Are these all Horaga syrinx?

[Painted Jezebel]

I am currently working on the detailed pages of the Lycaenidae for my website. Here are three different undersides of specimens which I have in my Horaga syrinx file. I think I have them right, but I am not sure. Can anyone help?

[Commander]

This genus is one that we also had some lingering doubts about on the Singapore front. I suspect that we have shots of H. onyx sardonyx, but without specimens, the confirmation of the ID remains elusive.

When we thought that we had quite confidently nailed the IDs, a mating pair that had rather different appearance in the male/female threw an earlier theory out the window. Needs a bit more scrutiny of the upperside as well as male/female before we can definitively claim that H. onyx exists in Singapore.

Or, alternatively, Horace comes across the early stages.

Until then, it would be an interesting discussion to see what you have over there on Samui.

[Psyche]

The first two appears to be variations of H. syrinx, 1st is female, 2nd is male.

The 3rd I strongly suspect to be H. onyx because of the shape , the more angled position and the deeper notches on the outer margin of the forewing 'spot'.

TL Seow

[Psyche]

I did a comparison of H. syrinx & H. onyx and these are the results.

H. syrinx
Forewing white band usually narrow and usually not strongly notched at outer margin.
Spot or band tend to be upright (additional clue)
Hindwing width between termen and white band narrower than that on the forewing, but may be roughly equal.
Ground colour more ochreous (with a yellowish tone ).(additional clue from C&P4)

H. onyx
Forewing white band broad & strongly notched , sometimes at 2 points.
Spot/band tends to be angled inwards (additional clue)
Hindwing width between termen & white band wider than that on the forewing.
Ground colour browner (additional clue)

I don't know how consistent these criteria are.
I would say 1 & 2 are H. syrinx and 3 is H. onyx.

I seem to come across Federick pic very often. Here is one I think is H. onyxhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/federickho/1048291241/

(Addendum: I am now convinced 1 & 2 are H. syrinx, and 3 is H. onyx.)

TL Seow

[Psyche]

Pic 2 had always bugged me because the hindwing looked so different. Now I know what it is.
Pic 2 is Horaga albimacula.

The differences of the 2 (albimacula & chalcedonyx) from H. syrinx/onyx are:
1. Hindwing discal band linear, narrow and less white than the forewing spot.
2. Hindwing marginal white line ends at vein 6 ( at vein 7 in syrinx/onyx.).
3. Fore-leg mostly white .(banded black & white as the rest in syrinx/onyx.)

In the 70s. both albimacula & chalcedonyx were thought to be one species under the name H. albimacula.
By chance Fleming's L324 labelled H. albimacula happened to be H. chalcedonyx. This is indicated in C&P4's checklist page 423 in the entry for H. chalcedonyx.

Thus by a fortuitous circumstance, I have the undersides of both albimacula( C&P4 pl 45/24 ) and chalcedonyx(Fleming L324) for comparison.

The differences between the two.
In chalcedonyx the forewing white spot is elongated, extending broadly into space 1b, whereas in albimacula it appears short, being constricted and obsolete in space 1b.
In chalcedonyx there is a large black submarginal spot or smudge in space 5 which is absent in albimacula.
The hindwing discal band cannot be used to differentiate these two.

I also happened to come across a beautiful pic. of H. chalcedonyx by Sunny in the early days.
http://s433.photobucket.com/albums/q...afilter=images

TL Seow

[Painted Jezebel]

Before I open yet another bottle of Champagne, can I just confirm:
1) H. syrinx
2) H. albimacula
3) H. onyx.

H. albimacula has not been found, as far as I am aware, in Thailand before. A ssp. H. a. viola has been found in Laos, but I would suspect that this should be H. a. albistigmata as most species I have here are of Sundanian origin. I think I will need some upperside shots for reference purposes!

[Angiud]

Being close to Samui, I'll put the 2 Onyx I have in my file:


The Ambon Onyx


Lycaenidae


Mmmm, they looks a bit different to me.

[Psyche]

Before I open yet another bottle of Champagne, can I just confirm:
1) H. syrinx
2) H. albimacula
3) H. onyx.

H. albimacula has not been found, as far as I am aware, in Thailand before. A ssp. H. a. viola has been found in Laos, but I would suspect that this should be H. a. albistigmata as most species I have here are of Sundanian origin. I think I will need some upperside shots for reference purposes!

Yes. They are correct.

Being close to Samui, I'll put the 2 Onyx I have in my file:
Mmmm, they looks a bit different to me.

Your first is H. onyx male. Note fat strongly angulated and notched forewing spot. the tornal band which is a continuation of the main discal band is typically long & straight in H. onyx.(not in Les' example here.);marginal brown area on the hindwing is wider than that on the forewing.(the reverse for H. syrinx.)

The 2nd is H. albimacula female. Note fat forewing spot, white fore-leg; there is an extra submarginal spot in space 5, but not the black smudge in chalcedonyx.

TL Seow

[Painted Jezebel]

Thanks so very much, Seow. I'll leave the Champagne until Monday, when, weather permitting, I'm meeting up with Antonio on KP.

Two new species to add to the list, now up to 323! Come on guys, I'm moving ahead again!!!!

[Psyche]

Thanks so very much, Seow. I'll leave the Champagne until Monday, when, weather permitting, I'm meeting up with Antonio on KP.

Two new species to add to the list, now up to 323! Come on guys, I'm moving ahead again!!!!

I am really surprised that H. albimacula has not been recorded in Thailand, despite a range from India all the way to Sumbawa in the Lesser Sundas.
This is something special and exciting.

TL Seow