ID Requests - Peninsular Malaysia by SL Liew - Feb 7, 2026

[SL Liew]

Dear Dr. Seow,
Requesting your help to confirm id of my recent observations - thank you very much.


Jeram, Perak - Jan 27, 2026
#1 Curetis?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336541875

#2 Tanaecia?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336537140

#3 Grass Skipper?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336533712

#4 Grass Skipper?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336533711

#5 Grass Skipper?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336464413

65 Grass Skipper?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336533710

#7 Grass Skipper?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336464393

#8 P. athamas?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336464405

#9 P. athamas? P.hebe?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336464430

#10A Neptis?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336483261

#10B Neptis?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336483265

#10C Neptis?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336483262


PENANG BOTANIC GARDENS - Feb 4 & Feb 7, 2026

#11 Grass Skipper?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337312289

#12 Arhopala?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337312899

#13 Lasippa?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337377248

#14 Curetis?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337377274

#15 Grass Skipper?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337377275

#16 Euploea?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337377279

#17 Euploea?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337378452

#18 Sailer?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337539654

#19 Amblypodia?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337539761

#20A Curetis?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337539774

#20B Curetis?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337539779


AIR ITAM DAM, PENANG ISLAND - Jan 2, 2026

#21 Grass Skipper?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/333128367

Cheers, SL LIew

[Psyche]

1. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336541875
Likely to be Curetis santana.
Pic 1 show a HW dark bar at the base.
Pic 2 FW with an oblique band.
The dark spots are very faint.

C. santana is the only species here in which the male have a black bar on the HW base.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847201274
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847199183
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc3/84050010.html

[Psyche]

2.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336537140
Likely Tanaecia iapis/cocytina.

This is a difficult one and you have only one shot.

There are wide individual variations so that the two are easily confused in fieldshts particularly when the FWs are down as here.
Jeram would also considered to be at the edge of T. flora territory.

In general the blue bands do not aligned well in iapis/cocytina when the FWs are up.
Also the HW blue band widens towards the apex after a middle slight narrowing.
The margin is more irregular.

The margins in T. flora aligned well and is more regular.
A distinct difference is on the underside.
The marginal zone in T. flora is strongerly paler, ?pinkish.

T. flora.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2242800920
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/5007193037
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205007
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847206833


T. iapis/cocytina.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/3947742955
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/4424106808
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847206835
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847206841

[Psyche]

3. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336533712
Unknown.
Coulde be Cephrenes or Telicota.



4. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336533711
Cephrenes acalle.

The main band is almost like a pagoda.
The 'spot' in space 1b extends to the base (variable).
The black space is constricted in the middle.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92990020.html
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/296925308756a8ac23.jpg


5. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336464413
Unknown.
Probably another Cephrenes individual.
Looks likely to be C. acalle.

[Psyche]

6. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336533710
Cephrene acalle.


7. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336464393
Potanthus species.



8. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336464405
9. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336464430

They both should be P. attalus uraeus following revision by molecular analysis of the athamas complex in e4astern Asia.
P. attalus type location Java is the Sundanian representative of the athamas comlex.
It is given in C&P4, and C&P5 as P. athamas uraeus.
In the study P. athamas was confirmed from 2 specimen in southern China and this was extrapolated to include all of SE Asia including Malaya.
A. single specimen from Cameron Highlands turned out to be another species ,P. paulette.
This correspond to Eliot's defination of continental P. athamas.

From the study P. Malaysia (Malaya) would have two species ie. P. paulletae and athamas.
Eliot's study indicate two forms continentla P. athamas (P. paulettae) and P. athamas uraeus which should now be P. attalus uraeus.
Since P. athamas athamas occur in S. China and much of continental SE Asia it could also possibly be in P. Malaysia.
Until some one does a proper sampling in P.Malaysia it should be ok to leave it as P. athamas.

P. hebe is different.
The FW band is wider, sothat there is a mismatch in the alignment.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Polyura%20hebe%20plautus/Plain%20Nawab%20-%20JZ.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTZbBvvd3T-KJwVPXgLVTI3VPO5RBh2luBIymdFQvjcqpkwTMbcojM1xIVVAu l1OtWUCjVOxYRq3LKta4uCjPQw-TqwfnHVJICJXzKAP0XywKoc7yBg3Q3FkMi60aNoRLsuEc97Wwy QM/s280/PN_adult_01_c.jpg

[Psyche]

10A. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336483261
Neptis clinia.

10B. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336483265
Too blur.

10C. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336483262
Neptis clinia.
The left HW shows a bit of the spt at the base of space 3.
28967
Neptis clinia is marked as in N. nata but the FW spot 2 & 3 are closer, the submarginal make a smoother curve at the FW apex.
There is almost always a spot at the base of space 3 which forms part of the white band.
The ground colour is variable.

https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim1/720120020.html
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847206084
Female, Vietnam. This shows the small white spot at the bases of space 3 clearly.
https://www.gbif.org/tools/zoom/simple.html?src=//api.gbif.org/v1/image/cache/occurrence/1978824296/media/bad09798d688c2d96949b6cf86d424db

[Psyche]

Regarding the athamas complex in Peninsular Malaysia.

Touisant's study indicate two species in P. Malaysia.
P. paulettae is proven by a molecular sampling of a specimen from Cameron Highlands.

The 2nd species was atributed to athamas based on sampling of 2 specimen from S. China, the type location.
The range of P. athamas was extrapolated to include the whole of SE Asia.
No sampling was done on this taxon in P. Malaysia.
Sampling was done on uraeus from Sumatra and Borneo it was considered to be conspecifoc to the Javan taxon attalus and raised to a new species.
Since no sampling was done in P. Malaysia it is uncertain if the peninsular taxon called uraeus is the same as that in Sumatra and Borneo.

It may seem trivial but P. Malaysia as Malaya was part of Sundaland and separated from mainland Asia in the past.

There are many parallels eg Papilio agenor/ memnon, P. polytes/ theseus, and P. helenus/ palawanicus.

Polyura paulettae range from Pakistan to SE Asia.
The HW postdiscal spots lining the band are sharply crescentic.
Pakistan.
Wrong image deleted.
It appear to be not uncommon at higher elevations.
eg
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/311415969
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/310493032
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/308373945
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/291816655
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/223338242

The form considred to be uraeus is mainly lowland.
The HW postdiscal spots are reduced partly to smaller blocky spots.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/5198912635
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/5198735389
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/215000439
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/214994755


What should be P. attalus uraeus from Borneo.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/266364518
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/263613753
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172817667


P. athamas athamas from S. China (HK) the type location.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/5206504450
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/5140185168

[Psyche]

11. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337312289
Isma bononia.
The antennal club is prominently whitened beneath and the UnH have spots edged in black.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/46345835/large.jpg



12.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337312899
Too blur.



13. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337377248
Female Lasippa heliodore.
28968
In L. heliodore FW submarginal spot 4 is wider than spot 2 so that spot 3 is only about 1.5 X wider than spot 4.
Female on the right.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Lasippa%20heliodore%20dorelia/Lasippa%20heliodore%20dorelia%20(Burmese%20Lasca)% 20-%20Loke.jpg

In L. tiga FW submarginal spot 4 and spot 2 are about equally narrow so that spot 3 is about 2X wider than both.
The width of the spots are viewed in the set position.
Male.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Lasippa%20tiga%20siaka/Maalyan%20Lascar%20-%20Khew.jpg
Female.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/showbutterfly/76


14. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337377274
Male Curetis bulis.

The male f C. bulis have reduced orange on the FW; HW is marked by a rounded black area basally.
UnF have an oblique band.
The black dots are not discernable here.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc3/84030010.html


15.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337377275
The stout built may suggest a Baorini but there is no clear clue to what it should be.

[Psyche]

16.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337377279
17. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337378452
Female Euploea algea. ?Same individual.

HW with the submarginal spots elongate 4-5X that of the marginal spots, tips blunt or rounded.
UpF with a steely blue sheen.
Male with a large brand.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2573842589
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205452

Both E. eyndhovii and doubledayi have more tapering pointed submarginal spots.
E. eyndhovii.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneTU7JuHO2ZcnFF5QoMHGYZ98M5hOjD863I5CBtBbgi 5v49K3mOd1siylR61xKPgmQZSpz78A2_ZXPRtlrTMtL2j8bVLd m3WuUxiUZIlxqJiTF8RKg-iiimujTnf-o2SudPsV9uCLbsrR/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/StripedBC-KSK4.jpg
E. doubledayi
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Euploea-doubledayi-3.jpg


18.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337539654
Neptis harita.
HW submarginal fasciae form a chain-link appearance.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Neptis%20harita%20harita/Chocolate%20Sailor%20-%20Bene%20Tay.jpg



19. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337539761
Too difficult without upperside.



20A https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337539774
Curetis bulis.

20B. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/337539779
Curetis bulis.
The upperside is indicative it is C. bulis.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc3/84030010.html
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc3/84050010.html


21. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/333128367
Likely to be worn male Quedara monteithi.
Spotless. Front of head somewhat protruding.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/33987068/medium.jpg



TL Seow: Cheers.

[SL Liew]

Thanks so much Dr. Seow!!!

Cheers, SL LIew