Doubtful IDs from Nepal

[Nawab]

Thank you, sir. Looks right, but the antennal club is very different. Here's my Ochlodes brahma for comparison.

2.jpg

[Psyche]

In the post 89 shot there is a severe perspective distortion.

The antenna & wings are stretched out to the left & right as in a wide-angle shot.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Nawab]

That is possible, thank you sir!

[Nawab]

In response to Post 89.
The confusion grows. I found another individual but without HW spots, same place and same date and time. But I had apparently IDed this as Pedesta pandita, so was in a different folder. This leads me to think that Post 89 was same species with HW spots. Angle distortion seems weird since I have many pics of these individuals with same morphology. Could you share your thoughts, sir?
2.jpg

[Psyche]

In response to Post 89.
The confusion grows. I found another individual but without HW spots, same place and same date and time. But I had apparently IDed this as Pedesta pandita, so was in a different folder. This leads me to think that Post 89 was same species with HW spots. Angle distortion seems weird since I have many pics of these individuals with same morphology. Could you share your thoughts, sir?
2.jpg

I have just read through Evans' description of Pedesta & realised there are some confusion between P. panda & pandita.


Pedesta panda; FW spot in space 3 (spot 3) small & well-separated from the cellspot. Spot 2 is close to the cellspot.
Spots yellow.
Note FW subapical spots large & in line. Antennal tip orange without a white dot.

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...5919ed5f-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...5919ed5f-1.jpg

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...98ae8596-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...98ae8596-2.jpg

MisIDed.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...2bd23ca2-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...2bd23ca2-2.jpg




Pedesta pandita. FW spot 2 well-separated from the cellspot. Likewise so would spot 3.
Darker brown above & spots pale yellowish.
Note FW subapical spots smaller & tapering. Antennal tip orange with a white dot.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...00375cb7-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...00375cb7-2.jpg

Variant with spot 2 & 3 not overlapping.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...53f557fe-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...53f557fe-1.jpg

Correction: Both examples of P. pandita are actually Thoressa hyrie.

The large subapical spots & antennal tip orange , without a white dot ID'ed this as Pandita panda. Correction: Conclusion in error.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Nawab]

Many thanks for looking into it, sir. So, Pedesta pandita, both male and female, have white dot on antennae? This means most of the IDs on ifoundbutterflies are incorrect and P. panda possibly extends further west from Nagaland, up to Nepal.

[Psyche]

Many thanks for looking into it, sir. So, Pedesta pandita, both male and female, have white dot on antennae? This means most of the IDs on ifoundbutterflies are incorrect and P. panda possibly extends further west from Nagaland, up to Nepal.

It seems P. panda is the commoner species & P. pandita is the much rarer.

The correct images of both species are based on the UpF spots arrangement & there is no ambiguity between the two species , ie. the spot arrangement is distinct for each species.
The spots are also distinctly yellow in P. panda.

All correct images are male & the antennal colour of the female can only be inferred at.

Pedesta is very closely related to Halpe which also show similar antennal tip colour.

Species like Halpe zema, zola & ormenes have the antennal tip orange with a white dot in both sexes.
H. zema.
Male.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...8ff2a400ad.jpg
Female.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...19d92fff-3.jpg

Halpe ormenes female on the right. Singapore.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...Bene%20Tay.jpg

Most species without the white dot.
H. hindu male.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...110aeaa5-1.jpg
Female.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...Saji_ad984.jpg


TL Seow: Cheers.

PS. Need to check out possible confusion of P. pandita & Thoressa hyrie.

[Nawab]

Post 94. Page 10.
Sir, I just realized this could be a Sovia grahami.

[Psyche]

Post 94. Page 10.
Sir, I just realized this could be a Sovia grahami.

Quite right.
Long body & gradual antenna.


I thought all Sovia were heavily spotted like S. albipecta.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MXwJjTYriK...reast+Ace).jpg



TL Seow: Cheers.
PS.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...bea010aa-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...3dbb4038-2.jpg

[Psyche]

In response to Post 89.
2.jpg

Both Sovia lucasi & separata have chequered cilia.

The underside of S. grahami is stated to be ochreous brown in FW apex costa & HW.

The underside of S. malta FW apex, costa & HW is ferruginous ie rusty brown.

So it should be correctly S. grahami.


TL Seow: Cheers.