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Sailfish
16-Aug-2012, 11:27 PM
Dr Seow,
Could you help to ID these skippers.
Thanks.

1.
http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ql5YLJed2sw/UC0AV41EhkI/AAAAAAAAACM/mv40qd7k2tw/s640/IMG_3997.2012.1.11.JPG

2.
http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UnRLNPo6CLk/UC0BRTLzBDI/AAAAAAAAACU/tPDcbuklbUg/s720/IMG_0868.2012.3.17.JPG

:cheers:

Psyche
17-Aug-2012, 12:50 AM
I supposed both are Singaporean butterflies.

They are female variants of Potanthus trachala.

In P. trachala hindwing spot 5 (part of the band) juts outwards more than the others; spot 6 is exactly midway between spot 5 & spot 7 (compare P. serina.)
On the forewing there is little overlap(actually none, only the extensions are touching.) between spot 3 (hidden) & spot 4; also hardly any overlap between spot 5 & spot 6 (part of the 3 subapical spots.)

Usually the subapical spots are deeply notched (not in no.2 here.)

Dark & blackish spots/shading not always present.

TL Seow:cheers:

Sailfish
17-Aug-2012, 03:33 PM
Hi Dr.Seow,
Yes, both are taken in Singapore. Thanks for the id.

:cheers:

Psyche
17-Aug-2012, 08:03 PM
The hindwing underside of P. confucius is very similar to P. trachala.
In trying to check for the variations in P. trachala, I came across one of Federick's shot taken in April at the Punggol Wasteland.

This had been posted as P. trachala in Federick's skipper thread.
Unfortunately I had thought it was correct at the time.

This is P. confucius dushta male.
The hindwing is rather like P. trachala.
On the forewing. spot 4 widely overlaps spot 3 below it, and spot 5 widely overlaps spot 6 above it.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=18401&d=1332683464

TL Seow:cheers: