ID requests

[LJK1410]

Thank you Dr Seow!

[LJK1410]

Hi Dr Seow,

Someone sent me this Nacaduba for ID and I would like to hear your opinion. I assume its a female since it seems like its ovipositing and there are many eggs. The FW post-discal band is dislocated like N. berenice, but the very large and rounded submarginal spots are are more typical of N. kurava.

WhatsApp Image 2022-07-28 at 7.15.33 PM.jpeg
Photo credits: Jess Loh

[Psyche]

Post 7.

Female Nacaduba berenice icena.
Note broken FW postdiscal band & HW submarginal spot 6 with angular inner margin.


Female N. berenice ;Almost always FW band is dislocated, crooked or broken.
HW submarginal spot 6 with angular margin, not regularly rounded.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...927/large.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...577/large.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...835/large.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...595/large.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...9525/large.jpg


Female Nacaduba kurava. FW postdiscal band almost always straight & unbroken.
FW upper 4 submarginal spots always rounded.
HW submarginal spot 6 rounded or oval with regular rounded margin.
https://wanderingbutterflyeffect.fil...b787da0005.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check..._female_02.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...8738/large.jpg
https://static.inaturalist.org/photo...892/large.jpeg
India.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...Saji_ae302.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...f038d1-1_1.jpg


TL Seow: Cheers.

[LJK1410]

Thank you Dr Seow

[LJK1410]

Hi Dr Seow,

Here are a few Rapala shot by Jess at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. The post discal bands seem to be a lot darker and more prominent than usual and the orange crown seems to be more of a thin ring, also seen at a mangrove, could it be Rapala cowani?

1.
photo1660103389.jpeg

2.
photo1660103389 (1).jpeg
photo1660103389 (3).jpeg
photo1660103389 (2).jpeg

*All photos taken by Jess Loh

[Psyche]

Post 10.

They are all females of Rapala dieneces. Correction: Rapala cowani females.
2 is more readily identiafiable.
The postdiscal band is orange brown.
The UpF have a copper-brown patch.
Typical females.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...ash_Nelson.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...20-%20Chng.jpg

1 is taken without a flash & appeared greyer & darker.
Note diffusion of orange into space 3 & 4 is common in R. dieneces.

Another species to look out for is R. scintilla.
This closely resembles R. manea but is grey tinged on the underside.
Male have only the HW upperside blue-shot. In R manea it is both; Females are identical.
It is possible some of the grey R. manea is R. scintilla.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...derside_03.jpg
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4i/84070001.html


Typical R. manea 2 males, 2 females.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...lt_male_03.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...lt_male_01.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...20-%20Khew.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...-Simon-Sng.jpg


R. cowani is grey with the postdiscal band dark grey.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...et_1939_PT.jpg
Riau Island.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...peg?1578494354



TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

The Rapala are female Rapala cowani- the greyish ventral ground colour (from all angles and under different lighting conditions- the orange scales around the tornal black spot contrast strongly with the ground colour; in dieneces and relatives this contrast is weaker because of the ground colour which is already ochreous), visible dark scaling proximal to the post-medians, heavier submarginal markings and cupreous patches on the dorsal side all check out.

[LJK1410]

Hi Dr Seow, I would agree more with Aaron at least for the second individual, the ground colour seems too greyish from that of the regular pale brown of female R. dieneces we typically see. In C&P5 it mentions in the key ID feature for R. cowani females "uppersides always with a cupreous discal patch on the forewing and sometimes with a cupreous subtornal patch on the hindwing", which closely resembles that in the pictures. Could you have another look at it again?