ID Help

[henrykoh]

With all the excitment about rapala, is this a copper flash?

Pls confirm, tks:

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj139/henry_koh2000/DSC02648.jpg

[Painted Jezebel]

Probably it is, but it can be quite difficult to ID with certainty without an upperside as well.

[henrykoh]

Probably it is, but it can be quite difficult to ID with certainty without an upperside as well.


tks :)

[horace2264]

The write-up in the BC checklist for Copper Flash mentions

The distinctive characteristic of this species is the broad cell-end bars in the undersides of both wings, and the spot in the middle of the forewing cell.

IFor the Rapala in your shot, there is no spot in the middle of the forewing cell, thus ruling out Copper Flash as a possible ID.

[henrykoh]

The write-up in the BC checklist for Copper Flash mentions

The distinctive characteristic of this species is the broad cell-end bars in the undersides of both wings, and the spot in the middle of the forewing cell.

IFor the Rapala in your shot, there is no spot in the middle of the forewing cell, thus ruling out Copper Flash as a possible ID.



Tks Horace, what is it then? :) Any guess, I found this in my estate so i am quite curious.

[Painted Jezebel]

Do I have a different edition of C&P? Mine (the 4th) says that the mid-cell spot is sometimes absent in the female'. That is why I really needed to know the colour of the upperwing.

[horace2264]

Do I have a different edition of C&P? Mine (the 4th) says that the mid-cell spot is sometimes absent in the female'. That is why I really needed to know the colour of the upperwing.
Les, Thanks for pointing out this piece of information regarding female Copper Flash. :)

[Yamfly]

Do I have a different edition of C&P? Mine (the 4th) says that the mid-cell spot is sometimes absent in the female'. That is why I really needed to know the colour of the upperwing.

Sorry for extending this thread, i had shot something like this as well. So the best way of identifying a Rapala is always the colour of the upperwing?

[Yamfly]

Sorry, adding this, maybe it might help...

[Painted Jezebel]

Sorry for extending this thread, i had shot something like this as well. So the best way of identifying a Rapala is always the colour of the upperwing?

Regrettably not! Ideally, one needs to see both, and even then a confirmed ID can be difficult. The upperwing shot does not really help here, I'm afraid. I've tried some experiments with my set specimens to see if I can reproduce the colours at that angle, but can not come to any conclusive result. There are two species known to be found in Singapore which it can be, the Copper Flash and the Slate Flash, though I now suspect it to be the latter, but have no proof to that effect.

The normally excellent C&P4 key falls down here, but only because of the female Copper Flash's inconsistency with its cell spot.

I thnk you can only open a UFO file for this (most of us have one). In time you will find this file gets quite large with other species.;-) , especially Arhopala, Potanthus and Telicota photos!

In the words of a friend of mine in Germany who studies the Lycaenids, 'this genus is a mess and needs a complete revision'. (He says the same about the Arhopala)

[Yamfly]

OMG, thought i already had enough trouble identifying all the blues and now this. Think i need shutter transplant in my eyes. Thanks Les. :grin2: