Doubtful IDs from Nepal

[Psyche]

They are all fairly typical dsf Scobura isota.


S. isota & cephala have been much confused.


Scobura cephala.
FW spot 4 always present.
UnH with a large rectangular spot in space 1b, in continuation of the spot in space 2 (In Evans' time space 1b is called space 1c .)
Dsf with lighter brown shadings beyond the spots. In wsf always deeply shaded brown.
See fieldshots at bottom of webpage.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/91670001.html


Scobura isota.
FW spot 4 usually absent.
UnH spot in space 1b absent or small & vestigial, often with a corresponding small spot in space 6.
Dsf unH ground entirely yellow.
WsF UnH with brown shading as in S. cephala.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/91680001.html


These should all be S. isota.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sp...cobura-cephala


Also check the key here.
Page 2. key line 5 for S. cephala & isota.
Note: Space M3 is space 3, space CuA2 is space 1b.
https://www.researchgate.net/publica...ra_Hesperiidae


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Nawab]

Thank you so much, sir. Also I came to know that S. cephala will never have spots reduced like in most of my individuals.

[Nawab]

Sir, could you please look at this Potanthus and Melanitis? Could the Melanitis be M. zitenius?

1a
3.jpg

1b
4.jpg

2a
1.jpg

2b
2.jpg

[Psyche]

Post 176.

1. Probably Potanthus nesta.

Potanthus is particularly difficult.

Three species with the abdominal end yellow can be eliminated. ie P. pava, confucius, & ganda.

Three species in which the HW band's upermost spot (4 + 5) is strongly projected out & FW spots 4 & 5 are detached or nearly so are out ie P. pallida, P pseudomaesa, & trachala.

P. rectifasciatus have a very large spot 6 connecting the band to spot 7.
https://live.staticflickr.com/4585/3...39db4bb7_z.jpg

P. dara is pale yellowish with FW spots 4 & 5 detached & a prominent HW spot 6 above. ( Description corrected.)
Male & Female. Correction : These two may be forms of P. pallida with a prominent HW spot 6.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...9fae298e-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...e65a3959-2.jpg
P. pallida S. India have only 5 spp. pava, confucius, pallida ,pseudomaesa & palnia.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...3bfc9c29-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...ac2df66b-3.jpg
Potanthus dara.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26689187@N00/4852304343
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26689187@N00/4853857016

P. palnia have underside with a strong greenish ochreous shade.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...4df0929d-1.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/5832/3...6e1ae172_b.jpg
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4536...eb33ea48_b.jpg

Potanthus lydia is mostly dark orange & the underside with obscure spots.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...07a03494-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...07a03494-2.jpg
Ssp fraseri.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5648/2...e0f34ba0dc.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...jpg?1613963106
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...jpg?1545203091

P. juno have spot 8 absent or obscure; spot 5 smaller than spot 6.
http://thaibutterflies.com/wp-conten...o-1080x675.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WroJpPq0U...Dart-KohCH.jpg

P. mingo have outer margin of HW band excavate with dark spots & HW band upper spot marked by a deep step on the inner margin.
Two males
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f3wB2A2ujB...0/_MG_1531.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...ngeSkipper.jpg
Female on the left. Male right is rather worn.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tFtROXZYi...us%2Bmingo.JPG

Potanthus flava
Generally the underside is marked by dark spots excavating the margins into spikes.
Ssp flavus (flava)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D9U9oeeU8AA8nmx.jpg

Potanthus sita.
Similar to P. flava.
Resembles P. trachala but spots yellow.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92760001.html
Probable P. sita.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...2758f481-1.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/2742/4...0544c037_z.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...24470a0c-1.jpg

That leaves two.

Potanthus mara.
FW band continuous like P. confucius. Lower spots 1b, 2, & 3 are broad.
HW band inner margin with a moderate step. Spot in space 1b large.
Male Female. Correction: These two below are Telicota ohara.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...cf3e4734-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...fa0bf2df-1.jpg
Correct example of Potanthus mara, see fig 25 A & B in the images on the right.
https://www.google.com/search?q=pota...l97BA1-AM_o7pM
Probable P. mara male.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...1055485c-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...1055485c-1.jpg

Potanthus nesta;
FW band narrow with varying overlap.
HW band also rectangular without a prominent inner step; HW spot in space 1b narrow.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92800001.html

Probable examples.

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...24da1634-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...24da1634-2.jpg

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...7cee7e8b-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...7cee7e8b-1.jpg

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...dd958ef7-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...dd958ef7-1.jpg


PS. Potanthus nesta is often confused as P. confucius.
P. confucius dushta Male. Note the abdominal end is yellow. In P. nesta it is black.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pr...H25DpUGQab2LeP
https://www.thaibutterflies.com/wp-c...s-1080x717.jpg

[Psyche]

Post 176.

2, Melanitis zitenius.


M. leda; costa gradual curvature.
HW tails at vein 2 & 4 short, about equal length.
WSf with prominent eyespots.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/sat/40010001.html


M. zitenius, Costa gradual curvature.
HW tai at vein 4 2-3 X that at vein 2.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/sat/40030010.html


M. phedima.Costa strongly arched giving the FW a more rounded look.
HW tail at vein 2 a small knob.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/sat/40020020.html


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Nawab]

Dear sir,
Could you please check this Celaenorrhinus sp. for me? It looks very much like C. leucocera but has space 1b spot. C. pyrrha is another candidate but this individual lacks pale spots beyond sp 1b spots.

2.jpg
1.jpg

[Psyche]

Post 179.

It has to be C. leucocera with a minor aberration.

BY following Evans' keys in two ways.

1. Assuming the sub=basal spot in space 1b is valid.
Key 1a, 1b, 1c, 3a(id), 5a(3b) 6a(5), 9a( 6b), 11 (9b) a dead end C. pero.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sp...norrhinus-pero

C. pyrrha is out Key 6b to 9. as the antenna is chequered & only the club white.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/me...c174a712cc.jpg


2. Assuming the sub-basal spot is a minor aberration.
Key 1a to 12a(1c) to 15a (12c).
This include 3 species.. C patula, leucocera & putra.

It matches C. leucocera very well.



TL Seow; Cheers.