Malay Staff Sergeant and Chocolate Sailor (laying eggs)

[butterfly_effect]

Saw a Chocolate Sailor spreading its chocolatey goodness (laying eggs) on this leaf. It moved backwards before appearing to deposit eggs.

What plant is this? Could this be Dendrocnide stimulans?
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1291/4674871884_dde057a3d2.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1275/4674871878_e8dec5b754.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4674871874_3f73de744a.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4674871862_dbf89cca3f.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4674871890_87b641fe6d.jpg

This looks very much like the Malay Staff Sergeant... I almost can't believe I encountered it.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4674871868_bd70d36367.jpg

[atronox]

Time to collect the eggs!:redbounce
And yes, i'm quite sure it's a malay staff sergeant.

[Commander]

Good work, Ellen & Nelson. Let's hope Horace will be able to locate this plant and nail down an elusive life history of the Choc Sailor.

Yes, you've also shot the Malay Staff Sergeant.

The other puddling brown "sailor" isn't the same Choc Sailor, right? It looks more like the female f-subrata of the Colour Sergeant.

[butterfly_effect]

no its not the same one. Now that you pointed that out... Yeah... The markings do look like the colour sergeant!

[horace2264]

What plant is this? Could this be Dendrocnide stimulans?


Having seen the plant close-up and examined the leaf features, I think there is a possibility that the plant is Poikilospermum suaveolens (http://www.natureloveyou.sg/Poikilospermum%20suaveolens/Main.html), also in the Urticaceae as Dendrocnide stimulans (which was recorded in Palawan by Igarashi). Flowers of this local plant will be useful for us to confirm its ID. :thinking:

[butterfly_effect]

i just checked with a plant taxonomist in nparks and she id-ed it as Dillenia suffroticosa (simpoh air). But of course this is looking at the above photos. What do you guys think? Maybe should take a plant cutting to verify?

[horace2264]

i just checked with a plant taxonomist in nparks and she id-ed it as Dillenia suffroticosa (simpoh air). But of course this is looking at the above photos. What do you guys think? Maybe should take a plant cutting to verify?

Definitely not Simpoh Air although the two are alike from a distant glance with their large leaves. Simpoh Air is very common in Singapore, in and out of the nature reserves, in wastelands, in Southern Ridges etc. I believe quite a few army boys here in forum (or former army boys) are quite familiar with Simpoh Air, as we would get scolded for using it for camouflage in the field, and there is a not-so-nice nickname for its leaf as well. :)

Ask the plant taxonomist to take a close look at the "long" and brown petioles of the leaves of the host plant pics you took. I believe she/he can rule out Simpoh Air as well.

[Silverstreak]

Definitely not Dillenia suffroticosa (simpoh air).:police:

[atronox]

I agree with Sunny and Horace. It can't be Dillenia as no butt is known to feed on that.

[Great Mormon]

We cant rule Dillenia out for sure (it could be a new find), the one in the picture looks very much like Dillenia tho [from my point of view]. I think you will get to know why when u get to NS.

[atronox]

Doesn't look like Dillenia.
The leaves are more elongate and the way they are attached to the stem seems different.

[Great Mormon]

Lets get our in-house horticulturist to help us ID it then :bsmile:

[horace2264]

Take a look at this shot of the stem and petioles of this plant, and compare them with pics at the Plant Observatory for Poikilospermum suaveolens (the link is provided in my earlier post in this thread).

Notice the scarred petioles and stems, and the crescent-shaped stipules. These are some of the features of Poikilospermum suaveolens (see this site (http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242339189) for a description).

[horace2264]

Liyana, here are more pics of parts of this host plant for you to scrutinize.

The first pic contains both young and older stems, the 2nd and 3rd pics show flower buds or fruits. Do share with us your thoughts on the plant ID. :)

[butterfly_effect]

Great photos! I hope Liyana gets a good look at them.. .will ask my friend to have a look also. :)