Butterfly Sightings in SG (by Peacock Royal)

[Psyche]

Dr Seow, do you think #9 is N. pendleburyi? I chanced upon this photo by Richard recently which i'm very certain is N. pendleburyi and it looks very similar to Federick's.

What do you think?

Federick no. 9 is Nacaduba hermus for two reasons.
1. HW postdiscal & submarginal spots in space 4 & 5 very close ,almost touching.
2. HW tornal black spot with metallic scales.


N. pendleburyi & sanaya shares the following features.
HW postdiscal band & submarginal spots in separated by at least 1/2 the width of the postdiscal band.

The males of the two are seperated thus.
N. pendleburyi FW border increases at apex.
N. sanaya FW border a thread throughout.

No separation for the female.

N. sanaya almost always have a dislocation of the FW postdiscal at vein 6 (sometimes 5).

C&P4 shows a N. pendleburyi with very narrow submarginals & HW spot 6 a chevron (or arrowhead); FW band not dislocated.

I have been unable to locate previous N. pendleburyi image.
N. pendleburyi do not have HW tornal black spot with metallic scales.

N. sanaya is very variable in the separation of the HW postdiscal & submarginals.

http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...race%20tan.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...drick%20ho.jpg
https://wingscales.com/content/record/410-1-e0bfc.jpg
https://besgroup.org/wp-content/uplo...i-LenaChow.jpg


India have neither subperusia or pendleburyi.
The metallic scalings may be meagre in some forms esp. dsf. of N hermus.

Richard's shot is hard to say, for it could also be N. sanaya or hermus though the metallic scales are just a few.
The submarginals are narrow as in pendleburyi but the HW submarginal spot 6 is not a chevron (V-shape).

I would need to locate some correct shots of N. pendleburyi for comparison,


TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

Federick no. 9 is Nacaduba hermus for two reasons.
1. HW postdiscal & submarginal spots in space 4 & 5 very close ,almost touching.
2. HW tornal black spot with metallic scales.

Thanks Dr Seow. I was misled by the wing shape. The forewings are streched forward so they appear more elongated.

Richard's shot is hard to say, for it could also be N. sanaya or hermus though the metallic scales are just a few.
The submarginals are narrow as in pendleburyi but the HW submarginal spot 6 is not a chevron (V-shape).

I didn't think this was sanaya because the post-discal on the forewing is curved and the distance between the subbasal and discal striae on the hindwing is too wide for sanaya. The striae are also thinner than in sanaya

[Psyche]

Thanks Dr Seow. I was misled by the wing shape. The forewings are streched forward so they appear more elongated.



I didn't think this was sanaya because the post-discal on the forewing is curved and the distance between the subbasal and discal striae on the hindwing is too wide for sanaya. The striae are also thinner than in sanaya

I am not sure if you have C&P4.
Nacaduba key.

Line 10 (13) UnH with inner submarginal & outer postdiscal striae in space 4 & 5 nearly touching ........ N. hermus, subperusia lysa.

Alternative line 13. UnH with the inner submarginal & outer postdiscal striae separated by at least 1/2 the width of the postdiscal band. .....N. pendleburyi, solta, subperusia intricata(montane) and sanaya.


That is, both N. pendleburyi & sanaya have the postdiscal & submarginal fasciae well separated, whereas N. hermus & subperusia lysa have them close & nearly touching.

There is no problem with Federick's shot as the two fasciae are almost touching plus the metallic scales on the black spot is vitually certain to be N. hermus.

The problem with Richard's pic is that the separation is just about 1/2 the width(of the postdiscal) in space 4 & less in space 5.
The unbroken FW postdiscal band & neater spots suggest it is probably N. pendleburyi.
This is a male & the definitive diagnosis is the UpF border which increases at the apex in pendleburyi , but remains uniformly narrow in sanaya.

As you can see in N. sanaya the separation of the postdiscal & the submarginal varies widely ,some well apart & some close as in this (Richard's) example.
N. sanaya seem to have margins somewhat irregular & not neatly aligned as in pendleburyi.
The FW postdiscal band in sanaya is almost always dislocated usually at vein 6 (but not in all instances).

Past pix of N. sanaya need to be scrutinized carefully .
The straighter FW margin of the male N. pendleburyi looks to be a valid point.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

Thanks for all the clarifications, Dr Seow and for the quotes from C&P4 as i don't have it with me atm.

And thanks also for the points about Richard's shot. Now we just need a definitive dorsal shot

[Peacock Royal]

Thanks for the very profound and deep discussions on the #9 Nacaduba species that I have shot.

13. Ionolyce helicon merguiana (Pointed Line Blue)



14. Nacaduba beroe neon?


15. Arhopala athada athada

[Psyche]

Post 12.

13& 14 are N. beroe neon.

I. helicon have the FW postdiscal band dislocated at each vein & HW submarginal spot 3 & 4 sharp pointed.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...020109%202.jpg


15 is a member of the cleander group, alea subgroup.

A. athada is large & the markings eg HW submarginal & postdiscal band well separated.
In addition the green metalmark is different.
A. athada.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...drick%20Ho.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...-%20horace.jpg


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Peacock Royal]

Thanks Dr Seow for your ids and comments

My last post of the year

16. Quedara monteithi monteithi


17. Arhopala epimuta epjala (Common Disc Oakblue)


18. Nacaduba pactolus odon (Large Fourline Blue)


19. Nacaduba beroe neon (Opaque Sixline Blue)


20. Curetis santana malayica(Malayan Sunbeam)


21 Caltoris malaya ? [Correction: it is Baoris farri farri)