Some butterflies from East China (part 3)

[DaveChiangMai]

Ah, I had thought I'd finished with these, but looking at previous replies to my earlier thread I think my tentative identifications may be incorrect in these four images. Could these be confirmed please.

Image 1. Celastrina sp?. Dongzhai.
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Image 2. Neope sp? Dongzhai. I had thought N. muirheadii but the earlier comment about the white bar in that species is missing in this photo.
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Image 3. Neope sp? Donhzai. Same area as image 2, and looks like same species.
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Image 4. Athyma sulpitia? Dongzhai
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[Psyche]

1. Up north Celastrina argiolus is confusingly similar to Udara dilecta.

Celastrina lavendularis :Un. darkish grey so most spots are strongly white-ringed; Femurs of legs black banded.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/2015/95_3955-998-54e3697c391f7-1.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celastrina_lavendularis#/media/File:Celastrina_lavendularis_Moore,_1877_%E2%80%93 _Plain_Hedge_Blue_from_Parambikulam_(5).jpg


Celastrina argiolus ;Very variable Un. spots faintly white-ringed ;Femurs of legs white, tibiae also less heavily black -banded; FW cilia more heavily checked in black than dilecta.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/2016/93_12767-87-578495b3edcc7-1.jpg
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/2015/87_1955-634-547f2164a70e4-1.jpg
Bulgaria.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Holly_blue_%28Celastrina_argiolus%29_female_laying _egg_Bulgaria.jpg/970px-Holly_blue_%28Celastrina_argiolus%29_female_laying _egg_Bulgaria.jpg
Germany
http://www.pyrgus.de/bilder1/lycaenidae/argiolus_wxx.jpg
Russia, east.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2250-Celastrina-argiolus-bieneri-2m-1f-Lycaenidae-Russia-S-Buryatia/323232995722?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.M BE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D50543%26meid%3D4ea652f60f9445e 68222ef44de0c735f%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D 2%26sd%3D323180746355%26itm%3D323232995722&_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850

Udara dilecta.Un. paler spots not white ringed; femurs white but tibiae more heavily black-banded; HW postdiscal spot 4, often a spike ,more elongate vs. rounded in argiolus.; FW cilia less checked in black.
https://www.thaibutterflies.com/Butterflies/udara-dilecta/
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/UdaraDilecta/UdaraDilecta_KrushnameghKunte_aa664.jpg
https://www.jamiun.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/MG_2884-2watermarksmall.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m_Xf-jNoUiE/VUxQrkjDN0I/AAAAAAAAVGc/idnJfUNXVAU/s1600/DSC_0092.JPG
http://www.yin-image.com/butterfly/udara-dilecta/images/IMG_1352.jpg

1 is probably Udara dilecta.


2 & 3 are N. muirheadii dsf.
In dsf the white band tends to disappear especially on the HW. The straight FW bands dark & white is characteristic.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neope_muirheadi_nagasawae_dry_season_ventral_ view_20150314.jpg

3. Athyma sulpitia may be recognised by the FW cellend triangular spot being truncated.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[DaveChiangMai]

Many thanks for the detailed reply. Yes, very confusing Udara/Celastrina up north.

[Psyche]

Dongzhai on Hainan is at the same latitude with northern THailand.
Have a look at Celastrina argiolus ssp caphis Sichuan & ssp iynteana N. Thailand in the link below.
http://www.lycaenidae.gmxhome.de/Lycaenopsis/Celastrina/celastrina-index.htm
In both subspecies the FW submarginal lunules in space 2 & 3 are darker than the lunules above ie space 4 ,5, & 6.
(Even the postdiscal spots are a bit darker but much less obvious.)

Here is another pix of C. argiolus iynteana from Thailand showing the darker submarginal lunules/spots 2 & 3.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7428/27561939446_a83e6208fc_c.jpg

Compare with U. dilecta from Thaialnd below. (note FW submarginal spots 2 & 3 (lower 2)are no darker than the rest.
https://www.thaibutterflies.com/Butterflies/udara-dilecta/

Your specimen is worn & the FW down so only submarginal spot 3 & above are visible.
The upper part of the legs (femurs & tibiae )appear whiter as in C. argiolus.

My guess it is 80% chance U. dilecta & 20% it might be C. argiolus.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Psyche]

1 is Celastrina lavendularis.

Despite it being worn it is still too dak & grey to be Udara dilecta.
Most of the spots are actually white-ringed.
The leg banding is not reliable though C. lavendularis do have stronger banding.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5449/9816969736_68ec00d930_b.jpg

Worn & less pristine Udara dilecta for comparison.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5772/21566433880_b421a48768_b.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3765/13401054193_557a6e4888_b.jpg


TL Seow: Cheers.