Potanthus confucius dushta

[Psyche]

Potanthus confucius dushta.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92790010.html

P. confucius have been photographed in the past but some shots are less than ideal & most are labelled as P. omaha.
Generally yellower overall.
Abdominal end yellow with at most a thin basal black ring.
FW with spots 4 & 5 broadly overlapping the spots above & below them. (Less in the female.)
Bands with the veins not dark-dusted (or just lightly), edged with diffuse dark spots & ground lightly dusted.
Male FW upperside with the band continuous uninterrupted by dark veins.
Female veins may be lightly dark, FW lower three spots broad.

These Thai males are very fine.
https://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/Potanthus-confucius-dushta
Male by Federick probably 12 years ago. Note FW with the spots broadly overlapping.
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B2W0fVicLAM/TlfLl8yaSSI/AAAAAAAAEq4/2t883dpTHBk/s400/DSC1958-Potanthus-confucius.jpg

More recent shots .Males.
2018.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/12289699
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/163651656

The distinctive continuous yellow band in the male.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172635778
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/103448632
Veins slightly dark -male.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/145880950

Compare the upperside of a male P. omaha with distinct dark veins below.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172978891
And a male P. ganda .
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/162823627

The Taiwan subspecies angustatus ( "narrowed ")
Have slightly narrower bands & the abdominal end is darker.
The female is quite similar & can be used as a reference for local females.
http://digimuse.nmns.edu.tw/butterfly/cgi-bin/query_keyword/xmlShow.pl?filename=%A5x%C6W%B6%C0%B4%B3%A7%CB%BD% BA.xml

Addendum :Females. Note large HW spot 6.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/86144160
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/102403053
Federick's shot ?12+ years ago. Note FW spots overlapping, veins lightly dark, HW spot 6 large, & ground heavier shading.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nfGuHY9hc30/TxljpPuid6I/AAAAAAAAFUE/fSCT3aViSic/s1600/DSC4000%2BPotanthus%2B%2Bganda%2B%2B%2528TBC%2529. jpg
Female. Distinct yellow; FW spots with wide overlaps; HW with large spot 6.Veins weakly dark.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173920049

Females P. omaha for comparison.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106791445
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/103303782
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147267181
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/162137058
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/162440420

Female P. ganda.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/90387121

TL Seow: Cheers.
PS. Not rare. There are a fair number of observations.

[Zicky]

Dear Doctor Seow,

Some of the Potanthus are prone to easily wearing down of their scales, which i attribute to their flight and quick speed, and thus the veins and scale could show differently as per what one can envision. Would there be other factors to look out for?

Let me take a few recent shots i have to see if i am taking note of proper features

1 - Potanthus omaha?
i do note i have only a singular shot here, the veins are darkly dusted and the space in spot 4 overlaps with the spot below.
inat link - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173422473

2 - Potanthus trachala?
the space 4 and 5 spots are detach, and they are more...angular at the end? like a arrow pointing. Similarly, veins are dark dusted
inat link - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173422466

3 - Potanthus omaha?
The mating pair here has one open wing and one not. the one on the left has more spots overlapped in space 4 and 5 compared to the ones on the right(or lower one)
inat link - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173422464

Would like to hear your opinion on these specimens

Skipping regards
Zicky

[Zicky]

Potanthus confucius dushta.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92790010.html

P. confucius have been photographed in the past but some shots are less than ideal & most are labelled as P. omaha.
Generally yellower overall.
Abdominal end yellow with at most a thin basal black ring.
FW with spots 4 & 5 broadly overlapping the spots above & below them. (Less in the female.)
Bands with the veins not dark-dusted (or just lightly), edged with diffuse dark spots & ground lightly dusted.
Male FW upperside with the band continuous uninterrupted by dark veins.
Female veins may be lightly dark, FW lower three spots equally broad.

These Thai males are very fine.
https://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/Potanthus-confucius-dushta
Male by Federick probably 12 years ago. Note FW with the spots broadly overlapping.
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B2W0fVicLAM/TlfLl8yaSSI/AAAAAAAAEq4/2t883dpTHBk/s400/DSC1958-Potanthus-confucius.jpg

More recent shots .Males.
2018.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/12289699
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/163651656

The distinctive continuous yellow band in the male.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172635778
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/103448632
Veins slightly dark -male.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/145880950

Compare the upperside of a male P. omaha with distinct dark veins below.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172978891
And a male P. ganda .
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/162823627

The Taiwan subspecies angustatus ( "narrowed ")
Have slightly narrower bands & the abdominal end is darker.
The female is quite similar & can be used as a reference for local females.
http://digimuse.nmns.edu.tw/butterfly/cgi-bin/query_keyword/xmlShow.pl?filename=%A5x%C6W%B6%C0%B4%B3%A7%CB%BD% BA.xml

Addendum :Females. Note large HW spot 6.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/86144160
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/102403053
Federick's shot ?12+ years ago. Note FW spots overlapping, veins lightly dark, HW spot 6 large, & ground heavier shading.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nfGuHY9hc30/TxljpPuid6I/AAAAAAAAFUE/fSCT3aViSic/s1600/DSC4000%2BPotanthus%2B%2Bganda%2B%2B%2528TBC%2529. jpg

Females P. omaha for comparison.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106791445
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/103303782
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/147267181
Female P. ganda.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/90387121

TL Seow: Cheers.
PS. Not rare. There are a fair number of observations.

As a add on, is it only females that have a larger hindwing spot 6?

And will this shot by Lumin count as Potanthus confucius?
Inat link - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173420557

[Psyche]

Post 2.

1. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173422473

Male Potanthus ganda .
1. The abdominal end is yellow (only 3 species in Singapore have this, namely P. omaha, ganda, & confucius.)
2. The HW band's veins are not dark-dusted.
3. FW band is crossed by light tawny veins & dark veins also run to costa from the cell.
Males P. ganda.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/281572031/original.jpeg
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6KehhAM8g1Y/VgemhKAeKFI/AAAAAAAABcs/_sFxcLJwu74/s1600/Potanthus%2Bganda.jpg
Female P. ganda .Note HW veins not visible.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/166794112

Male P. omaha have veins blacken above.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Potanthus%20omaha%20omaha/PM_adult_release_site_02.jpg

Male P. confucius yellow with the band continuous & veins barely darken.
https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/16984275



2. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173422466
Male Potanthus trachala.

FW spots 4 & 5 not overlapping the subapical spost above or spot 3 below.
HW upper spot of band strongly projected out.
Abdominal end black-banded.
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kvlAhJLLsd0/VAxf7FbehUI/AAAAAAAAQFc/hP3tC8esw5s/s1600/HFH3746-Potanthus-trachala-tytleri.jpg



3. This gets difficult as the 4 views are identical.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173422464
Potanthus ganda pair. Correction: Possibly P. omaha with the veins off focus.
Abdominal end yellow.
Male at top; FW veins only lightly brown. Upperside costa with two dark veins.
Upperside vein dividing subapical spot 7 & 8 incomplete. (All veins separating subapical spots 6, 7, & 8 are completely black in P. omaha.}
The male have some overlap of spot 5 & 6 but this is seen insome examples of all P. omaha, ganda, & mongo.
Female with faintly dark veins, spot 5 small.

Compare upperside P. omaha male. Veins dividing the subapical spots are completely black.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Potanthus%20omaha%20omaha/PM_adult_release_site_02.jpg

The male P. confucius have the costal yellow patch complete, hardly crossed by dark veins.
Ssp. dushta.
https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/16984275
Ssp. angustatus.
https://mothimage.mauchiuan.com/images/twmoth059/twmoth290008.jpg?v=638212163153656306

Example of P. omaha in w3hich FW spot 5 overlaps spot 6.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Potanthus%20omaha%20omaha/PM_adult_release_site_01.jpg
Also P. mingo
http://nypsbluebottle.blogspot.com/2011/08/potanthus-mingo.html


Of the few female P. confucius I have seen all have a large HW spot 6.
Similarly the Taiwanese ssp angustatus female also seem to have a large HW spot 6.
H.K. female.
https://old.hkls.org/images/Potanthus_confucius.jpg

Finally this shot is too dark to see the details properly.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173420557
You can make out the veins on the FW are weak & blur, not defining the spots eg spots 4 & 5 well.
There is good overlap of thev FW spots, HW spot 6 is large.
This is a male & close to 1st male from Nan. Note not all males have large HW spot 6. Note male from Lampang is unlikely to be a male P. confucius.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92790010.html

All male P. omaha here have no HW spot 6.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92770001.html


TL Seow: Cheers.

[loomins_zoomins]

Dear Dr Seow,

I have brightened that image Zick has brought up! Hope it helps. I personally believe it is P.omaha.

1.
28370
iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/173420557

2. While I have found a few Potanthus shots of mine that have a large HW spot 6, the FW spots 4 and 5 aren't broadly overlapping with the adjacent spots as seen here but I'm not too sure.
iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/172168564

Will be looking out for more photos once I'm done with class! Thank you so much in advance!

Cheers,
Lumin Ong

[Psyche]

Post 5.

I agreed both should be Potanthus omaha as the HW veins are fairly dark dusted.

The 1st pic is exceptional for the wide overlap of the FW spots & the very large HW spot 6.

Still I would like to introduce a species very similar to P. confucius, a bit larger.
There is a possibility this could find its way to Singapore.


Potanthus pava. FW 15mm.
Abdominal end yellow with basal black line/narrow band.
FW band continuous as in P. confucius Overlap may varies.Male may have the base of space 2 yellow shaded (as in T. colon or besta)
HW with a prominent spot 5 in both sexes usually large espceially on the underside.
Underside bands edged in black streaks, not spots.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92820001.html

Taiwan examples.
https://www.tbn.org.tw/sites/ozop/files/styles/extra_large/public/taxonbio/featured_image/biotaxon-5377ee39-9ca2-48d7-ad4b-fb8eddea545f-1.jpg?itok=3FMOJ_hh
https://kmweb.moa.gov.tw/theme_data.php?theme=butterfly_illustration&id=110
https://taieol.tw/pages/102051

India.
Male.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/164_15562-730-5843c82f9fd27-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/83_12937-756-5799c938872b2-1.jpg
Female.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/124_19204-190-598847f0e8a61-1.jpg

Hostplant Bamboo, Imperata (Lallang).

Distribution : India to Taiwan, Philippine & Sulawesi, in open secondary forest.
In P. Malaysia rare but known from Perak as far back as 1956.


Note the 1st male have the general appearance of P. pava male but the black edgings of the band seem missing.


TL Seow; Cheers.