A problematic Amblypodia

[DaveChiangMai]

Photographed this week at Doi Phu Kha, n Thailand. This should be the same individual - was taken at the exact same spot five minutes apart, with no other Amblypodia seen that day. The upperwing image shows a rather broad black margin to the hindwing, which according to literature is seen in A. narada. However, the strongly curved dark basal line on the underside hindwing should clearly be A. anita. Can A. narita show such a broad black margin to the hindwing?

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[atronox]

It's narada which has much heavier black scaling in the basal areas of the wings

[Psyche]

Actually both the upperside & underside are typical A. anita.

A. anita ;Upperside brownish purple ;FW with a black border of almost uniform width.
Underside HW dark discal line with a indentation at lower end , but may also be somewhat regular as in A. narada.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/AmblypodiaAnita/03AmblypodiaAnita_ShyamGhate_ag480.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Leaf_Blue_%28Amblypodia_anita%29_W_IMG_2693.jpg
http://www.thaibutterflies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Amblypodia-anita-1080x675.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fXObNv8PZ1A/VSCdtAq6q7I/AAAAAAAAREQ/U6xuuu39aQU/s1600/HFH_9884%2BPurple%2BLeaf%2BBlue%2B(Amblypodia%2Ban ita%2Banita).jpg
Examples with the HW dark line less irregular at lower end (resembling A narada).
https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Amblypodia_anita#/media/File:AmblypodiaAnitaThaiMFUpUnAC1.jpg

A. narada.Male upperside with FW black border much wider at apex than at tornus (width increasing upwards) ; Purple-blue.
Underside HW dark line more regular , without an indentation at lower end.
http://www.samuibutterflies.com/02_images/travels/lycaenidae/amblypodianarada.mr.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amblypodia_narada#/media/File:AmblypodiaNaradaTaooanaMUpUnAC1.jpg
http://www.samuibutterflies.com/02_images/travels/lycaenidae/amblypodianarada.mv.jpg


TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

I see. I still feel that the dark border in this specimen appears to widen near the apex though but i agree it's anita from the purple

Seems like the most accurate way to distinguish them is the intensity of the purple on the dorsal

[DaveChiangMai]

Many thanks for all the feedback. Indeed a difficult pair. Colouration of the upperside hard to determine with accuracy as depends on the light, angle and also any photo processing can be a problem. Not often I get to see the upperside either. Curvature of the lower band on the underside seems to be a good pointer.
Thanks