Three odd Mycalesis

[DaveChiangMai]

Four images of three different butterflies, taken at two sites. Although all these look like dry season forms, all were taken recently toward the end of the wet season. I have various ideas about them, bit nothing really fits.

Image 1 and image 2, taken at Nam Nao, nc Thailand. Upper and under side of the same butterfly. Mycalesis nicotia?

Image 3 from nearby Nam Nao. Mycalesis gotama?

Image 4. From Kaeng Krachan, northern peninsula Thailand. Looks similar to Mycalesis mnasicle, but not right.

Many thanks for ideas.

Image 1.
24788

Image 2.
24789

Image 3.
24790

Image 4.
24791

[Psyche]

DSf are extremely difficult to ID especially if there is also doubt whether the reference images are correct or not.

2 The upperside with large FW spot 2 , small spot 5, & pale bordered HW is M. gotama.
The dark line in gotama is rounded with a large indentation..
HW spot 2 is relatively larger & darker even in dsf.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/2016/304_10602-138-56921021d7f8a-2.jpg
https://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/105702264.jpg
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sp/1120/Mycalesis-gotama
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5701/23997476695_121fdd1d36_z.jpg

1 cannot be the same as 2, the underside HW dark line is not that of gotama.

M. nicotia have fine striations
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sp/887/Mycalesis-nicotia

M. francisca. Up similat to gotama but ocellus very dull & HW border lees prominent.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/MycalesisFrancisca/MycalesisFrancisca_KrushnameghKunte_ag536.jpg

M. visala have sharp contrasted straight lines.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sp/889/Mycalesis-visala

M. perseus have irregular markings & HW spot 2 shifted out of line.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/MycalesisPerseus/MycalesisPerseus_KrushnameghKunte_ag546.jpg
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/2015/160_5020-917-551a8d980ff00-1.jpg

M. intermedia have irregular diffuse markings.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/MycalesisIntermedia/MycalesisIntermedia_KrushnameghKunte_ag558.jpg

M. mineus have thin markings.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/2015/171_4178-236-54ea0edec4c54-1.jpg

M. perseoides have smaller spots but as in wsf ;dark line with strong teeth.
https://media.mnn.com/assets/images/2013/10/butterfly_0.jpg

3 is probably M. perseoides.

1 & 4 are probably M. mineus.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[DaveChiangMai]

Many thanks for the reply. Sorry about the confusion of images 1 and 2 being the same butterfly. Those two photos were taken only a few seconds apart, so I assumed must be the same. Just goes to show how confusing these bushbrowns are!

So what constitutes dry season forms? I have always assumed it would be those adults flying in the dry season. All these images were taken in October, after three months plus into the wet season and still raining with good vegetation. What is the definition of a dry season form please?

[Psyche]

2. The very large ocellus in space 2 with a narrow clear yellow ring is typical of M. intermedia, a coomon sp. in Thailand.
The vestigial spot 5 is irrelevant.
Both images below butterfly
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/MycalesisIntermedia/MycalesisIntermedia_KrushnameghKunte_ag558.jpg
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sp/885/Mycalesis-intermedia

In M. gotama ocellus 2 is smaller with a thicker yellow ring & ocellus 5 is larger (than in intermedia ); HW border divided by a dark line,less prominent.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/2016/304_10602-138-56921021d7f8a-2.jpg
http://knowledge.taibif.tw/sites/default/files/imagecache/node-gallery-display/00015350.jpg


M. mineus.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/2014/183_2288-770-548c64021cffa-1.jpg
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/2014/183_2288-770-548c64021cffa-2.jpg
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/2017/529_16320-657-58832e9e39ee5-1.jpg

In conclusion ;2 is the upperside of M. intermedia.
1 & 4 (likely) are the undersides.

Regarding wsf & dsf .
wsf are typical forms which occur in areas with seasonless climates.
In Malaya in the north border areas with 2-3 months of little rain dsf appear.
Melanitis leda dsf appears freguently even in Malaya & Singapore.

In the north subtropical belt dry season also coincide with the cooler winter months & decreased daylight & these two factors are stated to be also responsible for some forms of dsf.
Photoperiodism (daylight > or < than 12 hrs.) ,affects mainly Pierids eg Appias, Cepora & Captopsilia.
Temperature ,ie spring & summer broods affect some species eg Papilio bianor, maackii.


However there are areas in the tropical belt where the main factor is the rain & dsf is probably due to the decreased humidity.
This will affect the non-feeding pupal stage . Even if it rain the lower humidity is enough to trigger some changes in the pupa, a process not reversible by subsequent rain.
The susceptibity to change will varies from species to species. M. leda may need a small drop in humidity.
In Singapore a pupa in a rain-shelterd spot but exposed to the sun may soon experienced a severe drying effect.
M. perseoides seem to have a dsf form in Singapore.
Singapore.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jx3Ps1jjyS0/UlLg4HEOu3I/AAAAAAAAaQA/c0HyDLtct0w/s1600/MPP_adult_03Y.jpg
https://media.mnn.com/assets/images/2013/10/butterfly_0.jpg


TL Seow : Cheers.

[DaveChiangMai]

Many thanks for the explanations and corrections.