matapa??

Went out around outside my house to check for any t. dominus, out of boredom earlier.

Instead, I chanced upon this small skipper, which was unlike anything I had ever seen before.
It was very dark, appearing almost black, but the flash blew the colours out. The pale apex is definitely not a trick of the flash. I chased him in the undergrowth for quite some time, until I lost sight of him. Spent a long time looking but to no avail.

Uncle Seow, Is this a matapa aria?? It was much smaller and darker than the m. aria individuals that I have seen before.:thinking:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8033/7...993269ea_c.jpg
Matapa??? by bluebottlethejon, on Flickr

This is very interesting.
If it is as you say, much smaller & darker than M.aria, you may have the male of Ge geta.

However, it also looks like a midget M. aria.
Ge geta is a member of the Redeyes, but I don't know if it has red eyes as there is no mention in the text or in the original description by de Niceville.
Colour setting can cause M. aria to appear very dark.
For example here.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_HZx0BxK7rbc/So...8790%20(2).JPG

Ge geta is found in secondary growth, so there is a good chance it is this.
Will check further later.

TL Seow:cheers:
PS. It is a male M. aria which is smaller & darker than the female.
Ge geta has a dark male brand in space 2 on the forewing which is also visible on the underside.
This individual have the forewing raised & space 2 is clearly seen just above the costal(upper) margin of the hindwing. No brand is seen.
Compare fig 51 top right corner, of Ge geta below.
http://www.archive.org/stream/journa.../n335/mode/1up

I must agree with Seow. Ge geta is also shown in Pinratana (Butterflies of Thailand, Volume 5). As Seow says, C&P4 does not mention any red eyes, also, Pinratana does not mention them, though he does do so for every other genus that has them, so one can reasonably assume that this species does not have red eyes. (Also, Ek-Amnuay does not mention red eyes for the species.)

Positive that your photo is a male Matapa aria.