cleander group Arhopala

[atronox]

I'm pretty sure these are all A. athada. Just need confirmation. Thanks

All of them were taken on separate occasions

25347

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1848/30561838058_82b974d334_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/NyDpGo)

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1888/43712881054_a92a612119_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29AKWB1)

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1864/43712872214_1fce53825d_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29AKTYA)

[atronox]

Now for the really tough alea subgroup spp...

This looks like A. sublustris ridleyi but with spot 3 on the forewing unusually small
25354

At first i thought this was sublustris but i noticed some differences between this and the other one above which i subsequently shot. All the spots, especially on the forewing post-discal band are very slightly wider and slightly more angular also so i suspect this could be A. milleri but there's probably no way to be certain.
25355

Finally, a female, which will probably forever remain unidentified
25356

All three were shot in the same area roughly 50 m apart. The 2nd and 3rd were taken close by within minutes of each other, while the first was taken slightly further away and about 3 weeks after the other two. IDs greatly appreciated :) (Compression has reduced the quality somewhat. Soz about that)

[Psyche]

Post 1.
Yes they are all A. athada.
HW spot 6 is typically astride spot 5 & cellend bar ; Always wide spacing between HW submarginal & postdiscal spots.
V spot fatter usually, than other cleander subgroup members, silhetensis, cleander, zambra.

Post 2.
You can see a bit of the upperside in pix 1 & 2. The blue is reflective.
This indicate 1 & 2 are sublustris.

The upperside of A. milleri is a matt(non-reflective) indigo blue.
Probably like this without a purple tone.
https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-837d8b727c8ad64031cf2f9ded645103-c

The 3rd is of course very hard to say. A good guess is still A. sublustris.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

Thanks for the help, Dr Seow. Knowing the extent of variability will really help for future identifications; unfortunately there aren't many resources for the alea subgroup for comparison.

sublustris seems quite variable ventrally.

[atronox]

Shot this today. The two dorsals were taken hours apart but i think they're the same individual because of the way they're torn. The dorsal blue is quite muted (i didn't adjust the colours).

The post-discal band on the forewing seems very strange to me. Probably either A. milleri or evansi? It was really shifty so i couldn't get good close-ups. C&P4 claims evansi has a pinkish wash but i find this really hard to judge

25382

25383

25384

[Psyche]

It looks like you have the rare A. milleri.

The upperside is described in C&P4 as a 'more matt darker indigo blue'. It is not totally non-reflective.
I have seen a number of A. sublustrus uppersides & this is definitely not it.
Most A. milleri have FW spot 9 in line with the band while in A sublusris it is more often shifted in.

Another member recorded in Singapore is A. phanda
The upperside is dark reflective blue & on the underside spot 6 & 7 are like a column.

This one below from Langkawi should be A. evansi.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U0frSBVwK-0/UN3AmCPpMeI/AAAAAAAAIN0/TzemZtbDgMo/s1600/LW1826+Arhopala+evansi.jpg


TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

Thanks for the confirmation, Dr Seow.

Regarding this subgroup i have a few questions:

1. Does it matter whether the post-discal band on the forewing is dislocated at vein 3?
2. Does it matter whether spot 2 in the hindwing submarginal series(beside the tail) is shifted out, or how much it's shifted out?

Seems like these two features are quite inconsistent

[Psyche]

1. I believed you mean vein 4 which the vein directly below spot 4.
The only value stated is between A. cleander & athada ,where in cleander the band is usually continuous or slightly kinked, while in athada it is variously dislocated.

2. This have no value.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

Thanks Dr Seow. I was very baffled by the hindwing spot 2

[Psyche]

Thanks Dr Seow. I was very baffled by the hindwing spot 2

Perhaps it might be of some use.

In most cases HW spot 2 is slightly or partially dislocated from spot 3.
In A. phaenops it seem to be nearly more so.

It may be a useful point of exclusion ID ie. if HW spot 2 is only partially or dislocated halfway from spot 3, it can not be A. phaenops.

TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

Here's another one which i'm tempted to say is milleri as well but something about the post-discal band on the hindwing doesn't seem quite right. There's a hint of blue showing through the forewing costal margin
25931

The dorsal is a matt blue, even when it was flying so this cannot be due to the angle. Thoughts?
25932

[Psyche]

Agreed the colour is quite matt (non-reflective)blue, so this s A. milleri.

The underside does not seem special .
Still I am saving this up for reference.

TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

Thank you Dr Seow!

[atronox]

Sharing more alea subgroup individuals that i've seen over the past year. Note the differences in the submarginal markings on the hindwing


26269
Female. Probably sublustris


26270


26272


26271

[Psyche]

If you are talking of the green scales & black spots, they are marginal marks.
Still all four looks to be variants of A. sublustris.

TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

Found this one recently which i think might be Arhopala aroa aroa; spot 6 is much narrower at the bottom. However, i'm not sure if the post-discals and submarginals are far apart enough for it to definitively be aroa so i'll just leave this as "cf. aroa"

The veins have this weird greenish tinge, especially on the forewing and i couldn't get rid of it no matter how i edited it

26317

[Psyche]

Post 16.
The submarginal & postdiscal spots on the HW are too close.

https://thaibutterflies.com/Butterflies/arhopala-aroa/arhopala-aroa-3/

This below is probably A. aroa as the HW submarginal & postdiscal spots are far apart.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/128729502@N02/26486641344/


TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

Thanks, Dr Seow, i thought so too