Sulawesi Hesperiidae

[Painted Jezebel]

Finally got the ID of the white-banded skipper, Lotongus calathus taprobanus.

The VW-dJ article upperside shows an indication of a band on the underside.
It was only necessary to check it out.
http://homepage2.nifty.com/se-asianb...tonguseng.html

TL Seow

I'm sorry, but I do have to question this one. No doubt the species is the the same but its identification, to me, is in question.

Attached is the nominate form of L. calathus, from Nakhon Sri Thammarat Province, in Thailand. No similarities at all, neither the hindwing nor the forewing with those hyaline spots on the Sulawesi specimen.

[Psyche]

[QUOTE=Painted Jezebel;113494]I'm sorry, but I do have to question this one. No doubt the species is the the same but its identification, to me, is in question.
QUOTE]

This took me by surprise because it is so different from the continental forms.
I had dismissed it earlier, but with so few Hesperiinines in Sulawesi I have to take another look.
VW-dJ's plate 2 fig 8 shows the upperside L. c. taprobanus.
It has a full range of hyaline spots on the forewing, and the hindwing shows traces of the mid- band on the underside.

TL Seow

[Painted Jezebel]

Oops, again. Sorry, I missed those forewing spots!! Still, it is strangely different! I wonder if a review of the three species (+subspecies) of the Genus Lotongus has been done?

[Psyche]

Oops, again. Sorry, I missed those forewing spots!! Still, it is strangely different! I wonder if a review of the three species (+subspecies) of the Genus Lotongus has been done?

No review found.
Plotz actually cited the type location of taprobanus as Ceylon.
(Taprobanus is the male gender form of Taprobana, the ancient Greek name of Sri-Lanka.)

This is actually somewhat similar to the northern continental species L. savalus.
http://www.exblog.jp/blog_logo.asp?s...0_14284312.jpg

TL Seow

[Painted Jezebel]

The three species are all found in Thailand. One distinguishing mark that they all have in common is, on the underside forewing, a band, of varying length depending on the species, which reaches the costa. Our photos do not have that.

I have filed this as the Lotongus, but, I still do not particularly like it!

[Psyche]

I have little doubt about the ID.

Still this may be upgraded to Lotongus taprobanus.
This Lepindex entry is dated June 2005.
http://aplx5.rdg.ac.uk/annual-checkl...854f820:ac2009

TL Seow
PS. I spoke too soon.
This latest update April 2011 retains taprobanus as a subspecies.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curati...6recLimit%3d30

[Psyche]

This skipper is so radically different from the continental subspecies, that I guessed most readers are unconvinced that it is Lotongus calathus taprobanus.
Admittedly I have a twinge of doubt until I could find proof that it does have a white hindwing band on the underside.

Here is Plotz's original description of the taxon taprobanus in German. Ceylon is a location error.
http://www.archive.org/stream/berlin...e/226/mode/1up
Part of the 2nd last sentence read as
" Die Hinterflugel haben unten einen grossen fast ovalen auswarts gezahuten Weissen Querfleck auf der Mitte."
This roughly translates as " The hindwing has on the underside a large almost ?oval to(wards) ?(unknown) White Patch at the Middle

The 2nd clue is the four(if all are present) forewing spots in space 4,5,6, &,7 form an " L ".
This is unique as it is not seen in the other skippers of Sulawesi. (nor in C&P4.)
This can be compared with upperside image of L. C. toprobanus in Vane-wright, de Jong' article at plate 2 fig 8.
For those in the dark here is the link.
http://www.repository.naturalis.nl/document/46743

TL Seow

[Painted Jezebel]

Seow, thank so much. Yes, after reading Plotz's original description everything fits. (My German is not very good, but I understand enough)

So, Lotongus calathus taprobanus it is.

However, I still have a gut feeling that it's status as a ssp. of L. calathus is odd. But I have neither the facilities, the specimens nor, most importantly, the ability to confirm this, so I must go with current thinking.

[bluefin]

one from me.

[Psyche]

Post 29

Notocrypta feisthamelii celebensis.

With only 2 spp. it becomes easier to eliminate one.( N. paralysos yaya is similar to our local race varians here,with a notch at inside & outside the of band.)
There is a costal sreak extending the band here.
(Local race of feisthamelii here usually have some subapical spots.)

The male is at the bottom.

TL Seow