Tanaecia in Singapore.

[Psyche]

Five species of Tanaecia were recorded in Singapore but sadly two seem to be extinct.
The five were .

1. Tanaecia iapis puseda.
2. Tanaecia pelea pelea.

3. Tanaecia godartii puloa.
This species was discovered in Sentosa (Prev. as Pulau Belakang Mati.)
The female of ssp puloa was unusual in having the HW marked in blue.
The male have a narrow blue band which lines up neatly at rest.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/721050010.html


4. Tanaecia clathrata violaria.
Only the female was known in Singapore. The blue is variable.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/720920010.html
The female type specimen from Singapore.
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q13578...aClathrata.png

Recent observations suggest one or more species are present & undetected.

1. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/125720855
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...062/large.jpeg

At first glance this might suggest the female Euthalia monina.
In E. monina the FW sub-basal spot in space 1b is much smaller, & the HW arrowheads form a continuous zigzag.
E. monina female.
https://static.inaturalist.org/photo.../original.jpeg
The HW pattern suggest that the male may have a broad blue band but this also does not match another possibility.
Tanaecia heringi (= T. coelebs.)
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/l~8AA...IQ2/s-l400.jpg
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PlQAA...LiL/s-l500.jpg
Probably an unusual form of T. pelea female.


Two further observations are of one species likely to be a rediscovery to Singapore.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/145186207
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/124688776
Note the HW arroheads are set closer to the margin than the inner border, & the built is stout.


Tanaecia pelea.
HW arrowheads set midway or closer to the inner border of the pale marginal zone.
Male with a slender built & a rounded HW.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/720960001.html
Males.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...9360/large.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...4535/large.jpg
Female.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...575/large.jpeg

The other two species have the HW arrowheads set nearer the outer margin.

Tanaecia palguna.
Male with stouter built & tapered HW.
FW arrowheads with short points, so the white helmetshaped spots appear wide.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/720950010.html
Male.
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-conte...ia-palguna.jpg

Tanaecia munda.
Male with a stouter built.
FW arrowheads more pointed & intrude deeper into the helmet spots.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/720940020.html
https://singapore.biodiversity.onlin...doptera-000485
Female.
https://a4.pbase.com/o6/25/686825/1/...aia_female.jpg
Both observations seem closer to Tanaecia munda & better pix should confirm this.



TL Seow: Cheers.

[Peacock Royal]

Thanks Dr Seow for highlighting the different Tanaecia species
Now I am not very sure what this is - shot in the western part of SG

[Psyche]

Post 2.

Female Euthalia monina.
In FW space 1b, near the base are two small spots, one flat.

Tanaecia only have a single large spot in the same place.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[LJK1410]

Hi Dr Seow,

I went to look through my Tanaecia photos and maybe you could double check them, see if anything is different.

1. This one should be a typical example of T. pelea
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/141865471

2. This one the HW arrows seem different from the typical T. pelea, shot last year April at Rifle Range Link. The photo size is too large to upload here so here's the iNaturalist link
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/149131919

[Psyche]

Post 4.

Both are typical Tanaecia pelea.

Of the similar species only Tanaecia munda is recorded in the past.

The arrowheads in T palguna & munda are set nearer the outer margin than the inner border.
The males of T. palguna & munda have a more tapered HW & stouter built, ie like a male Euthalia.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/720960001.html
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/720950010.html
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/720940020.html

Since only T. munda is recorded from Singapore, it is best to concentrate on this species.
The HW have more white & the arrowheads are sharper.
https://singapore.biodiversity.onlin...doptera-000485

Male female T. pelea.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119214231
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/129776840

Male & female T. palguna.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/140354343
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/137945298

?MaleT. munda.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122783738



TL Seow: Cheers.

[horace2264]

Hi Dr Seow,
What about this shot taken in Ubin in 2018?

MalayViscount_Ubin.jpg