Dwarf Posy and a Zela

[Silverstreak]

A dwarf , only 1/3 the size of a normal Common Posy, can easily be mistaken as a Drupadia rufotaenia rufotaenia (Pygmy Posy)....

Drupadia ravindra moorei (Common Posy)



Zela storeyi



Cheers!

[Psyche]

It is still a Pygmy Posy (D. rufotaenia), Sunny.
The female (rounded forewing) have reduced orange, but the orange band still reaches vein 2 ( where the long tail is) and there are bits of orange to vein 3 (upper short tail).
The hook-like band also tend to have a shorter point in this species.

TL Seow

[Silverstreak]

Thanks Dr.Seow !

I stumbled on it with a few other Common Posy .

I was having doubt of it being a Pygmy due to the arrowed area not well defined as compare to my previous shots on the species.

[Psyche]

The features you arrowed do fit the males well.

Here is another helpful feature although it fits the male of rufotaenia better as well.
Hindwing marginal area of space 6 usually white with a large, diffuse blackish marginal blotch or spot.

In D. ravindra. hindwing marginal area of space 6 usually wholly orange without the blackish blotch or at most with some light shadings.

TL Seow

[Silverstreak]

Thanks again Dr. Seow for the additional pointed !

[Peacock Royal]

The features you arrowed do fit the males well.

Here is another helpful feature although it fits the male of rufotaenia better as well.
Hindwing marginal area of space 6 usually white with a large, diffuse blackish marginal blotch or spot.
In D. ravindra. hindwing marginal area of space 6 usually wholly orange without the blackish blotch or at most with some light shadings.
TL Seow

So, this is also D. rufotaenia ?

[Psyche]

So, this is also D. rufotaenia ?

Yes. It looks like it. The marginal black blotch in space 6 which is whitish; the hook black band with the shorter point.
However, the orange band is short suggesting D. ravindra.
Is this butt very small?

Here is a D. ravindra female for comparison.
http://malaysianinsects.web.fc2.com/...dra-moorei.JPG

TL Seow
PS. It probably not so easy to separate the females except by size.
Here is another D. ravindra female.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yzw2AzY2du...ommon-Posy.jpg

PS 2. It is difficult to find the correct image of a female D. rufotaenia for comparison. Here is one.
http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...niaUpUnAC1.jpg

[Peacock Royal]

Yes. It looks like it. The marginal black blotch in space 6 which is whitish; the hook black band with the shorter point.
However, the orange band is short suggesting D. ravindra.
Is this butt very small?

Yes, it is much smaller than D. ravindra that both CH and I kept chasing to take some shots - our first impression then was really the D. rufotaenia
(see http://peacockroyal.blogspot.sg/2012...abour-day.html). But as you said the short orange band points to D. ravindra.

[Commander]

Seow, here's another shot taken by another photographer recently for comparison.

[Psyche]

I find it utterly strangely that there seem to be not a single live pic of a female of D. rufotaenia on the web.

Just in case there are females in which the forewing margin is straighter, I double-check the gender.

Note:
Male: palpi (2nd + 3rd segments) shorter, about 1/2 the lenght is black.
Female : palpi longer & about 2/3 the lenght is black.

eg. pic. below, left -female, right- male.
http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs40/f/20...y_inckurei.jpg

BC members may want to try their luck with their own shots.

TL Seow