Jamides virgulatus nisanca Lookalike ... but not?

[horace2264]

One can rule out J. pura as the species in question has the post-discal band on the forewing beneath completely dislocated at vein 3 (hence this species belongs to the elpis sub-group). J. pura, just like, J. celeno, belongs to the celeno sub-group, which has the post-discal band on the forewing beneath continuous from vein 3 to vein 7.

[Wanderer]

does look at like a sekii to me.

[Commander]

Good debate going on, and how each of us view the details differently. The call to attention of the larger than usual tornal spot tends to distract from the usual identifiers of Jamides. Horace put things in perspective by eliminating the celeno sub-group.

Taking a closer look at the pair of basal and sub-basal lines on the hindwings (that's the two lines closest to the body of the butt), the species in question differs significantly from virgulatus in C&P4's plate, which has these lines generally unbroken.

It cannot be sekii based on the upperside of the male, which is described as "purple blue" and with forewing border a thread. However, the reference is that shown from Palawan and may be a different subspecies.

I'm inclined to think that Sunny's first gut-feeling of this specimen being closer to J alecto is correct. There are still variations from the pics of alecto but that is one of the major difficulties of trying to ID these lookalikes from a field shot and without the benefit of seeing the upperside of the butterfly.

[Silverstreak]

something to mull over in the long weekend..... will be heading north shortly, be back only late tomolo nite.

can cross out J pura from the forewing marking....

[butterfly_effect]

I can see what Horace means from the comparison that Uncle Sunny has put up.

[Commander]

Thanks Sunny. The hindwing markings of alecto are very similar and a good match, compared to the other two.

[Wanderer]

yes. now i can see that its not a skeii :P

but for alecto, the horizontal connecting line in space 2 (?) (not very good at this yet...need to work hard) seems quite different from the UFO.

[atronox]

Ellen, the so called "pura" u found online seems more like a malaccanus to me.xD
I agree that alecto and virgulatus are very similar and C&P4 says the only means of distinguishing are by size and "neatness" of markings.
There are many other interesting spp that can be found on wikispecies, but much of it is not updated.

[Silverstreak]

There is a healthy change in mind-set of the forum...

I remember 3-4 years back whenever I put up an unfamiliar Jamides or Nacaduba for ID, it used to be everyone keeping quiet...... and when asked why? The answer was: Gee!! Take of look at C&P 4 on the two species ! There are so many of them!! You can go and try and ID them!!!

We are improving as we prod along. Nowadays there is active discussion and suggestions on such topics . Perhaps after some recent rediscovery like the J. elpis , J alecto and Nacaduba practolus odon; Nacaduba angusta kerriana ; Nacaduba sanaya elioti and they have pricked us that there might be more to be IDed out there.

The Jamides is a difficult species to ID from a single field shot. Their markings are nitemarish to differentiate. To have any chance of a positive ID, one need to have clear shots of both upper and lower of the male and female. Some of them are so close in underside marking that positive ID could only be done on the slight difference in the upper wing margin marking of the male and/or female.

There are around 64 species under the Jamides and they are divided into 2 main species groups :

The bochus Species Group and the celeno Species Group

Under the bochus we only have the J. bochus (Dark Cerulean)

Many of the species are under the celeno Group which is further divided into 8 subgroups.

I am certain that there are more under these to be added to the checklist . Just be curious and post shots of unusual looking ones .

[Wanderer]

well, the previous success of Id-ing the UFOs is indeed encouraging, and also aided by the fact that more members own a CnP4 now?