Skipper UFO

[Silverstreak]

Dr Seow

Your help in identifying this skipper would be much appreciated . It was shot earlier in the month in the CCA.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d156/Schir/Bin/Sunny-Chir---EOS-1D-Mark-III--07_09_2011--1397-copy-3.jpg


It does not seems to resemble any skipper in our checklist...... the closest I could find on the net is perhaps LC's ( Glorious Begum ) shots of the Isma ipis at


http://www.pbase.com/lcgoh/my_butterfly_hesperiidae

[Painted Jezebel]

There are a couple of things that make me question Isma, though it is a very reasonable call.

Firstly, I can only see a single subapical spot, Isma usually have two. Secondly, the antennae appear too short, though it may be simply the angle of shot.

[Psyche]

It is Isma protoclea male.

The subapical spots do vary & may even be absent.
The underside hindwing is very close to LC's I. iapis, but is a light greyish brown with a purplish tinge.

Although the abdominal tip appears pointed it have long brushes which are probably matted together. It does not have the cleft at the lower end that denotes a female.
What is interesting is the black fringe above the abdominal tip. This comes from the hindwing tornus & would normally lie hidden by the tornal fold.
These long black cilia are seen in the males of I. iapis & protoclea.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Psyche]

On a rechecking, Zographetus rama also comes close, but the underside is brown with ochreous (yellow-brown) scalings, making it similar to the underside of I. iapis.

The black fringe seen here is not part of the abdomen as the last segment of the abdomen does not cut across it.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Silverstreak]

Les and Dr. Seow ,

Thanks for helping to narrow it down !

I was too slow in retaining him .... at first thinking it was another common brown skipper ...... will attempt to add this little guy to the checklist with a good voucher specimen.

:cheers:

[Chequered Lancer]

Exellent find!I have never seen this before!:what: