Some observations on Behaviour of Delias Imagos

Jean-Marc Gayman

The French version of this text is after the English translation.

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Behaviour of Delias imagos

Firstly, females are rarer (When APPROBATION) Than males. Among 79 samples and 12 species, we found only one female of Delias mavroneria flavidior, one D. albertisi albertisi, one D. ligata dealbata, Three D. lara oven and mysid females of D. Ladas levis (13 males). According LESLIE DAY , the female of D. caroli caroli is The Most frequent: we only Collected Two females (10 males). With 25% of females, D. The Highest mysid lara present rate (for 4 specimens only). We Counted 69 males and 10 females Among the 79 samples APPROBATION (12.65% of females). This situation in the light reflection Behaviour of the female for Delias THEY fly over the canopy Generally Rarely descending to creek level. Malthus, the female of Delias takashii Sakuma, 1999 (Arfak endemic) restes unknown (LESLIE DAY).

Secondly, Delias fly, Rapidly, During Periods of sunshine. When clouds THEY APPEAR tends to hide Rapidly REMAIN flying butterflies while Others (for example: Euremas, Mycalesis, Hypocysta isis (GROSE-SMITH, 1894), Pithecops Dionysius (Boisduval, 1832), and Ornithoptera; in Meni, we saw Ornithoptera tithonus misresiana (Joicey & Noakes, 1916) DURING flying rain). Outside Arfak (Snow Mountain), D. leucobalia distincta (Rothschild, 1915) is Known to fly DURING rainy weather ( Parsons , 1999, 298).

Thirdly, males are "mud-puddlers" notably along streams, on wet sand Between rocks, mostly isolated and not associated in groups. For Parsons, this Behaviour Appears Mainly Above 1200 m (PARSONS, 298). For example, near the end of a rainy afternoon in Mokwam (August 19th), FOLLOWING the town children, we Explored the vegetation along a small creek: it leaves Situated above-the water, Many D. Ladas levis HAD found shelter goal Flew When disturbed. Toxopeus Wrote That "rivers beds are always places where, by sunny weather, go to thesis butterflies fly and, by cloudy weather, go to rest" (quoted by Parsons, 298). On August 23rd, During a sunny morning in Siobri, Between 8 and 9 AM, and Delias Delias albertisi meeki arfakensis Flew around Wonggor Zeth's cabin. During The second hand of the morning, I climbed up the creek, Observing Many Delias "mud-puddling" Between the rocks (Where Graphium weiskei weiskei (Ribbe, 1900) WAS very Rapidly passing): Delias heroni, D. kenricki, D. angiensis, D. microsticha flavopicta and D. Were Observed caroli caroli. In the afternoon, The Sky Was cloudy and Delias Were Not seen.

These observations Clegg MEEK's (1913, 125) Who Stated That Delias male fly 4 meters Above rivers, and Those of MORINAKA (1993), Studying the Baliem Valley Delias around 2000 m elevation: puddling Begins only DURING sunny weather (Gold Slightly cloudy) When The Temperature Reaches 20 ° C (9 AM) and ceases Immediately, with dispersion APPEAR When clouds. If the weather sunny restes, continuous puddling Until 1.30 PM, Associating Generally Less than ten goal Individuals occasionally Three Comprising Several dozen species.

The morning of August 24th: on the track going from Siobri to Meni, as the sun Warmed the Exposed slopes to the East, and Delias Cethosia cydippe Damasippus (C. & R. Felder, 1867) Fled together, visiting flowers. In Meni, When the Sun shon, the Delias Were Not Abundant Being more difficulty to approach: They Deviated Into the forest and If They Returned to the track, They Flew very Quickly 4 or 5 meters above-the ground. When They Rested on leaves, They Were invariably too high to collect. (Vindula Arsinoe Arsinoe (CRAMER, 1777) in The Same Manner ACTED at the Sami people). Because the ridge crests and track Followed slopes Some distance above-the-stream, in Meni We Could not observe the Behaviour of Delias with respect to water. This may explain why Delias Ladas levis, very common in Mokwam, Appears To Be in very occasional Meni. Higher elevations at Meni Above, on the Sami track, Before the arrival of clouds, we Encountered Delias albertisi albertisi, D. anjae and D. caroli caroli. Some minutes later, subsequent to cloud arrival, a pair of Morphotaenaris schoenbergi schoenbergi (Fruhstorfer, 1893) Were all still flying Steady aim Delias HAD Disappeared.

Delias albertisi albertisi OBERTHUR, 1880 (endemic ssp. Of Arfak)
Delias angiensis TALBOT, 1928 (endemic)
Delias anjae SCHRODER, 1977 (endemic)
Delias caroli caroli KENRICK, 1909 (endemic ssp.)
Delias heroni KENRICK, 1909 (endemic)
Delias kenricki TALBOT, 1937 (endemic)
Delias Ladas levis Joicey & Talbot, 1922
Delias ligata dealbata TALBOT, 1928 (endemic ssp.)
Delias mavroneria flavidior ROTHSCHILD, 1916
Delias meeki arfakensis Joicey & Talbot, 1922 (endemic ssp.)
Delias microsticha flavopicta Rothschild & Jordan, 1904 (endemic ssp.)
Delias mysis lara Boisduval, 1836
Delias takashii Sakuma, 1999 (endemic)

Some observations on the behavior of the Delias Arfak

The Delias fly to the sun and quickly. On cloudy days, they disappear. Unlike Euremas, to Mycalesis at Hypocysta isis (GROSE-SMITH, 1894), to Pithecops Dionysius (Boisduval, 1832), and Birdwing. At Meni, Ornithoptera tithonus misresiana (Joicey & Noakes, 1916) patrol in rainy weather. The Delias arise or hide when a cloud obscures the sun. In Papua, outside the Arfak (Snow Mt), only D. leucobalia distincta (Rothschild, 1915) flies in wet weather ( Parsons , 1999, 298).

Females are much more rarely seen (or identified) than males. Of 79 copies of 12 species observed, we find that female Delias mavroneria flavidior, a D. albertisi albertisi, one of D. ligata dealbata, three of D. lara mysids and four of D. Ladas levis (13 for males). According LESLIE DAY , the female of D. caroli caroli is the most visible: we have only two females to ten males. With 25% females, D. lara has the mysid highest rate (for a sampling rate: 4 copies only). We expect (all species) 10 females and 69 males (or 12.65% of females). This gender imbalance is due to the habit of flying females at the canopy, without getting off the ground or go near the rivers. Thus, the female of Delias takashii Sakuma, 1999 (endemic to Arfak) is still unknown (LESLIE DAY).

Males practice "mud-puddling" (puddle of English: puddle, butterflies pumping the dissolved mineral salts) on the wet sand of stream beds, often isolated, with little group. PARSONS (298) states that this behavior occurs mainly above 1200 m. Report some characteristic moments. Late one rainy afternoon to Mokwam (August 19), the village boys lead us along a stream flowing to a hundred yards of the houses and serves public bath: the leaves of trees overhanging the many rivers D. Ladas levis took shelter and fly only disturbed. Toxopeus wrote that "the beds of rivers are still places where, in sunny weather, the butterflies will fly and, in cloudy weather, will ask themselves" (quoted in Parsons, 298). August 23, sunny morning in Siobri and between 8 am and 9 pm, and Delias Delias albertisi meeki arfakensis fly at 1700 m. In the second part of the morning, I went up the river bed and observes many Delias "mud-puddlant" between the granite blocks - slaloms between which quickly Graphium weiskei weiskei (Ribbe, 1900) -: Delias heroni, D. kenricki, D. angiensis, D. microsticha flavopicta and Delias caroli caroli. In the afternoon, the weather became overcast and we did not observe any Delias along the track above the village nor in the forest situated a little below.

These observations support the remarks of MEEK (1913, 125) indicating that male Delias fly over rivers to 4 m above the ground. And those of MORINAKA (1993), studying the Delias in the Baliem Valley, 2000 m: the puddling begins only in good weather and low clouds when the temperature reaches 20 ° C or more (about 9 am), and all activities cease, with dispersion, if clouds persist. The mud-puddling otherwise extends until about 1:30. Generally, less than a dozen individuals only, sometimes thirty more species.

On the morning of August 24, on the same track that leads to Meni, as the sun heats the slopes exposed to the east, and Delias Cethosia cydippe Damasippus (C. & R. Felder, 1867) and fly foraging. At Meni, always in good weather, the Delias (D. ligata dealbata), fewer, less approachable: they released some of the forest to follow the trail sometimes, always closer to trees, 4 to 5 m high . If they arise, it is so inaccessible, high enough and almost always out of reach, as also Vindula Arsinoe Arsinoe (CRAMER, 1777). This portion of the trail follows a ridge and then continues at mid-slope: we can not observe the behavior of Delias along a trough and a torrent. This is probably why Delias Ladas levis, very abundant in Mokwam, appears as very occasional Meni. Above, along the same track (leading to Mokwam), before the clouds darken the sky, we find Delias albertisi albertisi, D. anjae and D. caroli caroli. The sky became cloudy, 5 or 6 m high, flat torque slowly Morphotaenaris schoenbergi schoenbergi (Fruhstorfer, 1893). The Delias withdrew.

Delias albertisi albertisi OBERTHUR, 1880 (endemic to ssp. Arfak)
Delias angiensis TALBOT, 1928 (endemic)
Delias anjae SCHRODER, 1977 (endemic)
Delias caroli caroli KENRICK, 1909 (ssp. endemic)
Delias heroni KENRICK, 1909 (endemic)
Delias kenricki TALBOT, 1937 (endemic)
Delias Ladas levis Joicey & Talbot, 1922
Delias ligata dealbata TALBOT, 1928 (ssp. endemic)
Delias mavroneria flavidior ROTHSCHILD, 1916
Delias meeki arfakensis Joicey & Talbot, 1922 (ssp. endemic)
Delias microsticha flavopicta Rothschild & Jordan, 1904 (ssp. endemic)
Delias mysis lara Boisduval, 1836
Delias takashii Sakuma, 1999 (endemic)

For a full version of the article: Delias the Arfak: delias_de_l_arfak

For references, see " Bibliography ".

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