VOLUME 44, NUMBER 2

Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 44(2), 1990, 107-110

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BUTTERFLIES OF THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN ISLANDS (in 6 Volumes), edited by Etsuzo Tsukada (Volumes 1 and 2 translated into English by Kazuhiko Morishita and Hideyuki Chiba, Volumes 3 to 6 in Japanese only). Plapac Co., Ltd., Noge 3-4-6, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158, Japan. Volumes are hard cover, 24 x 30.5 cm. Currently available are Volumes 1,2,3, and 4 (Part 1). Length and price vary by volume (see below).

Butterflies of the South East Asian Islands is an excellent set of volumes for those interested in thorough coverage of the butterflies of this region. It is the first attempt to account for all known species and most subspecies in an area unparalleled for its geo­graphically isolated populations and concomitant great diversity. The various authors have pooled information from the literature, and, more importantly, have included ex­periences of many current collectors. Detailed maps and information on species and subspecies distributions are provided for the region for the first time. The color photog­raphy is superb and the text coverage is complete and current for most species. For those seeking to identify specimens, these volumes are unmatched. For those planning trips to the region for general collecting or for scientific research, each volume is full of useful information. Although these volumes may seem expensive, when compared to several books on the market that provide color photographs with little or no text, they are well worth the money. The lay-out and design are artistically done, and the dust jackets (particularly the slip cases for the Japanese editions) are beautiful. This set of volumes would be a worthy addition to any lepidopterist's library.

The geographic area of coverage includes the Andamon and Nicobar Islands, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Islands of West Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Islands of the Philippines and Natunas, the Celebes, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Tanimbar and all the islands west of Weber's line. Species occurring in the Malay Peninsula, but not in other areas covered, as given above, are not included. At the front of each volume is a series of maps of the area, along with a "Place Names Index" to aid in locating on maps important localities given in the text.

With very few exceptions, all butterfly species known to occur within the area defined above are included and illustrated in life-size color photographs. Both sexes are illustrated, along with a majority of the subspecies, forms, and major aberrations known at the time of publication. Also, ventral surfaces are illustrated when they are markedly different from the dorsal. Detailed range maps are provided for each species and subspecies. There are line drawings of male genitalia (with superuncus omitted) for each species, with few exceptions. References to original descriptions of species and subspecies are provided in the species accounts. Superb color habitat photos are interspersed throughout the plates.

Each volume is divided into 2 parts, Plates followed by Text. Before the plates, a Contents section gives plate and page numbers for each species illustrated, providing convenient and quick reference when identifying specimens in collections. The rather extensive Text section is arranged by headings as follows: Scientific name of the species followed by 1. Author(s), 2. Original Description, 3. Notes, 4. Range, 5. Plates. These are followed by the range maps and drawings of male genitalia. Below is a brief description of each heading.

Original Description: Taxa are listed in order of year of publication with the name of species and subspecies, author, journal, volume number, page and publication year. Lo­cations of type specimens, where known and verified by the authors, are given in paren­theses.

Notes: These give general information about each species. Notes may include hints on species identification or recognition of sexes, comments on endemism, general biology and life histories (including larval foodplants if known). Information on habitat preference (often including adult nectar sources), seasonal flight periods, daily flight times, specific information on good collecting locations and detailed information on access to these locations is given. Key differences between some subspecies are enumerated. Frequently

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included are anecdotes on interesting collecting expeditions and observations on species behavior. The authors describe the various islands, their characteristic habitats, and the enormous habitat losses, especially in lowlands.

Range: Ranges of all subspecies are given, including those of a few subspecies occurring outside the coverage area when this serves the author's purpose.

Plates: The collecting date and locality of all figured specimens are listed in this section and plate numbers gUide the reader to the color illustrations in the plates. For easily confused species, figures (drawings) are included that provide distinguishing character­istics or keys or both to facilitate identification. An index of scientific names concludes each volume.

Volume I-PAPILIONIDAE, by E. Tsukada and Yasusuke Nishiyama. English edition 1982,457 pp., 79 figs., 166 full page color plates. Dust jacket. 25,000 Yen (about $170.00).

For lovers of papilionids, this book is required reading. The thorough text and excellent color plates cover 121 species in 12 genera, and 349 out of a total of 401 subspecies. The authors name, describe, and figure 18 new subspecies. About 1300 specimens are figured in color, including several rare species and subspecies, some illustrated for the first time. For example, since its discovery and naming in 1935, Atrophaneura luchti was known only from a single male specimen; in this volume 6 specimens (3 of each sex) are illustrated for the first time-life-size and in color. Photographs of other rare species seldom found in books include Papilio jordani (male and female), P. mayo (male and female), spring and summer forms of both sexes of P. chikae, Losaria rhodifer, Chilasa osmana, Graphium dorcus; males and females of the four races of Papilio kama; and aberrant Graphium androcles.

Highly variable species are well illustrated. For example, there are 45 color illustrations of female Papilio memnon! Text and illustrations are provided for separating the sym­patrie and sometimes confusingly similar Triodes cuneifera and T. amphrysus; the Hal­iphron subgroup of the birdwing butterflies; the 8 species of Philippine Pachliopta; all of the Helenus-like species; the 3 similar species Graphium euphrates, decolor, antiphates; and the similar species in the Macareus group (Paranticopsis) . A diagram of the phylogeny of South East Asian Papilionidae is given on pages 436-444.

The English translation is good and the few very minor errors in grammar do not detract from the clear and readable text. Given the large amount of text, the translators must be commended. There are also some minor errors in the plates. These include wrong subspecific names for figured specimens (two) and minor spelling errors of subspecific names in plates or dorsal/ ventral deSignation errors for figured specimens (five). A cor­rigenda is included for these errors.

The only shortcomings I find for this volume are in the plates. Latin species names are given at the top of each plate and the various numbered figures give only the subspecific names. When two or more species are on the same plate it is sometimes confUSing (at least for very similar species) to know where the subspecies of one species end and those of another begin. Use of the initial of the species name with the numbered figures would have been helpful. Also helpful, for quick reference between plates and text, would have been the inclusion of the text page next to the species names on the plates. These minor shortcomings are corrected in the remaining volumes.

Volume 2-PIERIDAE AND DANAIDAE, by Osamu Yata and Kazuhiko Morishita. English edition 1985, 623 pp., text divided into 2 parts: Part I-Pieridae (pages 206-438) by Yata, and Part II-Danaidae (pages 439-598) by Morishita, 87 figures (plus standard line drawings of wing venation for each genus and male genitalia for each species), 172 full page color plates and 16 black and white photographs. Dust jacket. 35,000 Yen (about $237.00).

This volume covers the Pieridae and Danaidae of the region in greater detail than I have seen in any other book. For the pierids, 45 holotypes and paratypes and 152 of 155 species are illustrated and all are discussed. (The three pierid species not illustrated are

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known only from their type specimens from unknown locations.) Tsukada states that a prior check-list for this area contained approximately 133 species, which he says may indicate that the area had been somewhat neglected by systematists. Forty-six species of the popular and large genus Delias are discussed and illustrated in color. Rare Delias species seldom illustrated in books include, singhapura, kuehni, the recently (1981) dis­covered ganymede (originally described as a ssp. of D. georgina), lemoulti, shirozui, benasu, eumolpe, melusina, sambawana, !asciata, and mitisi. A diagram of the phylogeny of Pieridae is included.

All 80 species of Danaidae known to occur within the area are illustrated and discussed, and 35 holotypes and paratypes are illustrated, including the recently discovered (1981) and very rare Celebesian Idea tambusisiana, here pictured life-size in color for the first time. There are 3000 color photographs, which, with the text, greatly facilitate the identification of species, subspecies and forms. Above the scientific names in the plates are page numbers to gUide the reader to the appropriate text. Beautiful habitat photo­graphs are interspersed throughout the plates section.

The authors discuss the taxonomy of each family and introduce each genus in detail (including figures of wing venation and shape) before discussing the species in that genus, a practice continued in subsequent volumes. Each genus introduction includes diagnostic characteristics of adults, eggs, and larvae (when known), and general information, such as world distribution and typical habits. Both authors have changed the arrangements (groupings) of some genera, but they give reasons and appropriate literature citations for all changes. When known, chromosome numbers are given.

Yata has raised several races to species status, especially in Delias. This splitting has resulted in an increase in the number of species on the check-list of Pieridae. Morishita has done likewise in his treatment of the Danaidae, but to a lesser extent.

The authors provide informative overviews of biological aspects of the species in these two families. They also disclose good collecting locations and identify best collecting seasons for many of the species. Citations to the literature are thorough. For lepidopterists interested in either the Pieridae or the Danaidae, this volume is a must, as no other book covers the South East Asian islands in such detail. Whether or not one agrees with the taxonomy, the editor and authors have done an admirable job.

Volume 3-SATYRIDAE AND LIBYTHEIDAE, by Toshiaki Aoki, Shuhei Yamaguchi, and Yoshinobu Uemura. Japanese edition 1982, 500 pp., 72 figures (plus illustrations of male genitalia and wing venation), 120 full page color plates and 8 black and white photos. Slip case. 28,000 Yen (about $190.00).

Although Volume 3 is in Japanese (except for scientific names), a non-reader will still glean a wealth of information from this book, which covers the 165 species of Satyridae, 45 species of Amathusiinae, and 3 species of Libytheidae that occur within the region. A total of 2000 illustrated specimens (including 137 holotypes and paratypes) shows all species and a majority of the subspecies. Thirty-one species of the popular and often colorful Elymnias are illustrated, including rare species such as the recently described (1982) E. detanii. There are eight beautiful close-up color photographs of live butterflies, and several full page habitat photos.

Before the index of scientific names at the back of the book the authors add "A LIST OF NEW COMBINATIONS, NEW STATUS, REVIEW STATUS, NEW SYNONYMS AND NEW DISTRIBUTIONS," which guides the reader directly to newly revised tax­onomy and range extensions found in this volume. For Lohora, for example, there are 10 species under "new combinations," 20 species and subspecies under "new status," 3 species under "review status," 11 species and subspecies under "new synonyms," and 43 species and subspecies under "new distributions."

Those who need to identify species from this region will find the extensive illustrations superb; no other single source has color illustrations of all species and of so many subspecies in these families. This alone makes the book an important addition to the butterfly literature. For the serious lepidopterist with world-wide interests, or for those mainly interested in the South Pacific, this is a "must have" volume.

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Volume 4-NYMPHALIDAE (part I), by Etsuzo Tsukada (with assistance from Yasasuke Nishiyama and Misao Kaneko). Japanese edition 1985, 558 pp., 16 figs., 157 full page color plates and 9 black and white photographs. Slip case. 39,000 Yen (about $264.00).

This volume covers 194 species and many of their subspecies. It encompasses 29 genera (from Acraea to Athyma), with the remainder of the Nymphalidae to be completed in Volume 4, part 2. Two of the species, Ariadne proximus and Chirrochroa eremita, are newly described and pictured for the first time. Eighty-six new subspecies are also newly described and illustrated in color photographs. Conveniently, these 88 new taxa are described in the first part of the text. All species and subspecies (up to Athyma) are well illustrated with life-size color photos of 3317 specimens. Over 200 of these are holotypes and para types, and 7 are types. This volume includes the beautiful and often sought after Cethosia (12 sp.), Hypolimnas (9 sp.), Kallima (4 species), and Cyrestis (16 sp.). Rare' species illustrated include Cethosia leschnault, Hypolymnas saundersi, H. sumbawana, and Kallima albofasciata. Although this volume, like Volume 3, is in Japanese, there is still a wealth of information available to the non-reader.

Future volumes to complete the set are Volume 4 (part 2-Nymphalidae concluded, expected in 1990), Volume 5 (Lycaenidae and Riodinidae) and Volume 6 (Hesperidae). A Volume 7 (supplement) will be published as needed. These remaining volumes will be in Japanese.

WAYNE H. WHALEY, Dept. of Zoology, 574 W IDB, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602.

VOLUME 44, NUMBER 2

Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 44(2), 1990, 111

ANNOUNCEMENT

JOURNAL COVER ILLUSTRATIONS AND FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHS

111

The journal is an excellent outlet for artistic expression. COVER ILLUSTRATIONS and FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHS are two recently established submission categories that provide opportunities to publish drawings and photographs (black and white or color) in an international publication devoted to Lepidoptera. Submissions in both categories may deal with any aspect of Lepidoptera study but must be accompanied by brief captions that include scientific names.

COVER ILLUSTRATIONS now change with each issue of the Journal. Recent covers serve as good examples, but the range of potential subject matter is much greater than the adults or larvae usually depicted. Submissions should be no larger than letter size (21 by 28 cm), with the caption for the inside front cover on a separate sheet. Drawings are usually more suitable than photographs because drawings better withstand the coarse reproduction necessitated by the textured surface of the journal's cover stock. Submitted drawings or crisp photographs will be selected for artistry, novelty, and general appeal. There is no limit to the number of submissions per person; no author page charges are assessed for cover illustrations.

FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHS have been published in the first three issues of Volume 43 (1989) of the journal and in an expanded format in the first issue of Volume 44 (1990), which included both black and white and color illustrations. Submissions in this category might show unusual behaviors, unusual habitats, type localities, specimens in nature illustrating identifying marks, unusual collecting conditions or techniques, or other sub­jects. Photographic submissions should be mounted on white cardboard no larger than letter size, with a brief caption on a separate sheet. The caption should include details of the photographic equipment and exposure used as well as information on the subject portrayed. Feature photographs must be suitable for reduction to either a half or full journal page (8.5 cm high by 11 cm wide, or 17 cm high by 11 cm wide, caption included). Submissions will be selected for photographic quality, scientific merit, and general appeal. Regular page charges will apply to accepted feature photographs. Color photographs are welcome and should be submitted as mounted color prints, not as transpar­encies (for submission details, contact the editor).

Submissions in both of these artistic categories should be sent to the Journal Editor.

BOYCE A. DRUMMOND, Editor