Psyche
04-Jan-2026, 12:10 AM
The identification of the three Tanacia, pelea, munda and palguna can be very difficult in fieldshots.
Both T. pelea and munda have forms in which the HW can be brown or strongly whitened.
The seperation of T. pelea is not based on its appearance but that the 3rd segment of the palpi are long and needle-like.
This only holds true in P. Malaysia as in other places eg Java, T pelea have the palpi 3rd segments short.
T. munda have been recorded in Singapore before with a typical male in the Museum.
https://singapore.biodiversity.online/images/speciesImages/medium/1914cb1d-bc88-16ec-74f4-637abbc0666c.jpg
T. munda have the palpi 3rd segment about half the length in pelea.
Typical T. pelea in Singapore.
Males.
https://the-butterfly675.blogspot.com/2013/07/butterflies-galore-malay-viscount.html
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScBoKwbX2FA1hBYuZ8tDvztQt4lI4mz3C9YTLIkc8DP QF6_ULsnMkwW4_e8dskgcTiRPpTrNEeRphOeVsUAVkrM2OTAsa uMfsV20N-vRAiXxv5BrlQqMSTfAc3gQFAS_B_xmCE5XXhTg/s850/MalayViscount-MarkW.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/budak/52271426043/
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Tanaecia%20pelea%20pelea/Malay%20Viscount%20-%204%20Khew.jpg
Female.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Tanaecia%20pelea%20pelea/Malay%20Viscount%20-%20Khew.jpg
Museum specimens P. Malaysia. Specimens appeared distorted, being too wide.
Males
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847206217
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847207256
Females.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847206227
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847206233
Field observations of females with long palpi 3rd segments visible.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/331916302
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/326603298
T. munda .
Males only.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205899
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847207237
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847207240
Female
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/720940020.html
The observation.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/333136831
This female looks to be a whiter, T. pelea but zooming in at the head end only the bulging palpi 2nd segments can be seen clearly, suggesting the 3rd segments to be rather short.
It is not the female Euthalia monina which have the large FW space 1b sub-basal spot broken into two small dark spots.
eg,
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Euthalia-monina-monina-2.jpg
A side view would easily solve its identity.
TL Seow: Cheers.
Both T. pelea and munda have forms in which the HW can be brown or strongly whitened.
The seperation of T. pelea is not based on its appearance but that the 3rd segment of the palpi are long and needle-like.
This only holds true in P. Malaysia as in other places eg Java, T pelea have the palpi 3rd segments short.
T. munda have been recorded in Singapore before with a typical male in the Museum.
https://singapore.biodiversity.online/images/speciesImages/medium/1914cb1d-bc88-16ec-74f4-637abbc0666c.jpg
T. munda have the palpi 3rd segment about half the length in pelea.
Typical T. pelea in Singapore.
Males.
https://the-butterfly675.blogspot.com/2013/07/butterflies-galore-malay-viscount.html
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgScBoKwbX2FA1hBYuZ8tDvztQt4lI4mz3C9YTLIkc8DP QF6_ULsnMkwW4_e8dskgcTiRPpTrNEeRphOeVsUAVkrM2OTAsa uMfsV20N-vRAiXxv5BrlQqMSTfAc3gQFAS_B_xmCE5XXhTg/s850/MalayViscount-MarkW.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/budak/52271426043/
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Tanaecia%20pelea%20pelea/Malay%20Viscount%20-%204%20Khew.jpg
Female.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Tanaecia%20pelea%20pelea/Malay%20Viscount%20-%20Khew.jpg
Museum specimens P. Malaysia. Specimens appeared distorted, being too wide.
Males
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847206217
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847207256
Females.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847206227
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847206233
Field observations of females with long palpi 3rd segments visible.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/331916302
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/326603298
T. munda .
Males only.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205899
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847207237
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847207240
Female
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/720940020.html
The observation.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/333136831
This female looks to be a whiter, T. pelea but zooming in at the head end only the bulging palpi 2nd segments can be seen clearly, suggesting the 3rd segments to be rather short.
It is not the female Euthalia monina which have the large FW space 1b sub-basal spot broken into two small dark spots.
eg,
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Euthalia-monina-monina-2.jpg
A side view would easily solve its identity.
TL Seow: Cheers.