Female Magpie Crow?

[Sky Blue]

Sighted this butterfly on a tree & i thought I found a new species, I even compared it with my PDA version of butt checklist on the spot & it doesn't match the Magpie Crow's photo.

But after checking C&P4, I think it's the female of Magpie Crow :)

Quote taken from C&P4 "The female is browner, and with more extensive white areas on both wings...The males are exceedingly common throughout Malaya, frequenting forest roads...The comparatively rare female is found only in the forest, and favors higher altitudes than the male."

I think all the photos in our checklist (http://www.b-pals.com/butts/spc_photo.php?spc_id=43&img_list_id=75) is male ;-)

[Painted Jezebel]

I've checked the Magpie Crow mimics, such as Chilesa paradoxa lelearchus, Euripyus nyctelius and E. consimilis. One can not mistake them for the female Magpie Crow, which your pic most definately is (the markings match precisely).
Nice one - not easy to capture on film.:jumjoy:

Les
Delias Rule, OK

[Sky Blue]

Thanks Les :)

[Commander]

The closest lookalike we have here in Singapore is the female Courtesan. Both forms - one which resembles the male Magpie Crow, and the other which resembles a female, have been observed in Singapore before.

However, like most of the mimics, a closer look at the thorax/head area of the butterfly will often help to differentiate them. Most of the mimics don't have the white polka spotting of the Danainae.

The female Magpie Crows are usually seen at flowering plants like the Eugenia that you shot it on. Males tend to puddle more often than the usual Danainae spp.

[Sky Blue]

Sharing this female Magpie Crows shot 2 yrs back, found in the old folder :-)

http://www.b-pals.com/butts/photo1/43_1197781994.jpg