Variation in Arhopala pseudomuta

[atronox]

There seems to be some variation in the intensity of the pinkish hue on the wings of A. pseudomuta. Here are two specimens from different locations and with different amounts of wear. You can see the more tattered one has a stronger pinkish hue. Despite that, i think they are both still A. pseudomuta.

Thoughts?




pseudomuta best cropped edited resized-min.jpg

[Psyche]

The two species A. alitaeus & pseudomuta have been the source of some confusion in the past.
Undoubtedly there are some intermediates.
The typical forms are never in doubt.

Two criteria helps to differentiate most examples.

A. pseudomuta; HW postdiscal spot 6 narrow & with a margin straight; HW submarginal spots united into a continuous band.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...-%20Horace.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...1---Horace.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oBtftpJ4gw...yana+(TBC).jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...e-wee-Kiat.jpg


A. alitaeus : HW postdiscal spot 6 broadly rounded or oval; HW submarginal spots mostly separate lunules.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nEFhYQjWz6...%2BHoraceT.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nl70hCbY-Y...s---KhewSK.jpg
Langkawi.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FK0dW9zrwG...-mirabella.jpg


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Psyche]

Two other species have a pale slatey ground with contrasting reddish brown markings.

A. havilandi lack a spot at the base of space 10, ie just above the mid cell spot & so is out of the picture here.

A. sintanga have the spot at the base of space 10 but HW spot 6 is rounded & the HW submarginals are more macular, so it resembles A. alitaeus in pattern
See Bornean Lycaenids.
So this species also do not match.

TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

Thanks, Dr Seow.

I ruled out alitaeus based on spot 6 as well. I wonder what environmental factors could be causing this variation...

[atronox]

Here's an alitaeus which i found last year on the same day as the Prosotas aluta!

alitaeus best cropped edited resized-min.jpg