Nacaduba ???

[Silverstreak]

Shot this rather large Nacaduba , marking appears to be same as Nacaduba beroe neon

It is larger than Nacaduba berenice icena . This individual is a male showing purplish blue upper while dog-fighting.

Any help will be much appreciated!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d156/Schir/1DMK3----7122---08_01_2011.jpg


:cheers:

[Psyche]

This is actually a typical male Nacaduba berenice icenae. Note the lower three submarginal spots on the forewing are narrow rectangles.
Apart from the excellent pic, this male should serve as a definitive male for comparison in future.

The N. beroe male differs in :
1. The forewing submarginal spots form a vertical band with the lower 3 spots rectangular and with slight lobes or extensions at the upper & lower corners.
2. The hindwing WINGBASE is DARKENED.
(See Lycaenidae spp. collection thread, post 1, pic.2(as I.helicon) for a typical male N. beroe.)

The fourth member of the Sixline Blue, N. kurava have been shot several times in the past but surprisingly not IDed. Called the Transparent Sixline Blue because the underside markings show through strongly on the upperside, it has a broad submarginal band as in N. beroe, but even and regular. It has also been mis-IDed, for example on a website detailing the LH of N. calauria, the unfortunate mounted male is actually N. kurava.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Sorry to jump in on this thread, but I think I may have this misidentified. I have this as N. berenice, but after Seow's comments above, I am now wondering if this could be N. beroe.

[Psyche]

Sorry to jump in on this thread, but I think I may have this misidentified. I have this as N. berenice, but after Seow's comments above, I am now wondering if this could be N. beroe.

This have me puzzled at first (and in trepidation:Have I made another Boo-boo ? )

The wing perspective is distorted and this is a male.
Only in N. beroe & N. kurava do the submarginal spots forms a regular vertical band. The width of the band is variable, and especially in N. beroe can be rather narrow and so resembling I. helicon.

Two features IDed this is as N. kurava male:

1. Only the lowermost spot in space 1 have the flanges at the corner. This is not uncommon in N. kurava male. ( see C&P4 plate 37/35 which is actually a male underside )
2. More importantly, the hindwing wingbase is definitely not darkened.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you. I must admit that I thought the spot in space 2 also had the (admitedly reduced) flanges. However, as you say, the base of the hindwing is not darkened. Not a new record for me, unfortunately.

[Psyche]

Thank you. I must admit that I thought the spot in space 2 also had the (admitedly reduced) flanges. However, as you say, the base of the hindwing is not darkened. Not a new record for me, unfortunately.

You are right about the flanges on the other spots as well. The overall appearance was too much like N. beroe, which was what puzzled me at first, but the text is quite specific about the darkened wingbases (only in the male ). This individual would be just a little atypical for N. kurava.

There are always examples which do not conform exactly to the norms for their species. Such cases are always a challenge to ID properly.

TL Seow:cheers: