Dwarf Posy and a Zela

[Silverstreak]

A dwarf , only 1/3 the size of a normal Common Posy, can easily be mistaken as a Drupadia rufotaenia rufotaenia (Pygmy Posy)....

Drupadia ravindra moorei (Common Posy)

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d156/Schir/Bin/Sunny-Chir-1D3--22_07_2012---6866.jpg

Zela storeyi

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d156/Schir/Bin/Sunny-Chir-1D3--22_07_2012---6878.jpg

Cheers!

[Psyche]

It is still a Pygmy Posy (D. rufotaenia), Sunny.
The female (rounded forewing) have reduced orange, but the orange band still reaches vein 2 ( where the long tail is) and there are bits of orange to vein 3 (upper short tail).
The hook-like band also tend to have a shorter point in this species.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Silverstreak]

Thanks Dr.Seow !:)

I stumbled on it with a few other Common Posy .

I was having doubt of it being a Pygmy due to the arrowed area not well defined as compare to my previous shots on the species.

[Psyche]

The features you arrowed do fit the males well.

Here is another helpful feature although it fits the male of rufotaenia better as well.
Hindwing marginal area of space 6 usually white with a large, diffuse blackish marginal blotch or spot.

In D. ravindra. hindwing marginal area of space 6 usually wholly orange without the blackish blotch or at most with some light shadings.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Silverstreak]

Thanks again Dr. Seow for the additional pointed !

[Peacock Royal]

The features you arrowed do fit the males well.

Here is another helpful feature although it fits the male of rufotaenia better as well.
Hindwing marginal area of space 6 usually white with a large, diffuse blackish marginal blotch or spot.
In D. ravindra. hindwing marginal area of space 6 usually wholly orange without the blackish blotch or at most with some light shadings.
TL Seow:cheers:

So, this is also D. rufotaenia ?

[Psyche]

So, this is also D. rufotaenia ?

Yes. It looks like it. The marginal black blotch in space 6 which is whitish; the hook black band with the shorter point.
However, the orange band is short suggesting D. ravindra.
Is this butt very small?

Here is a D. ravindra female for comparison.
http://malaysianinsects.web.fc2.com/Drupadia-ravindra-moorei.JPG

TL Seow:cheers:
PS. It probably not so easy to separate the females except by size.
Here is another D. ravindra female.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yzw2AzY2du4/R-pgt-1iFvI/AAAAAAAAA6s/6U4MwvGJZcc/s400/Common-Posy.jpg

PS 2. It is difficult to find the correct image of a female D. rufotaenia for comparison. Here is one.
http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DrupadiaRufotaeniaUpUnAC1.jpg

[Peacock Royal]

Yes. It looks like it. The marginal black blotch in space 6 which is whitish; the hook black band with the shorter point.
However, the orange band is short suggesting D. ravindra.
Is this butt very small?
Yes, it is much smaller than D. ravindra that both CH and I kept chasing to take some shots - our first impression then was really the D. rufotaenia
(see http://peacockroyal.blogspot.sg/2012/05/usr-on-labour-day.html). But as you said the short orange band points to D. ravindra.

[Commander]

Seow, here's another shot taken by another photographer recently for comparison.

[Psyche]

I find it utterly strangely that there seem to be not a single live pic of a female of D. rufotaenia on the web.

Just in case there are females in which the forewing margin is straighter, I double-check the gender.

Note:
Male: palpi (2nd + 3rd segments) shorter, about 1/2 the lenght is black.
Female : palpi longer & about 2/3 the lenght is black.

eg. pic. below, left -female, right- male.
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs40/f/2009/045/a/9/Common_Posy_2_140208_by_inckurei.jpg

BC members may want to try their luck with their own shots.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Psyche]

Seow, here's another shot taken by another photographer recently for comparison.

I think this should be a female D. rufotaenia as well, Khew.

The key states for D. ravindra the orange band does not reach beyond halfway into space 1b, whereas this have bits of orange to about vein 2.

Perhaps in the past most females were mistakened for D. ravindra.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Banded Yeoman]

Uncle Seow,
I believe this one I shot is a female too.;P
The palpi seems quite long and a large portion is dark.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7049/7044420361_550a267f5f_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62936898@N03/7044420361/)
Common posy vo2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/62936898@N03/7044420361/) by bluebottlethejon (http://www.flickr.com/people/62936898@N03/), on Flickr

[atronox]

Maybe it should also be added that in rufotaenia, the hindwing verso space 6(near the extreme edge of the wing) is heavily black-dusted, such that it is predominantly black with virtually no orange. Forewing verso postdiscal black lines more clearly delineated.

In ravindra(at least of those in the checklist), this area has relatively more orange suffusion. Forewing verso postdiscal black line usually somewhat incomplete.

This feature seems to be consistent among those in the checklist.

Surprisingly C&P4 does not mention this trait.

[Psyche]

Uncle Seow,
I believe this one I shot is a female too.;P
The palpi seems quite long and a large portion is dark.



You are right Brian. It is a female Common Posy.


Maybe it should also be added that in rufotaenia, the hindwing verso space 6(near the extreme edge of the wing) is heavily black-dusted, such that it is predominantly black with virtually no orange. Forewing verso postdiscal black lines more clearly delineated.

In ravindra(at least of those in the checklist), this area has relatively more orange suffusion. Forewing verso postdiscal black line usually somewhat incomplete.

This feature seems to be consistent among those in the checklist.

Surprisingly C&P4 does not mention this trait.

Aaron, this has been mentioned in the earlier posts in a different way.
It is quite consistent with the male rufotaenia.
However, there are variations & overlaps especially with the females of both species, as the examples given earlier.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Psyche]

Yes, it is much smaller than D. ravindra that both CH and I kept chasing to take some shots - our first impression then was really the D. rufotaenia
(see http://peacockroyal.blogspot.sg/2012/05/usr-on-labour-day.html). But as you said the short orange band points to D. ravindra.

When I enlarged the image to 200% I can see orange to vein 2, so I am quite confident your Posy is also a female D. rufotaenia.

I managed to locate one other image from the web apart from yours, also from Singapore.
The wingshape is distorted & the black hook appeared elongated, but the orange extend to vein 2 & there are bits of orange to vein 3.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c140/tanchung/Butterflies%20-%20Singapore/2009/MANDAI/DSC_3172_D200_UFRaw15_GIMP_sz-642.jpg

TL Seow:cheers:

[bluefin]

Here's two for comparison.
Both were shot at the same location but at different days of the month and both were equally small.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7130/7637950526_838fecfec5_c.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7118/7637939766_bdd92639d3_c.jpg

[Psyche]

Great shots, Nelson.

The male is typical D. rufotaenia.

The female is quite interesting.
1. There is a large difuse marginal spot in space 6 as in the male.
2. The hook band has a shorter point.
3. The hook band & the straight discal band touch at the dorsum as in the male rufotaenia.
4. There are bits of orange along the black tornal line to vein 3.

I believed there are more than sufficient clues to indicate this is the female D. rufotaenia.

How difficult is it to separate the females of the two? Here is one of the female ravindra linked earlier.
It also has a diffuse marginal spot in space 6, but the hook band has a longer point, and on enlarging there is no trace of orange beyond halfway into space 1b (ie none to vein 2 or 3).
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yzw2AzY2du4/R-pgt-1iFvI/AAAAAAAAA6s/6U4MwvGJZcc/s400/Common-Posy.jpg

TL Seow:cheers:

[atronox]

You are right Brian. It is a female Common Posy.



Aaron, this has been mentioned in the earlier posts in a different way.
It is quite consistent with the male rufotaenia.
However, there are variations & overlaps especially with the females of both species, as the examples given earlier.

TL Seow:cheers:
Sry, didn't see ur reply