Drupadia rufotaenia rufotaenia (Pygmy Posy) ?

[Glorious Begum]

It is very small about half the size of Common Posy. Can anyone help to confirm the ID.

http://www.pbase.com/lcgoh/image/163772625.jpg

[atronox]

Yes, it is. The post-discal band tends to be heavier and the marginal area of the hindwing(the apical area especially) is more dark-dusted than ravindra.

[Psyche]

most likely it is a female Drupadia rufotaenia.

This & D. ravindra can be confusing due perhaps to interbreeding.

The main points for D. rufotaenia are.
1. HW postdiscal orange extends all the way to vein 3 where the short tail is.
2. HW marginal space 6 is mostly black & white.
3. HW costal orange (upper margin) does not reach basal black bar.
4. FW discal bnad (inner one) more irregular.
5. FW midcell orange band heavily black-speckled.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Drupadia%20rufotaenia%20rufotaenia/Drupadia-rufotaenia-rufotaenia-(Pygmy-Posy)2-copy-3.jpg

D. ravindra.
1. HW potdiscal orange absent [if present reaching only middle of space 1b.
2. HW marginal space 6 orange or heavily orange shaded ( may be light).
3. HW costal orange reaching basal black bar.
4. FW discal band usually regular.
5. FW cell orange band usually not speckled with black.

There are many exceptions to all the criteria.
Federick USR>
Female ;small ; FW cell band clear orange 'probable hybrid, but more as D. ravindra.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gqm1LicuhAk/T68boZwevRI/AAAAAAAAF1c/7eZD1P7VtDI/s640/DSC0232-Common+Posy.jpg

Male D. ravindra with FW cell band speckled with black.
https://wanderingbutterflyeffect.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/6a0100a801ee89000e0123ddcfa8f3860c.jpg

TL Seow : Cheers.

[atronox]

Could the "blackness" be gender-linked? I notice that males seem to have this tendency to be darker at the hindwing marginal area.

I think all(?) the ones in the checklist are males.

[Psyche]

Could the "blackness" be gender-linked? I notice that males seem to have this tendency to be darker at the hindwing marginal area.

I think all(?) the ones in the checklist are males.

Possibly. The smaller size means all the black markings are closer together.
Unfortunately I could not tell which are the males or females D. rufotaenia on the web, as the palpi seem almost equally long.
The FW shape is not helpful either.
The key states the female postdiscal orange usually reach vein 3, meaning it may not in some examples.
This also indicates the orange postdiscal band is restricted or less extensive in the female rufotaenia.

The difficulty is that D. ravindra has a dwarf form about the size of D. rufotaenia.

TL Seow: Cheers.

[Psyche]

There is little doubt that it is a female D. rufotaenia.

The male D. rufotaenia has such a prominent long orange tornal band extending to vein 4 that it is unmistakable.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Drupadia%20rufotaenia%20rufotaenia/Drupadia%20rufotaenia%20rufotaenia%20(Pygmy%20Posy ).JPG

The female has the orange band much reduced & continue as specks of orange along the black line to about vein 3.
An example of a female from Brunei showing this.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/DrupadiaRufotaeniaUpUnAC1.jpg

Examples of females from Raub Malaya .Zoom to see the orange specks along the black line.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9klQDrUBiw/VnVvR_WrS-I/AAAAAAAAX08/1HoL19959yU/s1600/DSC_0200.JPG
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jf87Dd5C77Y/Vu46PjoefFI/AAAAAAAAZN0/JyvUNYV1ILQF0aX0_7g3r10E5NsT1pjhw/s1600/DSC_0116.JPG

The female rufotaenia is very rare & seem to be misId'ed as ravindra because the orange specks are overlooked.

Female D. ravindra showing HW tornal orange if present does not extend beyond 2.
http://www.pbase.com/image/83545469
http://m8.i.pbase.com/o6/25/686825/1/83545448.3nl3RWUD.Drupadiaravindramooreicopy.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QG55EKSMj8o/USop3XUU15I/AAAAAAAAJsw/nhS_KaMGwAM/s1600/HFH2995+Common+Posy.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/42758436@N05/8160888413

Federick's shot looks correct as a Dwarf Posy (ie D. ravindra) as the orange only reach the middle of space 1b.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gqm1LicuhAk/T68boZwevRI/AAAAAAAAF1c/7eZD1P7VtDI/s640/DSC0232-Common+Posy.jpg

TL Seow ; Cheers.

[Glorious Begum]

Thank you Dr. Seow. :cheers: