Above it agrees very nearly with phraortes, the basal part of both wings being not or scarcely darker than the median band; on the forewing, however, the median band is separated from the basal area by large black spots in cellules 1 b—6; the marginal spots of the hindwing are streak-like and much smaller than in phraortes and the distal margin is distinctly tailed also at vein 3.

Beneath both wings have the ground-colour red-brown and the white markings have a silvery gloss and are broader than usual; the black markings in the basal part of the hindwing, on the other hand, are reduced in number, so that cellule 7 and cellule 8 each have only one small transverse spot; in the silvery median band, on the contrary, several black spots are placed behind vein 5.

More recent taxonomic revision,[6] corroborated by phylogenetic research, allow a more rational grouping congruent with cladistic relationships.

Within a well-populated clade of 27 related species sharing a common ancestor approximately 16 mya during the Miocene,[7] 26 are now considered together as The jasius Group.

[6] One of the two lineages within this clade forms a robust monophyletic group of seven species sharing a common ancestor approximately 2-3 mya, i.e. during the Pliocene,[7] and are considered as the jasius subgroup.