ID help, please!

[chengailim]

Dear Dr Seow,

Could you please confirm this is Common Five Ring (Ypthima baldus newboldi). Thanks





Regards
Cheng Ai

[Psyche]

It should be what is known as Y. horsfieldii humei..
Y. horsfieldii humei.
Ground colour whiter & striations coarser & more contrasting.
HW spots more often separate but may touch.
HW spots 5 & 6 subrqual , & spot 6 may be the larger.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...r_Federick.jpg
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...dult_Jayne.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/948/4...f9df2539_c.jpg


Y. baldus newboldi.
Ground light biege & striations finer & less contrasted.
HW spots 2 & 3 often large & conjoined.
HW spot 5 almost always larger than spot 6.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jqAr9zOly...ir_Anthony.jpg
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...pair_Bobby.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DN5O-c2Tq...Anthony_01.jpg

DSF Y. baldus can occur with the spots smaller & separate.


Y. horsfieldi humei is not recognised across the border in Thailand.
It is lumped together as Y. baldus newboldi.

The two represent the Sundanian (humei) & continental (newboldi)forms of the baldus complex.

In Thailand this has also been confused with Y. nebulosa ,a distinct species not found in P.Malaysia.
Y. nebulosa : Dark fasciae obscure; spot 3 often larger than spot 2.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/sat/41020001.html
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-conte...nebulosa-1.jpg

It can not be called Malayan Fivering as it is not found in Malaya.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lennyw...n/24288796121/


To complicate matters ,Uemura examined the type specimen of the taxon humei& found it to be similar to newboldi, ie it becomes a synonym.

If the P. Malaysian & Singapore population of Y. horsfieldii humei is a distinct species from Y. baldus newboldi, than the taxon humei is invalid.

It will need to be redescribed with a new taxon name eg Y. horsfieldii X.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[chengailim]

Thank you Dr Seow for the detailed explanation.