Curetis ID?

[Banded Yeoman]

Hi Dr Seow

I shot this Curetis sp. yesterday in Central Catchment. Is it C. santana? I think the underside suggests this strongly..
Thanks!!:cheers:

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4576/37998540944_126929a62b_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/24843048758_e571544b58_c.jpg

[Psyche]

Yes, I would say it is Curetis santana.
The key in C&P4 states in HW space 7 at least half the basal portion is black in bulis, ie thus in santana more than half the outer portion is orange.

The veins can be clearly seen . In pix 2 note the following.
Space 6 have only a little black at the base .
If you trace the upper arm of the HW cell inwards a tiny white dot shows the origin of vein 8 which is the inner limit of space 7. (space 7 is between vein 7 & vein 8). Compare vein 8 in pix 1.
The black area in space 7 is less than half the space.
Also on the underside ,HW postdiscal spots 6 & 7 are in line, while submarginal spots 6 & 7 are out of line.

Typical C santana have more orange.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Curetis%20santana%20malayica/131-2-Curetis-santana-malayica-(Malayan-Sunbeam)--Sunny.jpg
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc3/84050010.html

Typically C. bulis have the orange patch in space 7 short ,so that the inner 2/3 is mostly black.
Thailand
http://www.norththailandbirding.com/images/large/butterflies/curetinae/b4270_8.JPG
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8483/8209484849_2343c3ff82_z.jpg
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc3/84030010.html
Federick' shot Rail Corridor.2015
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AY_mIJ9DjJA/VYQkXPE-qDI/AAAAAAAARlA/PkyVdGLrcUI/s1600/HFH_0749-Sunbeam-Uppersides.jpg

The underside HW have postdiscal spot 7 large, crescentic & postdiscal spot 6 small & tuck underneath. submarginal spots 6 & 7 are in line.
https://wingscales.com/content/record/172-1-cde3f.jpg

Wide variations can occur. This example of C. bulis from Yunnan have a longe orange patch in HW space 7 .
http://www.jpmoth.org/~dmoth/Butterflies%20of%20China/11_Lycaenidae/Curetis%20bulis/Curetis%20bulis_070702139.jpg
http://www.jpmoth.org/~dmoth/Butterflies%20of%20China/11_Lycaenidae/Curetis%20bulis/070501031B.jpg

C. sperthis can also resembles C. bulis on the upperside but the whole of HW space 7 is mostly black.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc3/84070001.html


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Banded Yeoman]

Thanks Dr Seow!

I was reading your post on C. bulis in Singapore and have been paying more attention to Curetis.. Still on the lookout for a black and white Curetis here!

Thanks for all the links and id keys.. Curetis species are so similar, especially with their variations within each species.

[Psyche]

It is probable all species recorded in the past in Singapore are still extant.
The other two are..

Curetis sperthis. Underside speckled with black dots ;FW band bent out slightly becoming almost parallel to termen instead of oblique.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3901/14717337325_2a0c71a479_b.jpg


Curetis tagalica Underside without black dots, & postdiscal fascia parallel to termen. legs banded black.
http://photobucket.com/gallery/user/Federick/media/cGF0aDpTQldSL1N1bWF0cmFTdW5iZWFtMS5qcGc=/?ref=

Similar to C. saronis but saronis' legs are banded orange, red to dark red-brown.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YjzoWBJ7Y2Q/UKeAiD6nsGI/AAAAAAAAImA/YvM-RVVk4i8/s1600/SumatranSunbeamM-KSK.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Curetis%20saronis%20sumatrana/Curetis-saronis-sumatrana-(Sumatran-Sunbeam-)-Sunny-Chir.jpg


TL Seow; Cheers.