Mycalesis spp India (repost)

[Tshulthrim]

Greetings from Bhutan!!!

Dear Dr Seow,

My brother from India(Arunachal Pradesh,West Khemang)on November 2022 took this Mycalesis spp, can you help me with the ID la.

https://flic.kr/p/2o4wa3n

[Psyche]

This is quite difficult.

I think it is Telinga lepcha kohimensis.

Several species are quite similar & very variable.

T. lepcha.
UpF with usually two spots & UpH with one spot 9Male)
Underside white discal band very narrow.
UnF spot 5 not large.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycalesis_lepcha#/media/File:Mycalesis_lepcha_68_2.jpg
SSp kohimensis Eastern Himalayas to Thailand.
Very dark, FW cilia white in wsf & brown in dsf.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/sat/40860010.html

Probable T. lepcha lepcha.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/1461_66234-411-5f58e82401d16-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/1461_69690-214-5f70bc9650428-1.jpg

T. malsara is said to be similar but FW spot 2 & 5 large & spots 3 & 4 small.
White band broad tapering to costa on FW & tornus on HW.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/97_797-288-544fc839f1320-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/622_93133-535-61b1e5b5216b5-1.jpg

L. davisoni have FW cilia chequered & HW margin crenate.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/95_4872-773-5511360395fb9-1.jpg


T. mamerta (= watsoni). Correction: T. annamitica watsoni in Checklist.
Evans only give description of the upperside.
FW usually with three ocelli in space 2, 3, & 5 & HW always with two (in the male).
This is also very similar to T. lepcha on the underside.


TLSeow : Cheers.

[Psyche]

Revision.

This boils down to three similar species.

1. Mycalesis (or Telinga) malsara.
This has a broad white discal band & can be excluded.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/sat/40840001.html
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/97_797-288-544fc839f1320-1.jpg


Thus, it is either M. lepcha kohimnensis or M. annamitica watsoni (prev. as M. mamerta2.)


M. lepcha kohimensis.
Male UpF with two spots spot 2 & 5. UpH with one spot 2.
UnF spot 5 small ie FW spots taper upwards.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycalesis_lepcha#/media/File:Mycalesis_lepcha_68_2.jpg
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/sat/40860010.html


M. annamitica watsoni.
Male UpF with three spots ie spots 2, 3, & 5. UpH with two, spots 2 & 3.
UnF spot 5 relatively large.
No image of ssp watsoni.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/sat/40850001.html


The image shows the FW spots to be smaller upwards.

Thus it is most likely Mycalesis (=Telinga) lepcha kohimemsis.



TL Seow:Cheers.

[Tshulthrim]

Thank you so much, though not seen but your detail point has made me understand better la��