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Volume 18, 1885
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Art. XXXVIII.—Description of Diadema nerina.

By R. J. Kingsley.

[Read before the Nelson Philosophical Society, 13th April, 1885.]

Of the Order Lepidoptera, New Zealand appears to possess but a comparatively few species, especially when we consider how lavish nature has been in this respect in both number and

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beauty with Australia and the adjacent islands, and America; even Britain is far better off in variety than this colony. Of the few we can boast of, the specimen which I have the pleasure to exhibit is, I believe, one of the largest and most beautiful.

It was caught in a garden, near the Normanby Bridge, on the 18th of last March, and is the only specimen I have hitherto met with.

In vol. ix. of the Transactions I believe there is a notice of the capture of the only other female specimen recorded; it was captured by Thomas Tanner, Esq., of Hawke's Bay.

The male has been several times met with, but still not frequent, since the Rev. Richard Taylor, of Wanganui, states he only observed two in a period of thirty-two years. Dr. Barker also saw one in a garden at Christchurch.

I have affixed the name Diadema nerina to this specimen, but I am not absolutely certain whether it may not be a distinct variety, inasmuch as it does not quite coincide with the description of this species given in Mr. Enys' book “On the Butterflies of New Zealand,” published in Christchurch in 1880.

From that work (which I may state is a reprint from vol. x. of the Transactions,) I gather: “The range of this species is peculiar; it occurs in Java, Australia, New Guinea, and the Loyalty Islands, and a small variety in Samoa.”

Dr. Semper, in his work, says:—“In Samoa the larva lives long after it is adult, and then becomes a pupa very abruptly. The pupæ hang suspended everywhere on trees, old stones, etc., and change after twelve days. Breed in November. It is very probable that the habits of Diadema nerina would be very similar to that of Samoa.”

From this extract it will be seen that this species forms another of the interesting links that exist amongst the fauna of New Zealand, and that of Australia and adjacent islands, each in their way helping to establish the theory advanced by geologists, of these countries, with New Zealand, having in past ages formed one vast continent.

I give my own description of the specimen now before you.

Order Lepidoptera.
Section Rhopalocera.
Sub-family Nymphalinæ.
Species Diadema nerina.

Description—Female.—Above black-brown, fringes white, varied; primaries with tawny-red patch extending from the internal border towards the discoidal vein. An oblique whitish band beyond the cell, divided into four elongated spots bordered with a bluish tinge. A double sub-apical whitish spot anterior margin blue tinged, from which extend a series of three small

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round blue-edged white spots across the disc towards the oblique whitish band, beyond which they are continued by two small round blue spots to the external margin of the tawny patch; between the oblique band and the tawny patch there is a rather faintly marked blue spot. A double sub-marginal series of interrupted lunulated bluish spots.

Secondaries crossed by a broad whitish patch bordered with blue; a sub-marginal series of spots as in the primaries, but more indistinct; the series of round spots also continued as rather faint blue spots.

Body above blackish-brown; head and pro-thorax white spotted; white vertical dash at back of each eye.

Wings below, red-brown; basal area of primaries ferrugineous; basal half of costa black, spotted with white; four black-edged, sub-costal white spots, oblique patch of black brown across disc to middle of costal area; oblique band of five white spots as on the upper side, the extra spot being on the costal area. A double, sub-apical, whitish spot, with series of small spots as on upper, the two blue ones being larger but more faint, a double sub-marginal series of lunulated whitish spots. fringe white, varied.

Secondaries below, a diffused central transverse whitish band; a discal series of white spots, and a double series of lunulated whitish spots; body below red-brown, spotted with white; palpi and inner edge of femora, white; expanse of wings, 4 ½ inches.

In comparing this description with that in Mr. Enys' book, there are the following differences:—

On the primaries, he gives five elongated white spots, this has but four, and bordered with blue tinge; he gives a sub-apical white spot; this has a double white blue-edged spot; his a series of white spots; this two of the series unmistakeably blue, and a blue spot near the tawny patch; his lunulated spots were white, these decidedly bluish.

On the secondaries, his large spot is edged with either tawny or blue; his diagram shows tawny; this is edged with a brilliant blue.

He says nothing of the discal series of blue spots.

Below, he does not mention the oblique band of black-brown, but gives the costal base and anal area as ferruginous, which I fail to observe.

His measurement is 3 inches 9 lines; mine, 4.5 inches.

With regard to the rare occurrence of this species, as well as the Vanessa antiopa, or Camberwell Beauty of the British Isles (the latter only observed at regular periods of seven years), I have long had a supposition that the larva of these butterflies may very probably take a much longer period to arrive at maturity, say five or six years; if so, this would fully account

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for their only being observed at regular fixed periods. When we are more conversant with the details of the lives of these insects through their different stages of existence, we shall, doubtless, be in a position to give an easy solution to many of the problems that puzzle us now.

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