Id need help

[ButterflyWitch]

Good evening Dr. Seow sir...
I hope you are healthy and good.....
After a long time, I am posting a thread in this forum. All these photos are taken from Tripura, Northeast India. Please help me with identification..

1. Is it Jamides caeruleas (female)? Or J elpis!

28575

2. Prosotas noreia hampsoni?

28576

3. Arhopala rama ramosa?

28577

4. Pantoporia paraka?

28578

5. Which Curetis sp.?

28579

6. Potanthus sp.?

28580
28581
28582

7. Halpe sp.?

28583

8. Another Potanthus

28584
28585

9. Phaedyma columella ophiana?

28586
28587

10. Is it Erionota thrax thrax?

28588

Thank you in advance sir...:)

[Psyche]

1. Male Jamides alecto. Note straight FW margin & short palpi for male.
FW thick white striae.
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Jamides-alecto-alocina

Similar.

Male J elpis FW thin white striae.
https://indiabiodiversity.org/files-api/api/get/crop/img//Jamides_elpis/614.JPG?h=500

Male J. caeruleus. thin greyish striae; dark ground colour.
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Jamides-caeruleus-1.jpg



2. Prosotas noreia hampsoni.
Tailess; thin orange ring ;2nd ocellus in space 1b; submarginals sharp on HW.
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Prosotas-noreia-hampsoni


3. Arhopala rama ramosa.
Similar to A. paramuta but tailed & purple washed.
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Arhopala-rama-ramosa
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Arhopala-paramuta-paramuta


4.Female Pantoporia paraka.
Female FW band with short 'foot' on the FW lower margin.
Male with long 'foot'.Singapore.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Pantoporia%20paraka%20paraka/Perak%20Lascar%20-%20Bene.jpg
Female India.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/118_81387-623-607bdb5ebd94b-2.jpg

[Psyche]

5.https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28579&d=1724764728

Likely to be Curetis naga or as C. acuta naga.
Underside speckled black with main band oblique.
3 possibilities.
C. bulis have red/orange banded legs. UnH spot 6 tucked inwards of spot 7 ie not aligned.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/93_70098-238-5f7488ff54320-1.jpg
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc3/84030001.html
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Curetis-bulis-bulis

C acuta dentata or as C. dentata also have orange banded legs. UnH spot 6 & 7 aligned.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/observation/Curetis%20acuta%20dentata_1712082589_269495.jpg
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc3/84060010.html
https://wingscales.com/Lycaenidae/Curetis-dentata-dentata

Only the form in Naga hills seem to have dark grey legs.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/node/192296

[Psyche]

6.https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28580&d=1724765056
https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28581&d=1724765076
https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28582&d=1724765092

8.https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28584&d=1724765337
https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28585&d=1724765352

Three species can be very confusingly similar in fieldshots.
They have the following features.
FW with spots 4 & 5 always detached at the upper end & fully detached or with minimal overlap at the lower end.
Similarly HW have the uuper half (comprising spots 4 & 5) projected outwards.
Abdominal end with a thick black band.

Potanthus trachala.Fw 14-15mm.
FW spots 4 & 5 fully detached from the others above.
FW spots 2 & 3 quadrate with crescent margins in the male.
UnF spots appearing very spikey.
UnH with dark spots edging band.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92730010.html
Male.
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xp54_a5Xd1I/VCeCYlXBG9I/AAAAAAAABTc/nXtKcVbOjcg/s1600/Potanthus%2Btrachala%2B-%2Bupperside.jpg
https://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/Potanthus-trachala-tytleri


Potanthus pseudomaesa clio.FW 12 mm.
FW spots 4 & 5 usually with minimal overlap at the lower end.
FW spot 2 wider than tall.
FW 3 subapical spots usually aligned in a block.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92740010.html
Male
https://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/Potanthus-pseudomaesa-clio
Female.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/npict15c/92740010_n002.jpg


Potanthus pallida.FW 13mm.
Very similar to P. pseudomaesa.
FW 3 subapical spots typically not aligned .
UpF spots 4 & 5 fully detached /without overlap.
FW spot 2 shaped as in P. pseudomaesa.
UnF outer margins of subapical & spots 4 & 5 usually straighter,
UnH usually paler with weak spots.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92720001.html
Probable female.
https://live.staticflickr.com/4056/4261887575_9230a43632_z.jpg
Probable pair male on the right. Note subapical spots.
https://live.staticflickr.com/4007/4261960169_78cc85b483_b.jpg

6 is male Potanthus pseudomaesa.

8 also looks to be P. pseudomaesa male although the underside is pale suggesting P.pallida.
Note UnF spots have more indented margins as in P. pseudomaesa, also overlap between spot 3 & 4.

[Psyche]

7.https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28583&d=1724765192

Halpe wantona.
Underside with a series of elliptical interneural spots which form a broad dark band on both wings.
UpF spots 2 & 3 only partially overlapping.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/91410001.html
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Halpe-wantona.jpg
https://thaibutterflies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Halpe-wantona-2.jpg

Halpe pelethronix is very similar but does not occur in your area.
P. Malaysia.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rrMacC3tDt4/U8yEfEtjuZI/AAAAAAAAP4M/6zqVoFJletw/s1600/DSC_0225.JPG

Halpe arcuata also looks confusingly similar.
UnH interneural spots narrow & not forming a cohesive band like the UnF.
UpF spots 2 & 3 broadly overlapping.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/91350001.html
https://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/Halpe-arcuata

[Psyche]

9. https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28586&d=1724765522
https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28587&d=1724765538

Yes. It is Phaedyma columella.
The fractured cell-bar, the rounded triangular cellend spot & the wide spot on the FW lower margin.

[Psyche]

10.https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28588&d=1724765885

This looks more like a male Erionota torus.

Males E. torus & thrax have the antennal club about 2/3 to 3/4 white.
Females have the club half white.

Erionota thrax.
FW with the termen straight after an obtuse angle at around vein 5.
UnH patch usually wide ,more uniform
UpF spot 3 often triangular or crescent.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92330001.html
Males.
Singapore.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Erionota%20thrax%20thrax/Banana%20Skipper%20-%20Khew.jpg
https://wanderingbutterflyeffect.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/6a0100a801ee89000e0123de0f3c25860d.jpg
Thailand.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Erionota_thrax_thrax_%28Linnaeus%2C1767%29_Banana_ Skipper_68_mm_%2815865697424%29.jpg
India.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/233_4665-933-55094553af268-1_2.jpg

Females.
Singapore.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/checklist/mugshots/Erionota%20thrax%20thrax/Sunny-Chir---EOS-1D-Mark-III--28_01_2012--0060.jpg
India.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/01ErionotaThrax_KrushnameghKunte_ag436_0.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Erionota_thrax1.jpg


Erionota torus.
FW termen with a smooth curve, without the obtuse angle below the apex.
UpF spot 3 usually rectangular.

Males
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/observation/Erionota%20torus_1670426944_235040.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/153_73741-114-5fa9431a11828-1_0.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/2051_92896-600-61aefcb239d03-2_0.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/2255_84590-421-60e5c622d7e4d-1_0.jpg
Females.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/918022/large.jpg
Thailand.
https://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/Erionota-torus

Some examples are likely to be crosses & difficult to ID.

Confusion with E. acroleuca (male with antennal club wholly white above.)
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/1182_86522-78-612b649180826-1_0.jpg


TL Seow: Cheers.

[ButterflyWitch]

Thank you so much, sir, for your valuable time and guidance. This forum has taught me a lot about butterflies.

Sir, is it Erionota thrax?
It looks, pretty straight termen!
28589

[Psyche]

Thank you so much, sir, for your valuable time and guidance. This forum has taught me a lot about butterflies.

Sir, is it Erionota thrax?
It looks, pretty straight termen!
28589

This 2nd pic is a female Erionota torus.
The 1st pic is a male E. torus.

There are a lot of misIds on the web.

These below are Erinota thrax.
Note straight termen & the narrower more angular FW.
Erionota thrax.
Males.
https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/fauna/1/0/1099
https://geenature.com/observations/52787574
https://alchetron.com/cdn/erionota-thrax-61cab978-c96b-41aa-9904-39d5ec012f0-resize-750.jpeg
Females.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Erionota_thrax_04005.JPG
https://geenature.com/observations/197224343


TL Seow: Cheers.

[ButterflyWitch]

Thank you again sir

[Psyche]

Revision.

8. https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28584&d=1724765337
https://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28585&d=1724765352


I think 8 is more likely to be Potanthus pallida.
This enigmatic species is frequently missed, & there are few correct photos.
The differences are.
1. There is no pic showing P. pseudomaesa with faded UnH. It is typicaly marked with black spots.
P. pallida is described with a paler UnH & diffuse spots.
2. The subapical spots in P. pseudomaesa are typically aligned in a block.
In pallida they are more irregular.
3. UpF in pseudomaesa spots 4 & 5 , the lower spot 4 often have slight overlap with spot 3.
In pallida spots 4 & 5 are typically well-separated.

Potanthus pseudomaesa pseudomaesa.
Male.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/171_7165-90-55a941a69905b-3.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/171_7165-90-55a941a69905b-4.jpg
Female.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/observation/Potanthus%20spp.%20_1709851183_266989.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/observation/Potanthus%20spp.%20_1709851182_266988.jpg
P. pseudomaesa clio.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92740010.html
https://wingscales.com/Hesperiidae/Potanthus-pseudomaesa-clio

Few P. pallida have been identified.
https://yutaka.it-n.jp/hes/92720001.html
I believed these below are correct.

1. Sri Lanka have only three species P. pseudomaesa, pallida & satra(formerly as confucius).
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwEWNO8FLeBYgz8XQN8T4Ns3IPOLudQnTORCcIjxz9U 4qLMm86NiWBbXeZwzkmM2bjZkY9ziIpoYPAS0YFhWyaeIxVK0e gYPm11Uhex_2P-0zwVEQBP3OFqnsMsnjzPwrbpRyNaBiXEbG/s1600/Untitled-1.jpg
Female.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tharaka-Priyadarshana/publication/273293609/figure/fig1/AS:668984886181900@1536509834564/ventral-wing-surface-of-female-P-pallida.jpg

2. Note underside pale with ill-defined markings.Correction: This should be Potanthus dara.
Upperside show spots 4 & 5 widely detached from the subapical spots.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/560_17604-324-58e2776a88b2f-1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/560_17604-324-58e2776a88b2f-2.jpg

3. The upperisde here are highly suggestive of P. pallida.
Spots 4 & 5 are widely separated.
Male -right.
https://live.staticflickr.com/4007/4261960169_78cc85b483_b.jpg
Female.
https://live.staticflickr.com/4056/4261887575_9230a43632_z.jpg

8 closely resembles the markings of P. pallida.
On the upperside Fw spots 4 & 5 are fully detached.
UnH the dark spottings are vague.


TL Seow: Cheers.

[Psyche]

Revision 2. Correction.

These two photos of an individual (for comparison use) which I thought was P. pallida should be Potanthus dara.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/560_17604-324-58e2776a88b2f-2.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/sites/default/files/560_17604-324-58e2776a88b2f-1.jpg
The location is the Dhungri Village alt. 1800+ m ( about 6000 ft.)Himachal Pradesh.


Potanthus dara.
Markings yellow ;UpF spots 4 & 5 detached as in trachala; UpH with prominent spot 6 ;UnH band invisible to marked with black spots.
Range Chitral to Western Nepal at high altitude, 6000 ft & above.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26689187@N00/4852304343
https://www.flickr.com/photos/26689187@N00/4853857016/in/photostream/

Its western Himalayan & high altitude habitat would rule out P. dara as a possible suspect of 8.


TL Seow;Cheers.

[ButterflyWitch]

Thank you so much, Sir, for this detailed elaboration. It’s now easy for me to distinguish these two species.