Skipper ID request

[LJK1410]

Hi Dr Seow,

Which Telicota sp. are these? Are they both T. besta?
1.
Besta Palm Dart (4).jpg

2.
Telicota sp. 2.jpeg

[Psyche]

They are both Telicota besta male.

Do not be confused by the colour in photos as much depends on the white balance.

Here is a review.

T. colon male :FW spots staggered, ie not in line; spots 4 & 5 often distorted.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iRfNeV5wQ...t-LemonTea.jpg


T. augias male; Always a uniform deep orange including face; FW spots 4 & 5 equal; HW veins not dark-dusted.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hp7OPF_eJ6...as-augias).jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6riT3uzrel...ias_male_1.jpg


T. linna male: FW spots 4 & 5 equal; HW veins not darken ;ground colour dusky; Face & lower abdomen pale.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-79Gj7N-1G...TL_male_01.jpg
https://alchetron.com/cdn/telicota-6...resize-750.jpg


T. besta male; FW spots 4 & 5 equal; HW veins strongly raised & may be lightly darken; only face paler.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcRIOq2iv...t_male_-04.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UaQyq4Qv0D...B_adult_01.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LFTJK1e_eF...C_0409-001.JPG


T. bambusae .I am unsure if this occur in Singapore.
Continental specise but feed on common grasses such as rice, bamboo, maize & sugar cane.
Small species FW 15mm, compare with T besta 17-20mm.
FW spots 4 & 5 equal .FW short & spots wide; HW veins not darken.face paler.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/maanay/50385196348
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...B_DSC_3871.jpg




TL Seow: Cheers.

[LJK1410]

Thank you Dr Seow!

[LJK1410]

Hi Dr Seow,

Would require some help with the IDs.

1. Telicota besta?
aaaa.jpeg

2. Is it possible to ID with just the upper wing shot? Did not get a chance to shoot the undersides. Size wise, it was quite large, definitely larger than the typical Pelopidas. Could it be Pelopidas assamensis?
great swift....jpeg

[Psyche]

Post 4.

1. Female Telicota besta . Note longer bodyshape.


2. Pelopidas conjunctus. ? female.


P. mathias FW 16-18mm.;FW spots whitish.
Subapical spots usually not in an arc.
Female with extra small upper spot in space 1b just below spot 2.
FW cellspots small; a line drawn thru them moves close or cut the large lower triangular spot in space 1b.
Female.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f8ydI8r9_...perside_01.jpg
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eYsLtkDVM...perside_02.jpg


P. agna Larger FW 17-20mm. FW spots whitish.
Subapical spots usually not in an arc.
Female with extra upper space 1b spot.
FW cellspot small; a line drawn thru them moves away from the larger lower space 1b spot.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check..._female_02.jpg


Pelopidas conjunctus. Large FW 21- 23mm. FW spots yellowish; HW spots whitish.
FW subapical spots in an arc.
Female without the extra small upper space 1b spot.
Male without a brand but with a space 1b spot.
Male & female.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FvDO3Lfw_...lt_Khew_03.jpg
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p3O1nQxBf...lt_Khew_01.jpg
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qmzp-Y5H8...mesChia_01.jpg


Pelopidas assamensis Very large .FW 23 - 27mm.
All spots white, the FW ones large & prominent.
Male without a brand but with a space 1b spot.
Antennae with broad white band.
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/fauna/1/1/1104




TL Seow: Cheers.

[LJK1410]

Thank you again Dr Seow!

[LJK1410]

Hi Dr Seow,

Require some help with these IDs. Thank you!

1. Caltoris cormasa?
Cormasa.jpeg

2. Caltoris cormasa?
cormasa 2.jpeg

3. Caltoris philippina?
c.philipina.jpg

4. Cephrenes sp.
Cephrenes sp.jpeg
Cephrenes sp open.jpeg

5. Potanthus omaha?
P. omaha.jpeg

[Psyche]

POst 7.
1 Female Caltoris cormasa.
2 Male C. cormasa.

Note reddish tone ;FW subapical spots tend to be small, & often three.



3. Polytremis lubricans. Male.
There is too much blue rendering the colour unusual.
UnH is r4ahter coarsely scaled & the spots may not be apparent.
FW spots distinctly yellow, in male upper cellspot often triangular.

Males.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/155010380@N05/43383536271
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...hee%20Beng.jpg
Cambodia.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...1919/large.jpg

[Psyche]

4 Female Telicota linna.

UnH veins across band not dark dusted. Ground colour dusky.
The underparts are also more strongly pale in this species.
Male.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-79Gj7N-1G...TL_male_01.jpg
Female.
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e_7pWdo7X..._female_03.jpg


Cephrenes acalle.
UnH veins strongly black & bands edged with sharp spots; Female often purplish.
Male.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rX8XkLl3Z...Dart-FedHo.jpg

Females.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...ace_02.jpg.jpg
Thailand.
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-conte...nes-acalle.jpg

[Psyche]

5. Potanthus omaha male.
The black line at abdominal end is thicker than usual.

Females of most species usually have some dark shading at abdominal end dorsally.



P. omaha' HW band veins dark dusted above & below. ground lightly dark.
Male
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...obby%20Mun.jpg
Female
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...433/large.jpeg


P. ganda; deeper orange; HW band veins not dark dusted or barely so ,both surface.
Male.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1337/...ac5c42d89d.jpg
Female.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...Y7OFM&usqp=CAU



P. confucius; Spots broadly overlapping ;Veins across band not dark dusted on both surface.
Male upperside have a continuous FW band without being interrupted by dark veins.
Males.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B2W0fVicLA...-confucius.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...9032/large.jpg
Compare with the appearance of P.omaha.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...9009/large.jpg
And that of P. ganda.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama.../original.jpeg


Potanthus juno. Very rare .Abdominal end may be lightly bande.
Typicall with two subapical spots, spot 8 absent, sometimes vestigial. Spot 5 often smaller than spot 4.
UnH upper end of band often rounded.
Male Thailand
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-conte...o-1080x675.jpg

Singapore.
Male.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eLxO6Cqrl-...it%2BBrown.jpg
Females
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WroJpPq0U...Dart-KohCH.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...949/large.jpeg


The other species P. trachala, mingo, & serina have a distinct black band at abdominal end.


TL Seow: Cheers.