ID request - Butterflies of Peninsular Malaysia - May 1, 2025

[Psyche]

12a.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/274726296
12b.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/274483881
12c.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/274269496

Males Appias paulina.
Underside yellow tinged.
Squarish spot in space 3 often.
Male UpH marginal spots not conjoined.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/pie/20610020.html
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/pie/20590010.html


13.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/274301990

Acytolepis puspa. Aberration with enlarged spots
Howeever, there is a spot (diffusely enlarged) at base of space 7.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4/80830010.html
Example with large discal & postdiscal spots in space 7.
https://wingscales.com/media/2400/6971-1-0b167.jpg


14.https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/274143869

Notocrypta feisthalmelii. Correction: N. curvifascia.
The subapical spots in a straight row is diagnostic.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/91630010.html
Corr4ection N. curvifascia.
Similar to N. feisthalmelli with subapical spots but UnF white band does not have white shadings reaching costa.

[Psyche]

16. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/273244379

Just too blur to see anything.
D. sinhara is the much rarer species.
The two can be very confusing despite what the key state.


Dacalana vidura azayda.
The taxon azyada is also upgraded to a full species by some authors.
Thus it becomes Dacalana azyada azyada.


D. vidura azyada.
Upperside brand smaller.
UnH orange patch not obliterating the dark postdiscal line above it.
UnF postdiscal line curved gently to the costa.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847202232
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847202236
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847202242


Dacalana sinhara sinhara.
Male brand larger, longer.
UnH orange patch obliterating all or most of the dark line above it in space 2.
Unf postdiscal line runs more or less straight to the costa.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847202165
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847202175
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847202175
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847202163

[Psyche]

10. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/275752611
Polyura paulettae.


15a
1st pic too blur to see detail.
2nd pic. Notocrypta.
3rd pic Unknown possibly Psolos fuligo.


15b. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/273244386
I'll leave this as P. athamas.


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.

P. paulettae (named after Toussaint's grandmother Paulette.)
UpH with marginal orange spots.
UnH with postdiscal lunules all strongly crescentic.
Longer tails.
There is a good image of a specimen from Pakistan available on the web.
POLYD.png
Polyura paulettae.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205194
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205195
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205245
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205192

Polyura athamas.
Uph without marginal orange spots.
UnH upper postdiscal lunules distorted or blocky.

Peninsular forms designated as 'uraeus'.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205201
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205193
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205189
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/2847205184


Polyura athamas from type location in S. china.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/4091854176
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/4137760962
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/3961111012
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/3923266661
Central Thailand.
https://wingscales.com/Nymphalidae/P...thamas-athamas



Polyura attalus attalus Java.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/4138139881

Polyura attalus uraeus Sumatra.
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/1453076799
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/3947564180
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/3124520553

Polyura attalus uraeus Borneo.
https://www.jamiun.com/polyura-athamas-common-nawab/

If the Malayan taxon is correctly P. attalus uraeus, then surely it would also extend into thailand.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/cha/60080001.html

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.


TL Seow: Cheers.
PS. Corrected spelling errors.

[SL Liew]

Thanks very much Dr. Seow for your id feedback.
The information about Polyura sp and subspecies found in Peninsular Malaysia is very interesting.

Cheers from Penang,
SL Liew