Un-id Lycaenid, Sarawak

[MinuteMaid]

Can anyone help with this ID of this Lycaenid?

My brother is at Sarawak shooting carnivorous plants and stumbled upon this lycaenid. according to him, quite skittish and liked hiding under leaves so he couldn't get a parallel shot. He sent me a picture of the picture using his mobile phone, so it isn't quite clear.

would appreciate if anyone can ID this.

[Glorious Begum]

Wow... what is this ? I have not seen it before. Great find

[MinuteMaid]

Wow... what is this ? I have not seen it before. Great find

i too have not seen it, but unfortunately I do not have a book to reference from and can't seem to find anything online.

My brother is up in Sarawak now shooting carnivorous plants. I've asked him to shoot some butterflies too, whatever he may chance upon.

i'll upload the original picture here when he gets back. maybe it will be easier to ID then.

[Psyche]

Strange one.
The pattern does'nt match anything.
The head suggests it is not a butterfly.

TL Seow

[MinuteMaid]

Strange one.
The pattern does'nt match anything.
The head suggests it is not a butterfly.

TL Seow

thanks for the reply Dr Seow.

If it is a moth, it's a pretty one, like those orange day flying lycaenid looking types perhaps.

here's another pic that is back lit. it's quite blur. will have to wait for my brother to come back before we can have a better look.

[atronox]

It is a lycaenid, Hypochrysops coelisparsus.

The underside markings of this genus are so quirky, no moth would look like that.

This genus is mostly found in New Guinea and the Moluccas; this is the only species on Borneo.

[Psyche]

It is a lycaenid, Hypochrysops coelisparsus.

The underside markings of this genus are so quirky, no moth would look like that.

This genus is mostly found in New Guinea and the Moluccas; this is the only species on Borneo.

Well done Aaron.

This one really stumped me.

TL Seow

[Painted Jezebel]

I 'ditto' that. Great work, Aaron. MinuteMaid (sorry, I don't know your real name), please send congrats to your brother. I had been unable to find a live photo of this species on the net.

[Psyche]

Aaron, does the underside of the Bornean ssp. in the book have a postdiscal band on the forewing?

Fleming shows an underside (from Great Karimon Is.) in which the forewing does not have a postdiscal band.

This species is so rare that very few are seen on the mainland.

TL Seow

[moloch]

Very interesting. We have many species of "Jewels" (Hypochrysops sp.) here in Australia but they seem to be difficult to locate. I have never yet seen any of these even though I am out often and travel a fair bit. Most of the Oz Jewels have bands on the lower wing that are similar to one included in this post.

Regards,