Doubt about this Amathusia adult?

[horace2264]

In this Palm King adult, the 4th band from base in HW does not look like that usually found in Amathusia phidippus.
Could this be a different species?

PalmKIng_female_01.jpg

PalmKing_zoomed_01.jpg

[Psyche]

This is likely to be Amathusia friderici.
The HW 4th dark band is strongly notched by the veins.
http://beyondnostalgia.livedoor.blog...s/8820190.html

Amathusia phidippus have this band entire & un-notched.
https://m.singapore.biodiversity.onl...doptera-000251

All other species have some degreeof notchings.
Some can IDed by other features.

eg A. perakana have the 4th band partially broken into separate spot & the FW is sharp.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/618/2...ac383a60_b.jpg
A. masina is reddish & have the FW postdiscal band solid brown without the whitish colour break seen in all other species.
http://www.samuibutterflies.com/02_i...namalaya.v.jpg

The hostplant is the widely cultivated oil-palm & the butterfly is said to be common in some places.
Form utana which is very dark was formerly thought to be a separate species.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[horace2264]

Many thanks, Dr Seow, for the species ID suggestion.
The common name for Amathusia friderici is Bi-color Haired Palm King. I suppose this means that we can examine the abdominal hairs to confirm the ID?

[Psyche]

Many thanks, Dr Seow, for the species ID suggestion.
The common name for Amathusia friderici is Bi-color Haired Palm King. I suppose this means that we can examine the abdominal hairs to confirm the ID?

If you can get a male, that would be great.
The abdominal hair tufts have the upper hairs dark brown & the lower hairs light yellowish.
That would be absolute confirmation.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[horace2264]

If you can get a male, that would be great.
The abdominal hair tufts have the upper hairs dark brown & the lower hairs light yellowish.
That would be absolute confirmation.


TL Seow: Cheers.

Thanks for the info that it is a male feature. More work needed to be done to confirm this species.

[horace2264]

I had one male Palm King eclosed the other day with a video taken of the process. I think this one is a phidippus. I could see tuffs of hairs on the abdomen as the male emerged from the pupal case (see pics below).
Are these the abdomen hair tuffs which we should check for the bi-colored appearance in the Amathusia frederici ?

PalmKing_NewlyEclosed.jpg

PalmKing_NewlyEclosed_male_close-up.jpg

[Psyche]

Post 6.

Yes, those are the abdominal hair tufts.
The hair tufts are described in the set position.
So the upper ones are the ones nearer the thorax, & the lower ones towards the abdominal tip.
Probably the two upper sets are brown & the two lower sets are buff.

Here all four sets are light brownish.
Definitely A. phidippus.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[horace2264]

Post 6.

Yes, those are the abdominal hair tufts.
The hair tufts are described in the set position.
So the upper ones are the ones nearer the thorax, & the lower ones towards the abdominal tip.
Probably the two upper sets are brown & the two lower sets are buff.

Here all four sets are light brownish.
Definitely A. phidippus.


TL Seow: Cheers.

Many thanks, Dr Seow, for the confirmation regarding the hair tuffs and the species ID.

[horace2264]

Another Amathusia adult. Is the HW 4th dark band considered notched?

PalmKing_male_21Apr23_01_800x.jpg

PalmKing_HW_close_up.jpg

[Psyche]

Post 9.

This would be considered notched, but there is much variation.
Even some phidippus may have some mild notchings.

It is necessary to established confirmed examples of A. friderici for future reference.
Only the bicolored hair tufts is affirmative.


TL Seow; Cheers.