAS (CALLIDRYAS) PYRANTHE, var.?
Plate [XII]. fig. 3. 4.
Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: Papilionidæ, Leach.
Genus. Colias, Latr. et God. Papilio (Danai Candidi), Drury. Callidryas, Boisduval.
Colias (Callidryas) Pyranthe. Alis albis, anticis supra puncto minuto discoidali apiceque nigris, margine interno penicillatis, subtus (nisi basi anticarum) flavescentibus strigis numerosissimis fuscis. (Expans. Alar. 3 unc.)
Syn. Papilio (Dan. Cand.) Pyranthe, Linn. Syst. Nat. 2. p. 763. No. 98? Latr. et God. Enc. Méth. ix. p. 97. (Colias P.), Boisduval, Hist. Nat. Lepid. 1. p. 611. (Callidryas P.)