Pierites Freyeri Heer, Insekt. Tert. Œning., ii, 182-83, Taf. 14, fig. 6 (1849); Ib., Nouv. Mem. Soc. Helv., xi, 182-83, Taf. 14, fig. 6 (1850); Gieb., Deutschl. Petref., 644 (1852); Ib., Faun. der Vorw., ii, 187 (1856); Kirb., Syn. Cat. Diurn. Lep., 509 (1871).
The original description of this insect we owe to Heer; it is as follows:[AE]—
Alis anterioribus lividis, margine maculisque duabus nigris.
Länge des Vorderflügels 9¾ Lin., Breite 5½ Lin.
Radoboi. Ein einzelner Vorderflügel, dessen Spitze und theilweise auch Hinterrand aber zerstört ist, in der k. k. montanistischen Sammlung zu Wien. [[Pl. II], fig. 16.]
Das Geäder ist nicht in seinem Verlauf zu ermitteln und da auch der Umriss des Flügels nicht vollständig vorliegt, ist die Gattung nicht mit Sicherheit zu ermitteln. In Form und Farbe scheint er am meisten mit manchen Pieriden, namentlich Pieris Daplidice, zu stimmen, wofür auch das dünne Schuppenkleid, das er gehabt zu haben scheint, angeführt werden kann, wogegen die allerdings stumpfen Zacken am Hinterrand eine abweichende Bildung zeigen.
Der Flügel ist am Grunde stark verschmälert, nach dem Hinterrande zu stark verbreitert; der Hinterrand ist stumpf gekerbt; in die Bucht der Kerbe läuft eine Längsfalte, in die Mitte derselben eine Ader aus, die man aber nicht bis zur Insertionsstelle verfolgen kann; die äussere Flügelspitze fehlt; ebenso ein Stück des Hinterrandes an der [183] Nahtseite. Von den Adern kann man nur die einfache v. analis in ihrer ganzen Länge verfolgen; sie ist dem Nahtrande sehr genähert. Die Farbe des Flügels ist hell gelbbraun und war im Leben wohl weiss oder gelblich. Der Hinterrand ist von der Mitte an bis zum Aussenrand schwarz, und zwar wird diese dunkle Parthie auswärts breiter; ungefähr in der Flügelmitte geht vom Aussenrand ein viereckiger, dunkler Fleck aus, welcher dieselbe Grösse, Form und Stellung hat, wie der schwarze Fleck bei Pieris Daplidice; ein zweiter kleinerer, rundlicher Fleck liegt näher dem Hinter-und Nahtrande und entspricht dem, an derselben Stelle liegenden, Flecken der Unterseite von Pieris Daplidice.—Am Flügelgrunde bemerkt man den Schenkel und Schiene eines dünnen Beines, das wohl diesem Thiere angehört hat.
This insect evidently belongs to the genus Pontia, judging from the disposition of the markings of the upper surface of the fore wings ([Pl. II], fig. 18); this is the only thing we have here to guide us, although the drawing made for us in Vienna seems to show that with great pains the neuration of at least a part of the apex might be traced and lead to more positive determination. The fossil species seems best comparable with P. Protodice ([Pl. II], fig. 12) of N. America, although, as suggested by Heer, most nearly resembling P. Daplidice, of European species. The dark spot at the apex of the cell appears to cover a larger area than in P. Protodice, extending with equal breadth almost to the costal margin, and also covering a considerable space at the base of the subcosto-median interspace, equal indeed to the entire width of the portion of the spot within the cell. The region below this spot, next the base of the lower median interspace, is also rather faintly suffused with griseous tints. The precise extent of the subcostal spots midway between the cell and the apex cannot be determined, owing to the imperfect state of the fossil; but they evidently form a connected series as much larger than the similar spots in P. Protodice as the cellular spot, and extend from the costal margin to the lowest subcostal nervures, expanding considerably baseward in the upper half of their course. There is no spot in the upper median interspace, as in P. Protodice, but, instead, a precisely similar one in the middle of the apical three-fifths of the lower median interspace, where it does not occur in P. Protodice; and this affords the principal ground for supposing the insect to be generically distinct from Pontia, no distinctive premarginal spot occurring in this interspace in any species of Pontia which we have seen. The dusky premarginal fleckings of the nervures terminating on the outer border, often enlarging into distinct spots, which are so usual in Pontia, especially in the upper half of the wing, are also absent from the fossil species; but in their place the whole outer margin appears to be almost uniformly, though not heavily, griseous, a little more distinctly so in the upper than in the lower half of the wing. The spot just beyond the middle of the medio-submedian interspace, distinct in P. Protodice, but deepest in shade on the lower half of the interspace, and in other species sometimes wholly confined to it, is seen in the fossil species, but is far less distinct, confined to the lower half and situated exactly in the middle. There are indications also of dark markings following the basal third of the submedian nervure; and apparently the basal half of the costal edge, as far as the costal nervure, is darker than any part of the wing, excepting in a sudden and rather broad, distinct break in its middle. This darker portion is considered by Heer as the femur of one of the legs, superimposed upon the base of the wing; perhaps, however, this is due to an accidental folding of the wing at this point, which seems the more probable, because if we suppose this darker portion to be turned back, the curve of the costal border would approximate much more closely to its condition in P. Protodice; while its present form is much straighter, exhibiting only a very slight and regular convexity. As far as can be judged from the fragment, the form of the other parts of the wing coincides with that of P. Protodice.
As in all species of Pontia there is a slight wrinkling of the membrane in the interspaces, forming slight channels running from the outer border inward, nearly to the depth of two interspaces, indicated in the fossil by dark lines as heavy as the nervures, and caused by their filling with sedimentary material. The extreme length of the part of the wing preserved is 24mm. and the greatest width 22.5mm.