Guess what is this?

[Sky Blue]

http://www.sgbug.org/butterflies/photo1/set_specimen/441_1244379767.jpg

http://www.sgbug.org/butterflies/photo1/set_specimen/441_1244379785.jpg

[Archduke]

what on earth is that?
the shell of something that molted?

[Sky Blue]

Thanks for trying.

Hint, related to butterfly, halfway done only.

[Archduke]

oh wait. genetilia??!?
quite confident now =P

[Great Mormon]

male naughty part! dont anyhow post x rated stuff! :bsmile:

[Painted Jezebel]

Great work, SC:thumbsup: Does this mean I can now send you all my UFO specimens, such as Telicota, Potanthus, Isma, Caltoris etc., etc., etc., which can only be really identified for certain by examination of the genitalia, Pretty Please!!:bsmile:

[Sky Blue]

Mark, Anthony, well done! I think no one posted this before.

Les, thanks for the kind word. Yes, for sure :)

I planned to clear my UFO skippers list as well, hopefully can churn out another plus plus.

[Peacock Royal]

SC, you can do dissection and super-macro shot !
A break-through for you and well done :thumbsup:

[Archduke]

now we got our in house genetilia dissection expert.

[Commander]

There are lots of resources on the net, and the differences between a flattened dissection and a 3D one. Still requires a lot of comparisons from the plates and an eye for detail. But it's the next step needed for the IDs of really difficult to ID species.

Invest in the best high-end microscope that you can find. It'll be very crucial to getting a good documentation of these microscopic stuff.

[atronox]

How long did that take you?:what:

[Yong San]

For those interested :)
http://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/knowhow/Skipper.male.genitalia.htm

[Archduke]

yikes. thanks for sharing.
doesnt seem that hard afterall, its the process of documenting it and compare with the samples from C&P 4 that will be a major headache.

[Sky Blue]

Thanks Fed.

Mark, I still got long way to go lah :D

Aaron, more than 1/2 day :sweat:

Yes, C&P4 also have a section for that.

[Great Mormon]

just curious, how did you cut the thing out?

mounted ur camera on a tripod, get it in focused, looked tru the eye piece and cut?

[Sky Blue]

This particular specimen, found dead on the road side (few years back) & has been harden. The only way is to cut the abdomen off near thorax. The rest of the steps, just follow C&P 4, page 54.

[Archduke]

microscope maybe?
the fella on the website seemed to do it by just his eyes.

[atronox]

Aaron, more than 1/2 day :sweat:

Yes, C&P4 also have a section for that.
Wow, must have strained your eyes.:omg: