Arhopala Collection for ID

[Painted Jezebel]

I am just at a loss what this should be at the moment.

TL Seow

So am I!!! It just does not seem to fit anything I can see in books, either from Sundaland or the North,

[Painted Jezebel]

I seem to have missed a couple taken in Nakhon Sri Thammarat province, Thailand, that I only have as Arhopala sp. on my site. Any help on ID would be much appreciated.

Hopefully I may have some more in the next week. Both Antonio and I are suffering badly from Islanditis, and need to get off our respective islands asap, so we are off to Khao Sok National Park for 3/4 days v. shortly.

[Psyche]

If I remembered the key correctly the 1st should be easy enough A. antimuta.
The 2nd is a member of the amphimuta group. Since it does'nt looks like amphimuta or major it should be one of the other 2.
Can't remember the key exactly, some about the tornal white dot.
Need to check the book.

TL Seow

[Banded Yeoman]

Interesting.


I know I am no expert at all to say this,
But if I remember correctly, a. antimuta has 2 of the hindwing costa spots are not alined, but facing outwards?

[Psyche]

Interesting.


I know I am no expert at all to say this,
But if I remember correctly, a. antimuta has 2 of the hindwing costa spots are not alined, but facing outwards?

Not sure what you meant Jonanthan, but A. antimuta is readily ID'ed by a combination of three features.
1. The hindwing postdiscal spot in space 7 sits directly on top that in space 6 so that their inner margins are in line.
2 The hindwing is tailless.
3. There is a green tornal patch.
4. (Additional criterion required )Hindwing postdiscal band usually completedly dislocated at vein 2)

Have a look at pic 2. The postdiscal spot in space 7 is the one with a tear-line cutting across it. Notice it sits well to the inside of the spot in space 6 (the one below it). The inner margins are staggered & totally out of line.


Pic 2 is a difficult one. It boils down to whether the postdiscal band is considered fully dislocated (amphimuta & major ) or only partially so (moolaiana & norda) at vein 2. Individual variations mean this feature overlaps.
In A. major the lunulate spot in space 1b is narrow and J or L -shaped.
In A. amphimuta it is usually narrow & V-shaped.
In A. moolaiana & norda, they are broad & v-shaped.

This one is somewhat in between.
A. major can be ruled out.

TL Seow

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you. Of course iNo.1 is A. antimuta, I should have easily recognised it . There are only two tailless Arhopala where the hindwing postdiscal spaces in 5,6 & 7 are not in echelon, and the other is A. inornata, which this is most obviously not.

I am in definite need of some R&R in the jungle, my brain is going!

[Psyche]

Jonanthan, I think I know what you meant.
The other way to describe A. antimuta is to state that the 3 outer spots in space 5, 6 & 7 are out of line, thats it, you cannot draw a line through the centres of these 3 spots. (pic 1)

In pic 2 a line can be drawn more or less through the centres of these 3 spots.

Les, I supposed the 'islanditis' is the itchy rash you described in another post.
Do you need a quick cure prescription ?

TL Seow

[Painted Jezebel]

Islanditis is a mental problem caused by staying in a restricted area too long, in this case, a small island. The quick cure is to get off the island and do a bit of travelling. I have not been off the island since my return from Teman Negara, which is far, far too long. I normally try to leave every three months, which is just about OK.

The symptoms are a general malaise, and a lack of desire to do anything at all, including the planning of the cure!!!! (so it is self-perpetuating). It has taken a lot of will-power to make myself prepare for this short trip.

Regarding pic No.2, I had narrowed it down to those 3, but also had A. zylda in the frame, as I could not see any tooth at vein 2 of the hind wing. It just does not seem to fit any of them exactly, and my failure to get an upperside shot does not help.