Are All the Darkies Unicolored ?

[Psyche]

Seven species of Allotinus are recorded from Singapore, so it seems surprising only one species have been spotted so far.

Allotinus unicolor the Lesser Darkie can be ID'ed by the HW postdiscal spot 6 being set deep to the inside of the upper spot 7.
Spot 6 is invariably an irregular blotch. If it is not, eg. comma-shaped, it is unlikely to be unicolor.
A line through postdiscal spots 6 & 7 almost always touch the cellend mark.

Several other species have postdiscal spot 6 set under spot 7 but may be variably to the inside of it.

Examples of A. unicolor unicolor females. (FW termen rounder; HW longer teeth; longer palpi 2nd segment; abdominal tip.)
http://www.butterflycircle.org/lycaenidae/unicolor.jpghttp://farm3.static.flickr.com/2767/4334124317_e478bcde83.jpg

A female unicolor with the HW cilia & teeth worn. Note postdiscal spot 6 is large .
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/SunnyChir/Allotinus-unicolor-unicolor--Lesser-Darkie-.jpg


Two examples of Allotinus unicolor unicolor males. Note the abdomen is long & narrow with the claspers at the end.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yzw2AzY2du4/S6W_wfN1bvI/AAAAAAAAEbI/ryB3xt3vGBs/s400/bcd3-lesser-darkie-ant.jpghttp://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist%20V2/CI/mugshots/Allotinus%20unicolor%20unicolor/Lesser%20Darkie%20-%20Nelson%20Ong.jpg


These two males taken by Ellen are rather different.
Postdiscal spot 6 is less deeply set & a line through spots 6 & 7 passes by the cellend mark.
The FW is more rounded, and the abdomen is shorter with shorter claspers.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist%20V2/CI/mugshots/Allotinus%20unicolor%20unicolor/Lesser%20Darkie%20-%20Ellen%20Tan.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist%20V2/CI/mugshots/Allotinus%20unicolor%20unicolor/Lesser%20Darkie%20-%202%20-%20Ellen%20Tan.jpg

They appeared to be Allotinus corbeti which is a very small species like the Grass Blues.
A similar female will help to determine the diagnosis.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Silverstreak]

Dr. Seow ,

Female Lesser Darkie (Allotinus unicolor ) ?

Cheers!


http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/SunnyChir/Lesser-Darkie---Allotinus-unicolor-unicolor--_zps53b7712d.png (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/SunnyChir/media/Lesser-Darkie---Allotinus-unicolor-unicolor--_zps53b7712d.png.html)

[Psyche]

Dr. Seow ,

Female Lesser Darkie (Allotinus unicolor ) ?

Cheers!


Yes. If the HW spot 6 is set deep enough such that spots 7 & 6, plus the cellend mark line up it is A. unicolor.

Ellen's 2nd shot has an ant which appeared to be the same species as that with the male A. unicolor.
If so the Allotinus would be the same size as the male A. unicolor & is unlikely to be A. corbeti which is a lot smaller.
The probability is both pix are variants of A. unicolor male.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Psyche]

A close scrutiny of the underside of A. corbeti in C&P4 indicates the submarginal spots are fairly well-formed as in A. horsfieldi & leogoron, both species also recorded in Singapore.

The submarginal spots of A. unicolor are always poorly formed & appeared irregular.

Both Ellen' shots are likely just A. unicolor variants.

In Malaya, the next commonest species after A. unicolor is A. horsfieldi.

In A. horsfieldi HW postdiscal spot 6 (not rounded) is usually just under spot 7 but variable; submarginal spots well-formed.
The ground colour is slightly buff (yellowish), but hard to judge in photos.
This is a male from Malaya.
http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Allotinus%20horsfieldi%20permagnus%20001g.jpg

TL Seow:cheers: