Skipper ID request

[Zicky]

10.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/227781589
Probably Pelopidas mathias.

11. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/224375095
Pelopidas mathias.

Although P. mathias & agna appear to be common in Singapore there is a lot of mixedup with these two species.

Pelopidas mathias.
Male UpF spot 2 & 3 quadrate or at least broad
A line thru the two cellspots cut the brand.
ground colour grey-tinged ,often giving a dirty uneven shading, darkish around the spots, paler along the margins..
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/93120001.html

Males with upperside confirmation
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...a966070e-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...a966070e-3.jpg

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...d8457890-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...d8457890-2.jpg

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...wari_ag999.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...wari_ak551.jpg

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...6d15ac-2_1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...6d15ac-3_1.jpg

Singapore examples
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...ft%20-bene.jpg
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...hee%20Ming.jpg
Added.
https://static.inaturalist.org/photo...6966/large.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...7724/large.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...6071/large.jpg


Pelopidas agna.
Male UpF spots 2 & 3 narrow especially spot 2.
A line thru the 2 cellspots usually bypass the brand.
UnH uniform brown clear, with a greenish tinge (usually not seen in fieldshot.

Males with upperside confirmation.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...gale_ak888.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...gale_ak890.jpg

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...oman_ag262.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...oman_ag263.jpg

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...36d28b93-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...36d28b93-2.jpg

https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...90c4b442-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...90c4b442-3.jpg

Singapore examples.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...A_male_05c.jpg
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...Horace-Tan.jpg
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...A_male_06b.jpg
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...SwiftF-KSK.jpg
Added.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...776/large.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...9691/large.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...9706/large.jpg

Many observations, but mostly poor quality singleshot views which make ID difficult.
Many IDs of P. agna but most are doubtful.
This shot is undoubted but the UnH view is poor. Note uniform brown UnH.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/251275302


TL Seow: Cheers.

Thanks Doctor Seow!

[Psyche]

Revision.

10.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/227781589
Confirmation. Male Pelopidas mathias.

Pelopidas mathias have the FW cilia dark, blackish, compare to the paler HW cilia.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...ft%20-bene.jpg
https://static.inaturalist.org/photo...6966/large.jpg
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...hee%20Ming.jpg

Pelopidas agna.
The FW cilia are about as pale as that on the HW, except it is often edged dark/blackish.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...A_male_06b.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...36d28b93-2.jpg
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...SwiftF-KSK.jpg


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Zicky]

Hi Doctor Seow,

Im looking through my Malaysia Lexias photo, and realise i completely forgotten that Lexias cyanipardus existed. I noted the the female is spotted with bluish white above, and is amazingly big compared to lexias in Singapore. Would like to hear your thoughts

Inat link - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/226674657

Skipping regards
Zicky

[Psyche]

Hi Doctor Seow,

Im looking through my Malaysia Lexias photo, and realise i completely forgotten that Lexias cyanipardus existed. I noted the the female is spotted with bluish white above, and is amazingly big compared to lexias in Singapore. Would like to hear your thoughts

Inat link - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/226674657

Skipping regards
Zicky

Lexias cyanipardus is an enigmatic species.
Tsukada have also renamed the Sundanian population as L. bangkana & the Johor population as johorensis.(He also give many new subspecific names to many butterflies in Singapore, including L. pardalis & dirtea.)

In L. cyanipardus/bangkana the male have a white apical spots & the FW marginal band is reduced to series of lunulate (crescentic) marks.
The female have the spots mostly bluish white.
Years ago there was a female taken by Ellen Tan in Panti but this is image is no longer available.
See Fleming's N128 image of female.


Lexias cyanipardus grandis from across the border in Thailand.
https://thaibutterflies.com/Butterfl...s-cyanipardus/

The only correct male is this.
Note the antennae are all black.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/235073031

This female have yellow-tipped antennae & may just be a form of L. pardalis.
It is inconceivable that the male have all black antennae & the female yellow-tipped ones.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/191553828


Female L. cyanipardua cyanipardus, India.
https://www.indiannaturetours.com/wp...rch-Duke-3.jpg


TL Seow; Cheers.

[Psyche]

Revision.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/226674657
Female Lexias bangkana johorensis. (previously as L. cyanipardus sandakana.)

The yellowtip antenna were also noted & stated in the past but back then there were no supporting males which show these.

The males below from Sarawak are clear enough to show the yellow tip.
Since it is quite different in this respect from L. cyanipardus in Thailand & India , the revised name seem appropriate.

Lexias bangkana.

Antennae with apical 2/3 of the club yellow.
Male with large apical white spot; FW marginal band mostly as a series of lunules.
Female with most spots bluish white. HW postdiscal spots mostly greenish-blue; FW larger apical spot oblong (vs rounded in pardalis/dirtea); FW 3rd apical spot faded . ( not so in dirtea & pardalis.)

Lexias bangkana sandakana.
Males.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/233924661
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213942577
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/205600676
Females
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/191553828
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/85513451


TL Seow: Cheers.
PS. The Malayan population is probably sandakana as well.
Tsukada created many subspecific names for minor differences.
PS2. Added for comparison.
Female L. dirtea
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55790383
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122655055
Female L. pardalis.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/202967081
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/245322789

[Zicky]

Revision.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/226674657
Female Lexias bangkana johorensis. (previously as L. cyanipardus sandakana.)

The yellowtip antenna were also noted & stated in the past but back then there were no supporting males which show these.

The males below from Sarawak are clear enough to show the yellow tip.
Since it is quite different in this respect from L. cyanipardus in Thailand & India , the revised name seem appropriate.

Lexias bangkana.

Antennae with apical 2/3 of the club yellow.
Male with large apical white spot; FW marginal band mostly as a series of lunules.
Female with most spots bluish white. HW postdiscal spots mostly greenish-blue; FW larger apical spot oblong (vs rounded in pardalis/dirtea)

Lexias bangkana sandakana.
Males.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/233924661
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213942577
Females
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/191553828
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/85513451


TL Seow: Cheers.
PS. The Malayan population is probably sandakana as well.
Tsukada created many subspecific names for minor difference.

Thanks Doctor Seow! learn something new. Almost passed shooting it thinking its the typical lexias

[Psyche]

Lexias bangkana seem incredibly rare in peninsular Malaysia.

In a search of Lexias in Johor on inaturalist only two other shots were found.
Thankfully they were both males.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/15841163
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213341212
No example of another female found.

The yellowtip darkens to black in set specimens which is why the refence text never mention this important clue.
It seems to be restricted to SE Johor, much like Rapala cowani.


Both L. dirtea & pardalis are also found at Panti.
L. dirtea.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/143346191
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147464503
L. pardalis.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/217015320
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/101388782


TL Seow; Cheers.
PS.
To add to the confusion, in Kuala Woh is a female with bluish spots.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/238104405
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/238230965
However, the FW apical spot is round & the HW blue lunules are incomplete, with yellow spots showing through.
(Compare with the L. bangkana females.)

Three other females are more typical l. pardalis.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197662214
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197662182
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124519863

The males looks typical L. pardalis but does have a small apical whitish spot.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/117241557
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/197662218

PS2 . However there are also L. pardalis/dirtea females in Singapore (where L. bangkana is absent) with bluish spots.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/55901754
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/128797460
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183618229
They are remarkably like L. albopunctata but no confirmatory male have been shot.
https://wingscales.com/Nymphalidae/L...a-albopunctata

PS3. The underside of the female albopunctata is also differently coloured.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62375248