A revision of Chinese endemic Neptis hesione Leech, 1890 with a new species described from Hainan Island (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae)

The taxonomic status of subspecies belonging to Neptis hesione Leech, 1890 is reviewed. The population from Taiwan Island, once regarded as a subspecies of N. hesione, is treated as an independent species based on morphological and genetic distinctions, i.e., N. podarces Nire, 1920 stat. rev. Accordingly, these two species from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan Island are categorized as one species group, termed N. hesione-group. In addition, a new population of this group from Hainan Island was reported for the first time and described as a new species by external, genital, and molecular divergences, namely N. kejiaae Li & Liu sp. nov. The habitus, distributional map, and molecular phylogeny of N. hesione-group are provided.