Request for ID

[Samuel T]

Dr Seow, appreciate help to ID this butterfly. Thanks.

Regards
Samuel

[atronox]

Arhopala athada athada

[Samuel T]

Thanks Aaron. This was also taken at the Upper Seletar Reservoir.

[Psyche]

This is actually a member of the alea subgroup.
The commonest member in Singapore is A. sublustris & it is probabaly safe to assume it is this species.

The cleander group consist of two subgroup rather similar in appearance.

Subgroup cleander: Large to very large; markings well-spaced; HW V. spot in space 1b well formed & narrow.
eg A. athada
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/ArhopalaAthadaAthadaMUpUn.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Arhopala%20athada%20athada/Vinous%20Oakblue%20-%20Fedrick%20Ho.jpg
A. silhetensis.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Arhopala%20silhetensis%20adorea/Sylhet%20Oakblue%202%20-%20horace.jpg

Subgroup alea:Medium-sized; markings closer; HW V spot in space 1b fat & often distorted; HW posdiscal spot 6 wider at the top & narrower at the bottom.
Al below are likely A. sublustris.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4215/35070467746_3e101c0810_c.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zpKFCrShcbc/T-8OdOnfHyI/AAAAAAAAGUM/9nUK0OgrO6s/s1600/DSC2004+Arhopala+sublustris.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eCatkj3UtRE/VGxhG5AQj-I/AAAAAAAARSw/-8EF6tlKzqQ/s1600/DSC_0264.JPG

TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

That's interesting.

I ruled out the alea species because all of them have the spots in spaces 3, 4 and 5 at the distal area of the hindwing narrower and much closer to the edge of the wing such that the area between the distal and the post-discal band appears very wide, much wider than any of the spots or bands on the hindwing.

[atronox]

Actually, no, i agree this is an alea member. The features i stated above only apply to some species.

I think this is a pretty good match for A. aroa aroa, especially the shape of the bands in spaces 4 an 5 of the hindwing.

In sublustris and milleri these bands are closer to the wing edge

[Psyche]

That's interesting.

I ruled out the alea species because all of them have the spots in spaces 3, 4 and 5 at the distal area of the hindwing narrower and much closer to the edge of the wing such that the area between the distal and the post-discal band appears very wide, much wider than any of the spots or bands on the hindwing.


Actually, no, i agree this is an alea member. The features i stated above only apply to some species.

I think this is a pretty good match for A. aroa aroa, especially the shape of the bands in spaces 4 an 5 of the hindwing.

In sublustris and milleri these bands are closer to the wing edge

You do have a point here ,the space between the HW submarginal band & the postdiscal band are wider than usual.
It could be A. aroa except postdiscal spot 6 is not quite so triangular & on the FW the two band are somewhat close.
This one below (Raub) shows all the features for A. aroa.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZnQRVHAXnHk/VUxXskvSAoI/AAAAAAAAVIA/XWl1TV_49-c/s1600/DSC_0142.JPG


Memebers of the alea subgroup are frequently mis-IDed as A. athada in the past.
A. athada is very variable & can be confusing.

Arhopala athada ;Large Arhopala species.
1. Markings well-spaced ; HW submarginal & postdiscal band well separated, in particular spot 2 (just above the V spot) separated from the green metalmark.
2. V spot in HW space 1b usually well-formed & narrow.
3. HW postdiscal spot 6 usually astride both spot 5 & cellend bar .
Examples & variants.
http://bp1.blogger.com/_rzo8wjfyCsM/SAf7XviieBI/AAAAAAAABEQ/WJqsY5MfeeE/s1600-h/Athada_adult_m_2.jpg
http://bp0.blogger.com/_rzo8wjfyCsM/SAf7XfiieAI/AAAAAAAABEI/qEu_VVco3WQ/s1600-h/Athada_adult_f_3.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Arhopala%20athada%20athada/Vinous%20Oakblue%20-%20Fedrick%20Ho.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/89368095-L.jpg
This one is quite strange, but it also does not quite match A. zambra or cleander.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4276/34801692642_aea74c8770_c.jpg (Wrong image corrected)


At this juncture . I think it is best to leave as Arhopala subgroup alea.


TL Seow : Cheers.
PS. Typical A. sublustris with bright blue upperside.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3668/9205132657_8ca9ed8499_b.jpg

[Samuel T]

Thanks both for your replies. It was a pleasure reading your insights into the identification of this butterfly. I understand how difficult it can be to definitively ID an organism because of some missing features or slightly different features. That happens in ID of bacteria and fungus and other microorganisms.

[Blue Pansy]

Many thanks Dr Seow & Aaron!