Halpe homolea ?- Id help please ?

[Shihan]

2416824169

16/2/2015
Southeast Bangladesh

[Psyche]

Halpe are extremely tough to ID>

FW with brand ; no cellspot ; spot 2 & 3 with little overlap ; Underside HW without a pale area ie . a diffuse band.
Antennal orangetipped & a small pale patch/dot.

The following can be ruled out.

Spp. with a welldefined HW band.
1. H. zema.
2 H. zola.
3 H. porus.


H. homolea species complex . many ssp. upgraded to full species.
Underside HW with a diffuse central yellowish band. FW usually with a cellspot; FW cilia strongly chequered.
4. H homolea.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halpe_homolea#/media/File:SkipperBrahmagiri2.jpg
http://www.flutters.org/home/photogallery/plog-content/images/butterfliesbrnbspnbspnbsphesperiidae-the-skippers-br/subfamily-hesperiinae--brnbspnbspnbsp-genus-halpe--banded-ace-/indianace_ashoksengupta.jpg
5. H. hindu. FW with cellspot.
6 H filda. FW cellspot absent.
7 H. kusala. FW with cellspot
8 H. flava FW with cellspot.
http://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/Halpe-flava

Species without HW diffuse band. Antennal black.FW cilia lightly or not chequered.
9. H veluvana FW with cellspot ;spot 2 & 3 widely overlapping & distinctly yellow.
10 .H. arcuata; FW without cellspot ;spot 2 & 3 widely overlapping.
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5089591326_20a3ee7b4a.jpg
https://nhuodd.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/e0b888e0b8b8e0b894e0b980e0b8abe0b8a5e0b8b5e0b988e0 b8a2e0b8a1e0b88be0b989e0b8ade0b8991.jpg?w=980

Species with orange tip & white spot on antenna; HW without a band.
11. H. kumara FW with cellspot & HW plain.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/HalpeKumara_821_1_Knight.png
Probable H. kumara
http://www.flutters.org/home/photogallery/index.php?level=picture&id=976
12.H insignis FW with cellspot.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LLMiUsAtjjA/U4r0FNjC7bI/AAAAAAAAO6U/HNEJT-gbAWY/s1600/DSC_0046.JPG
13. H. sikkima FW with cellspot.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ftHB-9lQCUA/U5GXN4JCPJI/AAAAAAAAPFQ/EtDRxiNFqCo/s1600/DSC_0087.JPG
14. H. knyvetti. FW described as with a cellspot but also shown without a cellspot.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HalpeKnyvetti_818_4_Fitch.png
figure 2. (with a cellspot)
http://archive.org/stream/transactionsofzo14zool#page/n379/mode/1up
15. H. burmana FW with a cellspot.
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halpe_burmana#/media/File:HalpeBurmana_818_3_Fitch.png
http://www.bloggang.com/data/lcristatus/picture/1301037635.jpg


The nearest match is this.

Halpe wantona.

In Thailand & Malaya two species are identical & said to be inseparable , ie H. wantona & pelethronix.
H. wantona/pelethronix Malaya.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0q94roSKJzU/U8yEfNvfLFI/AAAAAAAAP4Q/rUZaQpRec5w/s1600/DSC_0221.JPG
The upperside usually have a FW cellspot.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qFgRT1yvrAE/VIuFMHmv35I/AAAAAAAASOM/CGkZRklggEc/s1600/DSC_0069.JPG

As there is only H wantona in your area (H pelethronix does extend to India) it looks identical exccept for the FW cellspot.

The 2nd nearest appears to be H. knyvetti.

TL Seow: Cheers.

[Psyche]

H. knyvetti is out of the picture as too many things does not fit eg HW shape, strong overlap of FW spot 2 & 3 & HW pattern.

Basically only three species in your area have a similar HW pattern,that is without a central pale area or 'band'.

Halpe veluvana; FW one cellspot ;spots 2 & 3 widely overlapping, distinctly yellow; Overall a more ochreous colour.
http://www.samuibutterflies.com/02_images/travels/hesperiidae/halpeveluvana.r.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/SunnyChir/SNAG_Program-0002_zps1e81de71.jpg


Halpe arcuata :FW no cellspot ;spot 2 & 3 widely overlapping.
https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5089591326_20a3ee7b4a.jpg
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4108/5089591322_88aaedd2bb.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4083/5089759456_5fd71fbb73.jpg

Halpe wantona. FW usually with a cellspot; spot 2 & 3 with little or no overlap.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4126/5089090221_f205dbe78d_b.jpg
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4129/5089090213_652691632e_b.jpg


T can't see it as anything but H. wantona missing the cellspot (but still not 100% sure.)

TL Seow: Cheers.