Skippers ID clarification in Singapore

[sabafish]

Thanks for the diagrams Dr Seow! It made the part on wing margins alot more clearer.

Can I check if the FW spots are diagnostic? I have added additional photos to the photos 2 & 3 for post 76 as the FW spots look kind of different.

Post 76:

2) Added a shot showing FW upperside and a more parallel shot of the underside.

DSC_0984.jpg DSC_0995.jpg

3) Similarly, added a shot of FW upperside and a more parallel shot of the underside.

DSC_1019.jpg DSC_1021.jpg


In addition, adding on another Erionota, could this be E. torus then?

A)

DSC_0008.jpg DSC_0013.jpg

Thank you!!

[Psyche]

Post 78.

The shape of spot 3 was given by Flemings, author of BoWM&S.
It is not absolute. Need to view in the correct perspective.
You can see the difference in the Yutaka website,

2 is certain to be E. torus. Corrected.
3 looks to have the termen a bit straighter, but FW is broad as in E. torus.
Compare typical E. thraxfemale with narrower FW.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...2012--0060.jpg

I would include it as E. torus.

Do note interspecific crosses occur & can be fully fertile with sibling species.

A. is fairly typical E. torus female.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Psyche]

Correction

Some typo errors.

1 is Erionota thrax.

2 is certain to be E. torus.

3 is likely to be also E. torus.
In a perfectly perpendicular shot the blunt wide angle to the FW is always seen in E. thrax.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[sabafish]

Hi Dr Seow,

Was looking through my older photos and wondered if the following could be Lasippa heliodore?

The FW cellular bar with tongue do not look correct and seemed to point to L. tiga but the submarginal spots resemble closer to L. helidore?

Looking forward to your opinion. Thank you!

DSC_1093.jpg

[Psyche]

This is one of those tricky one.

The two species are closely related & so it may not be uncommon for them to cross & produce intermediates.

Generally I would think this is closer to Lasippa heliodore based on the following.

To reiterate.

Lasippa heliodore.
FW submarginal spots 3 & 4 in male nearly equal width, in female spot 3 about 1.5X width of spot 4.
Tongue spot usually defined in black.
Thin orange submarginal band often faded & obscure in the male.
Lower end of FW subapical crossband well notched by spot 4.
Males.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...le_ups_02X.jpg
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dCiPo215I...car-LokePF.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...le_ups_02X.jpg
Females.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check..._Horace_02.jpg
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HoYdClsYu...scar-MarkW.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...20-%20Loke.jpg


Lasippa tiga.
FW submarginal spots 3 is at least 2X wider than spot 4 in both sexes.
Tongue spot not well defined in black.
Male thin orange submarginal band usually well defined. Correction: Variable, not quite true.
Lower end of subapical crossband not usually notched by spot 4.
Males.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SJ-nAVEso...ascar-KSK2.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rzo8wjfyC...ed_02_male.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...2960/large.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...9378/large.jpg
Females.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...20-%20Khew.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...hee%20Meng.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...20-%20Khew.jpg

The image have the following features.
1, FW submarginal spot 3 is barely 1.5X width of spot 4.
2. Submarginal thin orange band faded & obscure.
3. Tongue spot is poorly defined but not an absolute feature in L. heliodore.
4. FW crossband notched by spot 4.
This have more the features of L. heliodore.


TL Seow; Cheers.

[sabafish]

Dear Dr. Seow,

Merry Christmas! Thank you for the constant assistance in helping us amateurs ID the butterflies that we have trouble with.

Once again, am seeking your help to ID the following butterflies.

1) Pelopidas conjunctus?

Sorry for the photos with high exposure. The FW spots looked to be a different colour than the HW spots which are white. The size is larger than typical P. mathias too.

DSC_0571.jpgDSC_0572.jpgDSC_0576.jpg


The subsequent photos are dealing with Pantoporia hordonia or Pantoporia sandaka again. Appreciate if you could determine if they are all P. sandaka or there is a P. hordonia among them. Thank you!

2)

DSC_0525.jpg

3)

DSC_1052.jpg

4)

DSC_0554.jpgDSC_0557.jpg

[Psyche]

Post 83.

1. Female Pelopidas mathias. Note abdominal end * extra spot in FW space 1b.
The extra spot in space 1b immediately exclude P. conjunctus female as this species lack the spot in the female.
P. conjunctus is larger FW 21-23mm vs FW P. mathias 15-16mm & P agna 16-18mm, & a deeper brown.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/93120001.html
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/93090001.html
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/93130001.html
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/93140001.html

P. mathias underside grey-tinged or shaded grey, dirty look.
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NQjrfm7_w...enedict_01.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zld9bl5mdB...S_adult_01.jpg

P. agna. Underside with a cleaner uniform brown appearrance.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tQNuynda7...A_male_06b.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...A_male_06a.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7zXwSQZiZ...SwiftF-KSK.jpg
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ygTUZGa_y..._female_01.jpg

Pelopidas conjunctus. Larger; FW spots larger & yellowish; HW spots whitish. Female FW with only one spot in space 1b.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...lt_Khew_03.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...lt_Loke_01.jpg
http://www.samuibutterflies.com/expe...dasconjunctus/


Your three Pantoporia are all females, so it is incorrect to ID them without the respective males.

2 looks like P. hordonia female but the FW submarginal band is expanded at the apex, a sandaka trait.

THese examples all all from P. Malaysia.

P. sandaka male; Note a white highlight/ line between the FW & HW denoting the white speculum in this species.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...563/large.jpeg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c8rXTibfeq...0/DSC_0137.JPG
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...110/large.jpeg
Females.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...7217/large.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...444/large.jpeg

P. hordonia Male without a HW white speculum, so no white highlight.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...8206/large.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...939/large.jpeg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6TIVtGI_ok...0/DSC_0229.JPG
Females, Grey band as broad as in the male. orange submarginal band tend to fade out at the apex or obscure.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...4148/large.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...8976/large.jpg


I would say all three are likely to be P. sandaka.
You need a male to confirm this species' existence .


TL Seow; Cheers.
PS.
Other females P. hordonia for comparison.
Cambodia.
https://wingscales.com/content/record/451-1-0ade1.jpg
Java.
https://www.jungledragon.com/image/1...side.html/zoom