1 Attachment(s)
The cleander group of Arhopala.
The cleander group
FW postdiscal band spot 4 in line with the rest (ie spots 5, 6, & 9 above & 1b, 2, & 3 below.)
HW spots 5, 6, & 7 in echelon, 5 & 6 staggered & spot 7 atop spot 6.
HW postdiscal band completely dislocated at vein 2.(next to the V-shaped spot 1b.).
FW spot 10 is usually present.
The group is split into 2 subgroups.
The cleander species subgroup comprises two large species A. athada & silhetensis.
The alea subgroup comprise species which are about half the size of the cleander subgroup.
The cleander subgroup.
A. silhetensis is recognizable by its large size, & widely-spaced markings.
A. athada is variable in size & the smaller sizes may be mistaken for an alea member.
A useful guide is that in A. athada the HW postdiscal & submarginal spots/bands are well-separated from space 6 to the inner margin (dorsum).
A. athada showing wide separation between the two mentioned bands.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...8530/large.jpg
The alea subgroup have the two bands close together & in the lower part may meet or touch, obliterating the intervening space.
The alea subgroup members.
The alea subgroup comprise five species in Singapore.
They are .A. sublustris, milleri, normani, phanda & aroa.
The subgrop is very difficult to ID.
Most features are variable & may be subjective.
The observations below is based on valid examples in C&P4, Fleming, Otsuka & Yutaka.
Two species are probably extinct in Singapore.
A. phanda is idetifiable by the HW spots 6 & 7 forming a column.
https://singapore.biodiversity.onlin...doptera-000442
Arhopala aroa.
This has the bands narrow so the markings are well-spaced.
The HW spot 6 tapers markedly from top to bottom becoming more triangular.
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-conte...ala-aroa-1.jpg
Sunny actually shot one in which the HW spot 6 was almost triangular.
This picture seem to be lost.
