Request for ID

[Silverstreak]

Dr.Seow ,

One of our Facebook member requested help on this Arhopala .

I have narrowed it down to Arhopala alesia which is listed in South Asia Checklist .

Pisuth's "Butterflies of Thailand" edition 2 Plate 305 L286 Arhopala alesia sacharja looks very much similar to this one .

For you kind opinion. :)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/SunnyChir/Arhopala-alesia_zps5b3d4ae2.png (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/SunnyChir/media/Arhopala-alesia_zps5b3d4ae2.png.html)

[Psyche]

It is not A. alesia.
All examples of A. alesia have strongly contrasted white-rimmed spots & HW submarginal spots triangular (a diffuse band here).

Les, will need your help with these northern Arhopalas.

TL Seow :Cheers.

PS. Running thru the key of C&P4 suggest it is a member of the cleander group, also possibly A. ace ,but HW central cellspot not elongate.(Possibly perspective distortion or variant.)

PS2. Can't be A. ace which have a hair brown underside.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/ArhopalaAceAceMUpUnAC1.jpg/300px-ArhopalaAceAceMUpUnAC1.jpg

The one with a slatey ground is A. aurelia but this does not look similar.

[Painted Jezebel]

I tried to reply on facebook, but for some reason or another was unable to.

I, also came to the conclusion that it belongs to the cleander group. I think it is Arhopala athada apha, which is found in Assam, not far from Sylhet.

Just tried facebook again and it worked this time! Odd!!!

[Silverstreak]

Thanks Dr.Seow and Les for the input .

Spot 10 was the one bothering me .:)

[Silverstreak]

A friend over at Butterflies of Thailand Facebook Group รพีภัทร เจริญพร suggested it is Arhopala agaba.


It is listed in Butterflies of Indian ... annotated checklist by Paul Van Gasse as :

Arhopala agaba (Purple-glazed Oakblue)
Burma from Rangoon and Karens S. NR – Karens 6, Rangoon 6, Ataran 36, Tavoy 28,
Mergui 7, Victoria Point 1
[Included A. aurelia, Grey-washed Oakblue, as a subspecies in Evans, 1932]

I took the liberty of stealing Les's shot at his blog :) and put it as a comparison below :

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/SunnyChir/Bin/SNAG_Program-0682_zps0253f1a6.png (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/SunnyChir/media/Bin/SNAG_Program-0682_zps0253f1a6.png.html)

[Psyche]

Both A. aurelia & agaba are out of the picture because they both have strongly contrasted spots (white-margned) on a slatey purple ground.
In addtion, A. agaba always have both spot 5 & the cellend bar very close. (below spot 6)

TL Seow :Cheers.

[Silverstreak]

Dr. Seow and Les,

I think Les and Monsoon are correct , both suggested that this is an Arhopala athada apha. :)

Here is a confirmed Arhopala athada apha by Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi from Assam , India, posted at our Facebook.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/SunnyChir/Bin/SNAG_Program-0684_zps22ca7feb.png (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/SunnyChir/media/Bin/SNAG_Program-0684_zps22ca7feb.png.html)

[Psyche]

Post 7 image of A. athada apha will also matched the description of A. aurelia.
I am not sure if ssp. apha have a slatey (greyish) shading.

There are dsf of these Oakblues in India.
So there is a possibility the UFO is a dsf A. aurelia as well.

TL Seow:Cheers.

[Silverstreak]

Here is another shot just posted by another guy on the same tree at around the same time , which I believe is the same individual. This shot show the purple.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/SunnyChir/Bin/SNAG_Program-0686_zpsebc5adb2.png (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/SunnyChir/media/Bin/SNAG_Program-0686_zpsebc5adb2.png.html)

[Psyche]

I think A. athada apha should not have the slatey purple ground colour.
Here is an original drawn image of A. athada apha. fig. 30.
http://www.archive.org/stream/journalofbombayn9189495bomb#page/n332/mode/1up

TL Seow:Cheers.

[Silverstreak]

I think the problem is compounded by the fact that the purplish shot was taken with flash while the other was taken without flash.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/SunnyChir/Bin/SNAG_Program-0685_zps088f1f7b.png (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/SunnyChir/media/Bin/SNAG_Program-0685_zps088f1f7b.png.html)

[Psyche]

I just checked the original description of A. athada apha.
It is purple washed .
http://www.archive.org/stream/bulletinofnatura07entolond#page/379/mode/1up

With the large tornal lobe the UFO can be confirmed as Arhopala athada apha.

TL Seow:Cheers.

[Silverstreak]

Thanks Dr. Seow on behalf of Nasfi Sadat of Bangladesh !