About Delias mysis (Fabricius, 1775)
This species, Delias mysis (Fabricius, 1775), appears to replace the Indian Delias hyparete in the Papuan region, and shares the same tendency towards local variation as D. hyparete. The oldest known form of this species is well-documented from Australia. The nominate form, D. mysis mysis (54 c), is characterized by the most extensive black marginal markings on both wings, and a row of white subapical patches on the forewing. Butler named a smaller, lighter-spotted dry-season form of the nominate subspecies aestiva. This form is found in North Australia and Queensland. The subspecies Delias mysis nemea, described as new, is from Merauke, Dutch South-West New Guinea. It is distinctly smaller than the nominate form; males have a strikingly narrow red submarginal band on the underside of the wings, which bisects a very broad deep blue-black border. Delias mysis onca, described as new, is from Milne Bay, British New Guinea. It forms a transitional form between other taxa and Delias mysis lara Bdv. from Dutch North-West New Guinea, and differs from D. m. lara in that the red and black bands on the underside of both wings are almost twice as broad. Delias mysis intermedia Mitis, from German New Guinea, has as little proximal black bordering to the red submarginal band on the underside of the male's wings as D. m. oisyme. In females, individuals can be found with either white or yellow subapical spots on the undersurface of the forewing. Delias mysis oisyme, described as new (54 d), is a small island race from Waigeu. It has an almost quadrate forewing, very sharply defined bands, and beautiful chrome-yellow subapical spots on the underside of the forewing. Delias mysis cruentata Btlr. is very similar to D. m. oisyme, but differs in that the red submarginal band of the hindwing is much narrower. It is found on Misol. Delias mysis aruensis Mitis (54 d) is again closer to the mainland nominate form, but has a longer forewing and noticeably broader spots and bands. It occurs on the Aru Islands. Finally, Delias mysis maga Gr.-Sm. is another clearly differentiated island race from Sudest Island, near British New Guinea. The black bands on the undersurface of both wings are twice as broad as in mainland nominate D. mysis, the upper surface of the hindwing is almost entirely yellow, and it has a broad, brilliant carmine-red submarginal band. The wingspan of Delias mysis ranges from 60 to 70 mm.
