There is a lack of clarity in 1a which makes the ID more difficult.
The FW border *see thru) is much as in A. indra
Thw FW apex shows hint of white and the HW base hint of yellow.
1b is more specific with the paler apical area sharply contrasted with white shading at boundary with the black dical band,
These are typical Polytremis lubricans.
FW spots are dfistinctly yellow, Fw cellspots two ,often conjoined.
Spot 2 large, ovoid in the male, more rectangular in the female.
The Udara species are divided into two main group based on the presence or absent of the submarginal lunulate line/spots.
Udara dilecta belongs to the group with submaarginal lunules.
They include U. dilecta, placidula, rona, cyma and similar species as celastrina lavendularis, and Callenya lenya. UdaraP.png
Udara dilecta is unique in that HW postdiscal spot 7 is no darker than the rest of the postdiscal spots on both wings.
In all other species, HW spot 7 is darker than the other postdiscal spots & often black.
Eliot described two forms of the Polyura athamas complex in P. Malaysia in which he opined they could be separate species.
Toussaint et. all did a molecular analysis of the P. athamass in India and SEA in 2015 & 2016.
His analysis show that a new species is present (later named P. paulettae.).
This was the same taxon that Eliot state was of continental origin and thought to be P. athamas.
Specimens were taken from Myanmar, Thailand, Pakistan, and a single male from Cameron Highlands.
Toussaint took two samples of P. athamas from the type location in South China and extrapolate the range to include the whole of Southeast Asia.
He took samples of uraeus from Sumatra (TL) and Borneo with sample of attallus from Java and conclude they all belong to one species.ie.
P. attalus attalus.... Java.
P. attalus uraeus .... Sumatra and Borneo.
No sample of uraeus from P. Malaysia was taken
His map shows.
P. athamas SE Asia including malaya.
P. attalus.. Java, Sumatra and Borneo.
What then do we make of what is 'uraeus' in P. Malaysia.
I think it is best left as P. athamas for the time being. There is no penalty.
Much the same can be said of p. agenor/ memnon.
P.Malaysia being part of the landmass Sundaland ,isolated from the mainland millions of years ago should have P. memnon as its original population.
What happens? No one have done a proper analysis.
ID request - Butterflies of Peninsular Malaysia - May 1, 2025
Reply With Quote
