How to separate P ufipa from P desmondi?

[mothylator]

I’m not sure if this is where to post a question like this, but I’m trying to establish what are the specific identifications features which separate P ufipa from P desmondi, without dissection techniques?
I see P ufipa for sale or trade from time to time, and I really can’t tell the difference apart from the label.
Has anyone got the answer?
Thanks.

[deliasfanatic]

In short, FW bands are basically the same width for their full length on ufipa. They're broader at the base in desmondi. I'll post some photos later today when I have a little more time available.

[Adam Cotton]

According to Kielland (1990, Butterflies of Tanzania) the most obvious difference is the very large white postdiscal markings of the fw underside. Combine that with deliasfanatic's distinguishing character for the upperside and you should be more confident of identifying these very difficult species.

Adam.

[deliasfanatic]

I've located a few old drawer photos. Note that these are very outdated (7 years old) as far as showing my material, but enough is shown that they may be helpful. As Adam said, undersides are important in identifying this group of species, but unfortunately I don't show any on the photos.

I've been gradually working on the thuraui/occidua complex in particular, since I believe that there is more than meets the eye regarding taxa described to date, and the Hancock 1983 paper does leave some things to desire. Annotating the photos I'm posting here, you'll find:

1) A lone male P. ufipa at lower left; note the evenly broad FW bands. The unmarked columns (#3-6) contain P. occidua from various Malawi locations.

648S5127 by D B, on Flickr

2) Further P. occidua taxa from various Malawi locations.

648S5128 by D B, on Flickr

3) The left 3 columns contain a smattering of P. desmondi subspecies. When I find time, I'll redo these photos to show further taxa and larger series.


648S5129 by D B, on Flickr

[wollastoni]

There seems to be a real Papilio ufipa currently on ebay if some of you needs it : www.ebay.com/sch/machanoides/m.html?rmvSB=true

[mcheki]

Location is also important in the identifying of Papilio ufipa. This species is only associated with the Ufipa plateau in south west Tanzania in places like the Mbizi Forest. Papilio desmondi, with its subspecies is more widely distributed.
Attached is a cropped photo from my drawer showing two male P ufipa. Not the best of specimens but they were sent to me by Jan Kielland in the early 1990’s.

[mothylator]

Sincere apologies for my delayed gratitude.
My computer crashed terminally, I've only just got up and running with a new PC.

Thank you all for your clarity and again for deliasfanatic and @mcheki for your amazing pics.
In particular mcheki, I'm so happy to see more of Leg. Jan Kielland Tanzanian specimens, I would wish that any of his widely dispersed material would be shown as often as possible.

deliasfanatic, I'm blown away - yet again: to see so many P. thauraui cyclopis on display.
Never seen one in any collection before.

Andrew.

[deliasfanatic]

Thanks for the kind words, Andrew. I have a number of Kielland specimens too, particularly Papilionidae and Acraea; I'll have to do some photos one of these days.

The cyclopis specimens were all collected in Malawi by Ray Murphy. The photos are outdated and don't include my cyclopis female, one of only a few that I've seen; again, I need to do revised photos!

[mcheki]

Andrew, thanks for your kind comments, I hope the new computer behaves.
I received a large number of specimens from Jan covering all families of African butterflies including Lycaenidae and Hesperiidae. Mostly as ones or twos of each species so these are distributed within the rest of the collection. Specific ones could be photographed if required.

[mothylator]

Thanks so much!
Andrew