Another UFO skipper

[Commander]

Khew, I found the thread in 2011 in which you posted the pic above, and Dr Seow already replied then that it was a Parnara apostata.

Yes, I remember posting it then. And now we have a voucher specimen to prove it.

[Psyche]

Not too long ago. This image was sent to me by Victor Hitchins, who shot it at the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station's garden on 6 Sep 2011. I didn't think too much about it then, but had filed it under a Parnara. Seow, what's your view of this fella?

It definitely is good for P. apostata. It is noticeably darker & HW spots large.
I remembered this was posted then.

The upperside markings of Parnara are so alike that in worn specimens they would look identical.
Helpful are the colour of the hairs & FW costa.

Upperside of Suuny's P. bada.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...2011--0386.jpg

P. ganga.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7139/7...5b089b09_z.jpg

P. apostata often appears almost black so the male ii Post 7 might possibly be P. ganga.
http://www.samuibutterflies.com/02_i...raapostata.jpg

TL Seow

[horace2264]

That P. apostata appearing almost black is likely due to the strongly back-lit condition (as evident in the over-exposed lantana flowers).

[Psyche]

That P. apostata appearing almost black is likely due to the strongly back-lit condition (as evident in the over-exposed lantana flowers).

Concur with the observation.
Les did have the specimen set & posted.
It is still a much darker species than the other two.

The presence of P. ganga remains unsubstantiated.


TL Seow

[Psyche]

I found the revision on Parnara by Chiba & Eliot which can be downloaded from reference 1 below.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parnara

Parnara bada Spots often reduced; HW with spots 2- 5 small & irregular often obsolete,( spot 6 may be present).
Langkawi & Singapore.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r10tmE1ODK...rnara+bada.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FX2pIhZeZ4...us%2BSwift.jpg

Parnara apostata. Spots large usually complete; neaarly always spot 6 present (underside).
Malaya & HK (note spot 6 present & so could not be guttata or ganga.)
http://nlliew66butterflies.blogspot....a-snellen.html
http://www.pbase.com/dancy/image/84573956

Parnara ganga : spots usually large, HW spot 6 absent.
Langkawi
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GvFvEDi92e...parnara+sp.jpg

I am afraid most of the posts are P. bada although they look very different.
The exception is post 1 & 9 , the shot from Dolby Ghaut.
These have large upperside HW spots suggesting P. ganga .

TL Seow:Cheers.

[horace2264]

Thanks, Dr Seow for sharing the updates on Parnara spp. and revised IDs for earlier posts.

[Psyche]

From the revised key Parnara apostata is out of the picture in Singapore.

Two typical female P. bada are Sunny & Federick' shots.
http://s35.photobucket.com/user/Schi...-0379.jpg.html
http://s35.photobucket.com/user/Schi...-0386.jpg.html
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FX2pIhZeZ4...us%2BSwift.jpg

The post 1 female looks so different from the two P. bada that it should be P. ganga.
However, the post 7 female looks identical to post 1 except the HW spots are small & irregular suggesting P. bada.
This gets very confusing.
The more typical P. ganga with big spots is seen below. This lacks cellspots & HW spots 6 & so cannot be either P. guttata or apostata.
http://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/Parnara-apostata

TL Seow : Cheers.