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Hi Dr. Seow,
Need your help to id these butterflies from Assam, India. Thank you.
1.
Attachment 28570
2a.
Attachment 28571
2b. Upperside of 2a
Attachment 28572
3. Could this be Sauda swerga
Attachment 28573
4. Seems like Scobura phiditia,but the extra spot on UNH wing is confusing.
Attachment 28574
1, 2a, & 2b.
Male Arhopala paramuta.
Characteristic appearance.pale brown but bands defined, FW apex hooked, margin crenulate;
HW tailess, no metalmark. Submarginal spots form a zigzag line.
https://www.flutters.org/home/photog...icture&id=1077
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Ar...amuta-paramuta
3. Suastus minutus
UnH whitish with variable dark spots.
https://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/S...minutus-aditia
4. Scobura phiditia.
UnH spots may include a few small ones.
https://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/Scobura-phiditia
https://geenature.com/taxa/884924
TL Seow: Cheers.
Thanks a lot Dr. Seow. :)
May I add few more photos for id. Maybe common ones, but nevertheless very confusing. All photos taken in Assam, India. Thanks.
5.
Attachment 28605
6.
Attachment 28606
7.a
Attachment 28607
&.b. Upperside of 7.a
Attachment 28608
5.https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...5&d=1727366220
Jamides bochus male.
Jamides species can be recognised by the sharp spike formed by converging white striae in UnH space 1b.
The undersdie is dark shaded & the UpF postdiscal band serially dislocated.
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Jamides-bochus-bochus
7a.https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...7&d=1727366276
7b.https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...8&d=1727366331
Female Deudorix epijarbas.
Although the FW seem sharp like a male the palpi are long & the abdomen short, two features indicating a female.
The female have a varying traces of orange above.
Male .Note long tapering abdomen.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...240_246498.jpg
Females. Note short abdomen.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...469_251339.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...2cea9098-1.jpg
I have also cross-check all other species of Deudorix & Virachola.
Deudorix epijarbas. Underside bands with straight regular margins; orange ring fully encircling; all others with orange ring incomplete or absent.
6. https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...6&d=1727366249
Male Nacaduba kurava euplea.
The main four 6line blues are found in India, although a 5th N.sinhala is also said to occur in the south.
Attachment 28609
Nacaduba beroe .
UnF midcell band with the costal spot above it absent.
UnF postdiscal band dislocated in the middle.
Male dark striae within bands weak or obsolete.
Male upperside deeper violet blue.
Female UpF with deeper bue patch, & 2-3 whitish submarginal spots.
Males.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...9da7a9-1_1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...8de93d-1_0.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...b68f69-2_1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...b68f69-1_1.jpg
Female.
Female misIded. Note UpF with white submarginal spots & UnF without the mid costal spot.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...0cfe1ecc-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...0cfe1ecc-2.jpg
Ionolyce helicon also lacks the UnF mid costal spot & can look very similar at certain angle.
UnH submarginal spots are pointed especially in space 3 beside the black tornal spot.
https://wingscales.com/media/2400/324-1-01413.jpg
Nacaduba berenice.
Underside much as in N. beroe but costal spot above midcell band present.
UnF postydiscal band almost always dislocated, crooked or distorted.
Male dark striae within bands well-developed.
Male upperside pale lavender blue with a frosted look due to msny white ribbon scales.
Female UpF with a pale blue patch.
Males.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...e636a5e7-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...87537929-1.jpg
Ssp from Thailand.
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Na...berenice-aphya
Many examples of N. berenice are mis IDed.eg.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...huri_as039.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...huri_as038.jpg
Female N. berenice.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...7137cb-2_0.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...7137cb-1_0.jpg
Nacaduba kurava.
UnF with the mid costal spot present.
UnF submarginal spots with rounded margins, spots often broad,& should not have sharp points except the white striae.
UnF postdiscal band nearly always intact & regular.
Male dark striae within bands may be weak, but variable.
Male upperside deeper blue with the white striae showing through.
Female blue patch with the apex whitened.
Males.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...c4de5275-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...b4488117-1.jpg
Note below last two males from Sa Kaeo are N. berenice.
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Na...-kurava-euplea
Females.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...276dce4c-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...276dce4c-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...b7ed87d5-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...b7ed87d5-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...Saji_ae302.jpg
Nacaduba calauria.
This have a disjunct distribution in S. India & Sundaland & eastwards.
Images on the web from the subcontinent are mostly doubtful,
UnF with the submarginal spots narrow & only spots 4 & 5 triangular & pointed.
The postdiscal band istypically intact & fairly straight.
Male upperside is a dark violet blue.
Two confirmed males of ssp malayica from Singapore.
https://wanderingbutterflyeffect.wor...b3ad98860e.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama.../original.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...644/large.jpeg
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/86060926
Probably correct but no upperside confirmation.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...f6d7ee50-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...26996faa-1.jpg
TL Seow: Cheers.
Thanks a lot Dr. Seow. Sometimes we are so focused on one part of the wings that we totally forget to look at other parts and gets confused.
Hi Dr. Seow, need some clarifications on Pseudocoaldenia.
8. Is the horse-shoe cellspot characteristic of only Pseudocoaldenia dan dan or other sub species of Pseudocoaldenia dan too.
Could the one below be Pseudocoaldenia dan dan?
Attachment 28657
9. Could this be P. festa or is it P. fatua?
Attachment 28658
Best regards
Aomoa
Post 8.
8.https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...7&d=1729783134
Pseudocoladenia dan dan. Correction: Pseudocoladenia fabia.
9.https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...chmentid=28658
Pseudocoladenia fatih.
Correction: Pseudocoladenia fatua.
Both P. dan & fabia have the FW cellspot split into two or joined as a horseshoe.
P. dan spots pale whitish yellow.
Spots separated ie small spot in space 3 welldetached from spot 2 & cellspot.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...567_259387.jpg
P. fabia .spots whitish yellow.
Uppersde dark-shaded brown. cellspot notched/horseshoe.
Spots 2, 3 & cellspots close together.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...238_236337.jpg
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/90640001.html
P. fatua.Spots distinctly yellow . Spots tightly conjoined ;strongly reddish/chestnut brown.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...924d5ec1-1.jpg
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/90647001.html
P. festa.Spots distinctly yellow in male, white in female ;spots 2, 3, & cellspot tightly conjoined. ground dull ochreous.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/90643001.html
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...797563b2-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...901ba965-1.jpg
P. fatih spots whitish in both sexes, close together ;ground colour tawny brown .?dull.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...ac7a58e5-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...af7ebf71-1.jpg
TL Seow: Cheers.
Revision.
9.https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...chmentid=28658
Pseudocoladenia fatua.
Evans said of fatua of having spots as in fatih, being smaller redder with more produced wings.
He said of the spots in fatih being contiguous but not conjoined. the ground colour a dull tawny brown
Each species is very variable.
Based on this it much more likely to be fatua.
P. fatih is also largely in the western part of the Himalayas,Kangra to Nepal.
tL Seow: Cheers.
Thanks a lot Dr. Seow. Much clearer understanding now and left with only P. dan and P. fatua in my collection :grin2:. Hope will get the others someday.
Revision 2.
No8.https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...chmentid=28657
Pseudocoladenia fabia.
The Pseudocoladenia can be thoroughly confusing.
Veri likely many misIDs on the web.
https://archive.org/details/catalogu...p?view=theater
Here is my revision of the genus.
Attachment 28665
A. FW spot 2 not extending beyond (or before) the origin of vein 3.
A1, Pseudocoladenia dan.
FW spot 3 typically well detached.
Cellspots often two or united as one, as a horseshoe, lower arm much longer.
Southern half of India.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...515_242379.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...715_242288.jpg
A2. Pseudocoladenia fabia.
FW spots are larger & closer together.
FW cellspor single ,variably notched ,but lower not much longer.
Northern half of India.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/90640001.html
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...f8b2bb89-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...6385db66-1.jpg
B. FW spot 2 extend beyond the origin of vein 3.
All spots larger & close together.
B1. Pseudocoladenia fatih.
Spots in both sexes white or whitish.
Spots are contiguous (touching) but not conjoined (borders merging)
Ground colour dull tawny brown with the dark spots more conspicuous ( more prominent).
Western Himalayas, Kangra to Nepal.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...796_272198.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...118_247698.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...7b1a60-1_1.jpg
B2 Pseudocoladenia fatua.
Similar to P. fatih but smaller ,bright reddish brown with more produced wings ( ie, sharper/longer).
Probably the FW spots may be conjoined in some example.
Lower foothills.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/90647001.html
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...63f0d764-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...568025ef-1.jpg
B3. Pseudocoladenia festa.
Darker, spots larger & becoming cnjoined.
Male wit spots pale yellow, female white.
Higher elevation.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/90643001.html
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...es/a-28804.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...901ba965-1.jpg
Probable P. festa Thailand, with spots conjoined.
https://wingscales.com/media/2400/847-1-cdafc.jpg
TL Seow: Cheers.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...2fbc6ea3-1.jpg
Thanks a lot Dr. Seow for the detailed discussion. The ones I got at lower altitude areas like Guwahati are P fabia while those taken at higher altitude areas like Shillong are P fatua.
Regards
Dear Dr. Seow,
Kindly provide the ID keys to differentiate between Porotia erycinoides, P. hewitsoni and P. pleurata. I m sharing two specimen photos which I have.
10.a Taken in Arunachal Pradesh
Attachment 28681
10.b (under of 10.a)
Attachment 28682
11. Taken in Meghalaya
Attachment 28683
Regards
Aomoa
ID please.
It seems to have features of both Mimathyma ambica and bhavana (as per my books).
12.a. Taken in Arunachal Pradesh
Attachment 28684
12.b (another angle of 12.a)
Attachment 28685
Thanks
Post 14.
10.https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...1&d=1732203835
https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...2&d=1732203879
11. https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...3&d=1732203933
Male Poritia hewitsoni hewitsoni.
The undersides are just too difficult & inconsistent to separate.
P. hewitsoni.
Male UpH cell & space 4 with some blue patches or scalings.
upF cell often black or with a small basal blue & sometimes a mid cell blue spot.
Ssp tavoyana UpH cell & space 4 mostly blue with the cellend vein black.
Female with extensive purple on HW.
Very variable.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...d47ba4-2_1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...b9fbbf-1_1.jpg
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc1/80060010.html
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Po...tsoni-tavoyana
P. erycinoides.
Male often a deeper blue.
Male UpF cell with a basal blue bar.
UpH cell & space 4 black except for small blue patch in space 4, nearer margin.
Female UpH mostly brown, with orange mark & little blue.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc1/80030020.html
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Po...inoides-elsiei
P. pleurata.
UpH cell & space 4 largely black as in P. erycinoides.
Male UpF cell mostly blue/green.
Underside grey ground with cinnamon bands.
https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poriti...taMUpUnAC1.jpg
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc1/80065001.html
https://m.singapore.biodiversity.onl...doptera-000475
Post 15.
12 https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...4&d=1732204990
https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...5&d=1732205010
Mimathyma ambica.
FW with three subapical spots. Brilliant blue gloss.
FW margin less curved.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...c1c851d4fa.jpg
https://wingscales.com/Nymphalidae/M...ambica-miranda
Mimathyma bhavana.
FW with two subapical spots. Less blue? (Moore 's description of the type specimen he have, which have two subapical spots.)
FW margin more incurved;
Submarginal spots mostly absent.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...?itok=upazMZqD
Moore's description.
https://archive.org/details/transact...p?view=theater
Verdict; This have the appearance of Mimathyma bhavana.
The sharper FW with more incurved margin, the lack of submarginal spots.
The third tiny subapical spot could easily be a variable feature & absent in most examples of M. bhavana.
The veins on the FW white band are also more distinctly darkened.
TL Seow: Cheers.
PS. Doubleday's description of M. ambica (as Apatura namouna.)
He mentioned of the submarginal spots seven on the posterior wing.
https://archive.org/details/annalsma...p?view=theater
This example of M. ambica have the third tiny subapical spot almost obsolete.
https://www.google.com/imgres?q=mima...D9gQM3oECGIQAA
12.https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...4&d=1732204990
https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...5&d=1732205010
This is best left as a form of M. ambica with reduced markings. Confirmation :It is M. ambica with reduced HW submarginal spots.
There is wide variation in this species but all seem to have three FW (sub)apical spots.
M. ambica.
FW usually with 3 (sub)apical spots.
Usually with a series of white submarginal spots (at leasr HW apex.) .
Hw lacks a defined fulvous brown submarginal fascia (band).
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...711_265527.jpg
Underside ;FW discal spots less distinct; HW brown band broad.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...350_265534.jpg
Form with the UpH submarginal spots reduced.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...les/tbe877.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...les/tbe876.jpg
M. bhavana.
Usually two (sub)apical spots.
Submarginal white spots absent.
Fulvous brown submatginal fascia(band) especially on HW.
Underside UnF discal spots whiter, more contrasting; HW brown band narrower.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...809_263919.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...809_263920.jpg
https://biodiversity.bt/observation/show/61668
https://biodiversity.bt/group/Guides...vation/show/74
TL Seow: Cheers.
Dear Dr. Seow,
Kindly confirm if the two below are Eurema simulatrix. Taken from West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh India
13.
Attachment 28689
14.
Attachment 28690
And what could this be, looks like Ciliate blue but the spots are missing.
15.
Attachment 28691
Thanks a lot and warm regards
Aomoa
13 https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...9&d=1734536988
14 https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...0&d=1734537012
Yes, they are both Eurema simulatrix.
This & E. blanda are very similar both with a small curved spot at the base of HW space 7.
E. blanda have three cellspot but the innermost dot may be obscured, faded or absent.
Furthermore in India both have similar UnF markings in the apical zone, from having a large brown patch to nothing.
A quick & certain ID difference is that E. simulatrix have an extra spot at the cellends of both wings.
Attachment 28692
eg.
E. simulatrix.
https://wingscales.com/Pieridae/Eure...rix-sarinoides
https://wingscales.com/media/2400/7545-1-68912.jpg
E. blanda.
https://wingscales.com/media/2400/6452-1-9eb81.jpg
https://wingscales.com/media/2400/6636-1-f570e.jpg
Added Note: In SE Asia ssp tecmessa, the extra spot is very small on the HW, & may be obsolete on the FW.
Singapore.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...essa---Khe.jpg
15.https://www.butterflycircle.com/atta...1&d=1734537067
Many examples of Anthene emolus do not have dark spot on the inner margin.
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Anthene-emolus-emolus
Anthene lycaenina is IDed by the following.
1. UnF postdiscal band very close & touching the submarginal spots.
2. UnH with a free dark spot in space 7.
3. UnH without a dark spot on the inner margin.
Note below 3rd image from Phetchaburi is a slightly aberrant A. emolus.
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/An...enina-lycambes
A 3rd species A. licates could possibly stray into India from Myanmar.
UnF cell is marked by a large spot.
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/An...cates-dusuntua
TL Seow: Cheers.
Thanks a lot Dr. Seow.
The extra spot at the cellends of both wings of E simulatrix is a life saver, makes life much easier. :bsmile:.
A. licates could have been sighted in my native state of Manipur, near Myanmar border but due to unfortunate ethnic clashes, it will be a long time before I could visit the borders.