The epimuta group in Singapore.

[Psyche]

28503
The epimuta group consist of three species in which the male have a circular disc on the FW that reflect the colour differently.
They are A. epimuta ,atosia & lurida.
The underside pattern is also distinctive.

1. FW spot 4 is dislocated & shifted out from spot 5 & 3.
2. HW with the postdiscal band completely dislocated at vein 2.
3. HW spot 5, 6, 7 7 in chelon, arranged in a staggered manner ,with eah spot set ifurther in than the one below it.
The degree of overlap is quite varable & spot 7 may appear to be almost entirely on top of spot 6.
(This sometimes cause confusion with the pseudomuta group.

A. epimuta is the commonest & tailless. A white cilial spot at HW tornus often present.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhopala_epimuta#/media/File:ArhopalaEpimutaEpimutaMFUpUnAC1.jpg
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fZs6LPksMjI/UKpk7KgEceI/AAAAAAAAPj4/xIAMXTiCvK8/s1600/AE_adult_female_field_01.jpg

The other two species are tailed & can look quite similar.

Arhopala atosoa malayana.
The Male disc is large & the FW border is a thread.
The underside is poorly contrasted.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4f/81810010.html
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/ArhopalaAtosiaMalayanaMUpUnAC1.jpg
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Arhopala%20atosia%20malayana/A_atosia_02.jpg
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Arhopala%20atosia%20malayana/A_atosia_01.jpg
Note UpF narrow border.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/15443489
Otsuka L172.

Arhopala lurida lurida.
Male disc smaller & UpF border increases at apex.
Underside darker & much more contrasted.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4f/81820001.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhopala_lurida#/media/File:ArhopalaLuridaMUpUnAC1.jpg
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Arhopala-lurida.jpg
Otsuka L173.

A recent observation is Arhopala lurida.Correction:Probably A. sublustris.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/193582308


TL Seow: Cheers.

[LJK1410]

Hi Dr Seow,

Regarding the observation you mentioned was Arhopala lurida, the HW post-discals are very close to the submarginals, I thought that there would be a gap in A.lurida?

[Psyche]

Hi Dr Seow,

Regarding the observation you mentioned was Arhopala lurida, the HW post-discals are very close to the submarginals, I thought that there would be a gap in A.lurida?



You need to identify which group it belongs to first.

Epimuta group . A. epimuta ,atosia, lurida.
HW band completely dislocated at vein 2.
FW with postdiscal spot 4 shifted outwards from spot 5 above it & usually from spot 3 below.
HW spot 7 shifted inwards from spot 6 (inner margins not aligned).
A. atosia
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/ArhopalaAtosiaAtosiaMFUpUnAC1.jpg

The pseudomuta group A. pseudomuta, alitaeus.
HW band completely dislocated at vein 2.
FW spot 4 dislocated out strongly.
HW spot 7 atop spot 6, not shifted in.
A. pseudomuta.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Arhopala%20pseudomuta%20pseudomuta/Raffles%20Oakblue%20-%202%20-%20Horace.jpg


The cleander group.
HW band completely dislocated at vein 2.
HW spot 7 atop spot 6, not shifted in.
FW spot 4 not shifted outwards from spot 5 above it.
Cleander subgroup. Large with the markings widely separated.
A. athada. silhetensis.
https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arhopala_athada#/media/Fail:ArhopalaAthadaAthadaMUpUn.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_iN91mnGKX61GnbRg4KKVCE3fhneJqao27eERSahAQ _tdIeTwypPVNWTsNyWCxq9CqvtS06_0cqJHFM3WbX6EjwfOkaz W5o7VTUTG0dme9mgZbZ6Bu-jcM2O9U8cvlUQXQz4MUVcsjY/s1600-h/AS_AA_Comparison.jpg
Alea subgroup. medium so the bands are colser together (except A. aroa.)
A. sublustris.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Arhopala%20athada%20athada/Vinous%20Oakblue%20-%20Terry%20Ong.jpg

The eumolphus group. A. eumolphus, corinda.
HW band only partially dislocated at vein 2.
HW spot 7 atop spot 6.
FW spot 4 strongly dislocated out.
A. eumolphus.
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Arhopala-eumolphus-maxwelli

You can tell it is not a member of the alea subgroup.

TL Seow: Cheers.