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Luminary Oddities · Natural history & art
Prioneris thestylis
Lepidoptera / Pieridae
Prioneris thestylis, the Spotted Sawtooth, has pale upper wings with dark venation and a more strongly patterned underside. Taiwanese accounts document sexual differences, host plants and regional habitat.
Read the species account
The Taiwan monograph records thestylis mainly at low and middle elevations and describes it as uncommon in northern Taiwan. Similar-looking Delias occur at higher elevations in the Taiwanese comparison. [3]
The Taiwan monograph records multiple generations per year. [3]
The Taiwan monograph describes thestylis as a faster, more powerful flyer than the Delias used in its comparison. [3]
The Taiwan forestry account records a toothed leading edge on the male forewing. The female lacks this serration. This physical difference in the wing margin accompanies the contrasting extent of dark wing markings. [3]
The upper surface shows pale wings with dark venation and a marked forewing apex. Yellow is more prominent beneath, where the dark pattern is also stronger. [3]
The dorsal illustration emphasizes dark venation across a pale field. The ventral view gives greater prominence to the yellow and dark pattern while retaining the same wing structure.
Keep framed specimens away from direct daylight, dampness and pests. Examine fine wing-edge structures through photographs or the enclosure without touching the specimen.
University of Florida BioCosmos · Accessed 2026-10-09
C. T. Bingham, 1907; public-domain original monograph · Accessed 2026-10-09
Hsu, Huang and Liang; Taiwan Forestry Bureau · Accessed 2026-10-09
DearLep Taiwan · Accessed 2026-10-09
Sources checked 2026-10-11. Illustrations · Luminary Oddities.
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