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Luminary Oddities · Natural history & art
Delias acalis
Lepidoptera / Pieridae
Delias acalis is an Asian jezebel distinguished in the specialist comparison by a large red area at the base of the upper hindwing. Its regional forms occur from the Himalayas and southern India through mainland Southeast Asia to the Malay Peninsula and southern China.
Read the species account
The specialist diagnosis emphasizes a large red area at the base of the dorsal hindwing, extending below the wing cell. [3]
The specialist synthesis distinguishes pyramus in Nepal, northeastern India and northwestern Thailand; kandha in southern India; and nominate acalis in northern Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. It records perakana in the Malay Peninsula and peninsular Thailand, inomatai in central and southern China, including Hong Kong, and shinkaii at Tam Dao in northern Vietnam. [3]
Daniel Chang photographed a living D. acalis inomatai in Hong Kong on 29 May 2009. [3]
Godart described Delias acalis in 1819. The specialist account organizes its geographical variation into named regional forms. [3]
Bold outlines and distinct colour fields emphasize the wing pattern.
Keep the frame away from direct sunlight, heat and persistent damp. Handle the enclosure by its frame and inspect for loose fragments without opening it. [4]
The red marking described in the specialist diagnosis lies on the upper hindwing, at its base and below the cell. The Hong Kong field photograph is identified as the regional form inomatai. [3]
The specialist Delias synthesis describes the dorsal hindwing character and regional forms. The Smithsonian record provides a pinned collection specimen, and the University of Florida catalogue records the species within Delias. [3][2][1]
University of Florida Lepiverse; Catalogue of Life 2026-08-26 XR · Accessed 2026-10-09
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History · Accessed 2026-10-09
Delias of the World; international Delias specialists · Accessed 2026-10-09
Canadian Conservation Institute; Fiona Graham · Accessed 2026-10-09
Sources checked 2026-10-09. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.
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