Project skipper ID

[benetay]

I know if i post this i might get a earful but nevertheless i yearn for more understanding on these skippers. I'm very bad with butterfly ID but i hope to get all of these common skippers ID once and for all. I don't have that many to share.

I know some may require the upper side which i don't have. At lease i will flip all pictures so they are all looking in the same direction.

#1
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii215/bendanbutt/someskippers.jpg

#2
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii215/bendanbutt/someskippers2.jpg

#3
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii215/bendanbutt/skipperdontknow.jpg

#4
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii215/bendanbutt/skipperneedID.jpg

#5
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii215/bendanbutt/SkipperIDstill.jpg

Thanks in advance.

Cheers!

[Sky Blue]

good try Ben, but I think no one can give very clear answer base on the underside, chk out the ID key in c&p4, most skipper need to chk upperside.

[Commander]

Bene, so when are you going to get your copy of C&P4? :)

[benetay]

Where can i purchase it? Next month need to upgrade flash, need to go for wedding dinner, need to save up for upgrade on DSLR(target next year), need to buy xmas gift for gf.

Guess got to allocate my resources carefully or i'll spread them too thin and start eating cow grass. :cry:

Cheers!

[Commander]

Cow grass very nutritious... :thumbsup:

Can get at Nature's Niche. Let me know when you going. I've got discount. :)

[benetay]

Guess got to wait for you to return. :bsmile:

I need discount.

Cheers!

[benetay]

I'm totally lost with this.

6 marking & yet i can't find a similar ID to it.

anybody can help?

http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp47/bendanbutt2/skipperID.jpg

http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp47/bendanbutt2/skipperid2.jpg

Cheers!

[Sky Blue]

hmm, couldn't find good match in C&P4...

[benetay]

That's the problem. Sigh. :-( check C&P4 too with nothing to match.

[atronox]

I think most of those in the first set are Taractrocera spp.(lack of antennal "hook" or apiculus), as well as one or two Telicota spp.(short apiculus).:grin2:

[benetay]

:grin2: Thanks Aaron, indeed it's challenging even with reference book. :sweat:

Cheers!

[benetay]

Here is another 2 skipper which i'm quite confuse.

http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp47/bendanbutt2/swift.jpg
Which swift is this? quite large from the small branded.

http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp47/bendanbutt2/caltoriscormasa.jpg
caltoris cormasa?

[Sky Blue]

1st skipper will need upperside ;)

2nd skipper ... congrats, should be Pugnacious Lancer (http://www.sgbug.org/butterflies/spc_photo.php?spc_id=237&img_list_id=756)

[Commander]

Nope. The Pugnacious Lancer has two blackish apical spots. Bene's shot shows 3 yellowish hyaline spots.

[benetay]

At first i went through all the IDs, Pugnacious Lancer was one of them but after closer inspection it isn't. Took me about an hour to zero down to a few possibilities but still uncertain!

Cheers!

[Sky Blue]

oops...Sorry...

Caltoris cormasa will be much darker.

[benetay]

It is dark, i brighten it. Here is an original non-edited.


http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp47/bendanbutt2/nonedited.jpg

[Sky Blue]

hmm, upon checking C&P4, no mention of blackish apical spots as key.

In Pitsuth, "...in both sexes UP is plain brown with hyaline spots, including two spots in cell, in spaces 2-4,, 6-7, sometimes 8 also ..."

[Commander]

So you still think it's a Pugnacious Lancer? I don't think so.

Sometimes C&P4 doesn't cover all the characteristics in the key, as long as the obvious ones are there. In this case, the bigger cell end hyaline spots are paired. However those cannot be seen in Bene's shot.

In any case, the location and arrangement of the spots are not the same. ;P

[benetay]

Terrible skippers. So difficult to ID. It doesn't have 'hooks' too.

Just leave it as it is.
Will continue to shoot even though they're UFOs. Thread will be close, next will be project skipper ID 2.

:bsmile:

Cheers!

[Commander]

Actually, the apiculus tends to disappear at this shooting angle. To make sure it has or hasn't... and I'm quite sure what you shot has the apiculus... you have to shoot it from above.