Arhopala Collection for ID

[Psyche]

Keys 1, 7, 8, 95 ,96 ,100, 120, 124, 126, 127/146
Here is one of the difficulties: key 127( medium size ,not prominent lobe ) or 146 ( large size, prominent lobe). Looking at the butt. the tornal lobe looked rather large, but choosing 146 leads to 147 (A. cleander) which is incorrect because A. cleander male have wider brown borders.
The logical choice is then 127, to 129, 133, 134, 135.
136( A. milleri) have the wing borders a thread, & spot 6 which overlaps the cellend bar.

It is good to have a size indication of the butterfly whether medium as in A. major or large as in A. centaurus.

This is a new record.

TL Seow

[Glorious Begum]

I give up, tried and still cannot fully understand all these keys. Shame on me. Could someone circle or draw arrow pointing the keys to the picture for dummy like me to pick up easily.

[Psyche]

I give up, tried and still cannot fully understand all these keys. Shame on me. Could someone circle or draw arrow pointing the keys to the picture for dummy like me to pick up easily.

Sorry Lc,
I am of not much help since I don't know how to draw lines on image files, although it may be kacang putih stuff to most. Moreover, I only have a laptop with me.
However, I thought a few simple explanations will help you understand the keys.

At rest an Arhopala will display the following spots.

Forewing ; 4 uppermost spots of the postdiscal band. They are in space 4,5,6,& 9 , with spot 9 right at the costal margin. Additional spots on the costa will be in space 10, & 11 ,both above the cell. Band often broken at vein 4 just below spot 4.

Hindwing ; postdiscal band is just a string of spots; important ,uppermost three spots which are spot 5, 6, and 7, & cell-end bar(spot). Vein 2 can be traced from the tail upwards, & is where the pd band gets dislocated.

In echelon means in line & always refer to spots 5, 6, 7, & key 9 or 95. If you can draw a line thru their centres (in line) it is key 9; if spot 6 is widely out , it is key 95.

For convenience, I have use 'spot 4' instead of the cumbersome spot in space 4, etc. Hopes this help.

TL Seow

[Glorious Begum]

One from today catch. Is it Arhopala corinda corestes ?

[Psyche]

Well LC, lucky you. This seems to be one of the Arhopala that you can ID by carefully comparing the underside.

Using the key 1, 7, 8, 95, 153, 154,155, will only eliminate 2/3 of the species leaving another 30 odd spps to sift through. However the underside is quite distinctive in many ways.

The spots are deep-coloured and contrasted with the ground colour strongly by striae which tends to be silvery.

Forewing : No costal spots in space 10 or 11. ; postdiscal spot 9 distinctly paler than 4, 5, & 6.

Hindwing :Dorsal (inner margin ) 1/3 strongly darkened. ; Postdiscal band partially dislocated at vein 2 ( by tracing the tail upwards ). ; postdiscal spot 6 wide & overlaps the cellend bar.; the tornal green patch & black spots are also an exact match.

Thus, this is A. corinda corestes female.

TL Seow

[Glorious Begum]

Thanks Seow for confirmation and highlighted all the keys.

Well LC, lucky you. This seems to be one of the Arhopala that you can ID by carefully comparing the underside.

Using the key 1, 7, 8, 95, 153, 154,155, will only eliminate 2/3 of the species leaving another 30 odd spps to sift through. However the underside is quite distinctive in many ways.

The spots are deep-coloured and contrasted with the ground colour strongly by striae which tends to be silvery.

Forewing : No costal spots in space 10 or 11. ; postdiscal spot 9 distinctly paler than 4, 5, & 6.

Hindwing :Dorsal (inner margin ) 1/3 strongly darkened. ; Postdiscal band partially dislocated at vein 2 ( by tracing the tail upwards ). ; postdiscal spot 6 wide & overlaps the cellend bar.; the tornal green patch & black spots are also an exact match.

Thus, this is A. corinda corestes female.

TL Seow

[Yano]

The weather beeing not friendly, I am forced to stay at home, so finally trying to identify the Arhopala photos (not so many) I've taken this year in Singapore.

Dear Seow, will you help ID the attached? The upperside was purple (not green).

Yano

[Psyche]

You have shot Arhopala delta which I don't think was taken before.

The key lines to follow in C&P4(Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula) if you have the book are Line 1, 7, 8, 9, 23, 45, 55, 59, 60, 62.

It had been rrcorded in Singapore though.

TL Seow

[Yano]

Dear Seow,
Thank you so much for the ID.
Only this morning I noticed it did not look like any of the Singapore Arhopala photos and was waiting for your reply. I just checked the "Fleming" and notice there is an "S" mark under Arhopala delta indicating it was recorded in Singapore. I'm so excited to record it again!!
I think I will buy the C&P4 as a Christmas present to myself.
Yano

[Psyche]

I think I will buy the C&P4 as a Christmas present to myself.
Yano

A jolly good idea.

I did a check as I recalled an A. delta somewhere.
Federick did shot this back in Nov. 2007., last pic.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/forum...ead.php?t=6046

A. delta (key line 62) & A. allata(key line 61) are closely similar, and if you were to compare your shot with Flemng L179(allata) and L188(delta) it would appeared to be allata especially with all the smaller spots and the faded appearance.
However, the forewing magin is rounded and in Federick's pic the postdiscal band is clearly dislocated at the lowest visible point (at vein 4).

TL Seow