Blues Shot in Sabah

[David Chan]

Dear Dr Seow,

Could you please assist to ID these 3 blues shot at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah:

.1 26479

.2 26480

.3 26481

Thanks a lot for you assistance.

Best regards,
David Chan

[atronox]

They are, in order, Plautella cossaea sonchus, Celastrina algernoni kadazanensis and Udara dilectissima dilectissima

The last one was the hardest to determine and the ID may not be correct

[Psyche]

If you don't have this book, you need to download this.
http://www004.upp.so-net.ne.jp/jamides/Borneobook/borneo-e.html


1. Plautella cossaea.

HW space 7 with a large postdiscal spot & a small subbasal spot.
HW no postdiscal spot 6.
HW space 1b no sub-basal spot.
Note HW submarginal spots enhanced & large in tornal zone becoming narrower upwards.Like wise the postdiscal series.
See images L91B.

[Psyche]

2. Celastrina lavendularis.

C. lavendularis.
Submarginal lunules joined into a continuous line strongly throughout.
HW postdiscal spots ,2, 3, 4, & 5 well defined , spots 4 & 5 elongated.
L98.

C. algernoni.
Submarginal lunules faded & obscure at the apex in both wings.
HW postdiscal spots 2, 3, 4, & 5 weak ,small & rounded.
L97.

C. (Sancterila) shelfordi
FW marginal spots weak & flattened.
L94B.

C, philippina.
FW potdiscal spots weak & markings brownish.
L96.

Callenya lenya.
Marginal spots weak & flat.
HW submarginal lunule in space 7 (uppermost) protruding inwards only by half .( 2X in Celastrina).
L 99A.

Monodontides musina.
HW space 1b with a sub-basal (ie near the base) spot.
L100.

[Psyche]

3. Udara carmenae.

Note the marginal spots are the ones just inside the margin.
The postdiscal spots are so close to the margin they are in fact submarginal.

Submarginal series of lunules absent...... Udara camenae, dilectissima, & selma.

U. camenae.
HW postdiscal spots 7. much larger & darker than spot 6.
HW postdiscal spots 2, 3, 4, &5 well-formed.
L.88.

U. dilectissima.
HW postdiscal spot 6 & 7 of equal size & uniformly dark.
L89.

U. selma.
HW postdiscal spot 7 larger & darker than spot 6.
HW postdiscal spots 2, 3, 4, & 5 weak, some being obsolete.
L100.



TL Seow: Cheers.

[David Chan]

Dear Dr Seow & Aaron,

Thanks a lot for details and helping to ID these butterflies.

Best regards,
David Chan

[Banded Yeoman]

I'd have to say for the Udara , it's definitely between camenae and selma. These are both slightly variable underneath though and I wouldn't completely trust how well the spots are formed, since in Udara this always varies. These 2 are easily separated by the uppersides though!

[Psyche]

I'd have to say for the Udara , it's definitely between camenae and selma. These are both slightly variable underneath though and I wouldn't completely trust how well the spots are formed, since in Udara this always varies. These 2 are easily separated by the uppersides though!


There are other examples of U. selma which shows the HW spots in space 2, 3, 4, & 5 are poorly formed or absent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udara_selma#/media/File:UdaraSelmaSelmaMUpUnAC1.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udara_selma#/media/File:UdaraSelmaCerimaFUpUnAC1.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udara_selma#/media/File:UdaraSelmaElothalesMUpUnAC1.jpg

U. camenae.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcQ-BTwLQ5yOLf_fzVx4CWub0u73GnMzha_xKQ&usqp=CAU
https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Udara_camenae


TL Seow;Cheers.

[atronox]

Thanks for all the corrections. I find this group of Polyommatines very tough.

I did think about the submarginal markings but i thought those were variable