GREETINGS FROM INDIA!
Dear Sir,
I will be highly obliged if you enlighten the basic difference between above mentioned three species. For N. asialis, UNF submarginal spot in space 2 is playing a vital role in the identification, please guide.
Regards,
Rajib Dey
INDIA.
The three species can be quite difficult to separate due to wide variations.
The submarginal spot 2 you mentioned actually correspond to the marginal spots in all Lycaenids.
However since most authors refer them also as submarginal spots, I will follow suit.
Niphandia cymbia. FW 13-15mm.
Male violet , female without blue.
UnH submarginal spots 2 & 3 strongly darkened.
UnF submarginal spots 2 & 3 usually less so.
HW discal spot 7 always larger than spot 6.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4/81430001.html
https://live.staticflickr.com/5530/3...e5ae0590_b.jpg
https://res.cloudinary.com/ppc1/imag...8n99toeak1.jpg
Female.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...b0bd5c-1_1.jpg
The next two are rather similar.
Niphanda.asialis. FW 1- 13mm.
Male FW more rounded ,HW less pointed .FW broader dark border at apex; female only basally blue.
UnH with only submarginal spot 2 darker; spot 3 always pale.
HW discal spots 6 & 7 usually equal, sometimes spot 7 a bit smaller.
UnF markes less heavy & dark, postdiscal band macular ie mostly spots.
FW apex not heavily darkened.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4/81450001.html
https://thaibutterflies.com/Butterfl...handa-asialis/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niphan...aMFUpUnAC1.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/beauti...gs/33495531551
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ubmj60prZ1...2Basialis).jpg
Niphanda tessellata large. FW 13 -17mm.
Male pointed FW & HW. border narrow. Female heavily blue shaded.
HW with only submarginal spot 2 darken ( as in asialis)
UnF markings heavy & broad, more contrasted, the postdiscal band ,the spots more merged.
HW discal spots 6 & 7 equal or spot 7 slightly smaller (as in asialis).
Apices of both wings dark due to darken spot 6.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4/81440001.html
https://thaibutterflies.com/Butterfl...da-tessellata/
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/590/2...6fc77b2d_c.jpg
Female.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...156/large.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...852/large.jpeg
TL Seow: Cheers.
Thanks a lot!