Ghanaian Skippers

[sifenn]

Following on from earlier post on unidentified Ghanaian nymphalidae, thanks to Guy for IDs and Pete for advice on inserting links to Flickr. So here goes with some unidentified Ghanaian skippers seen while wildlife watching in Mole National park. Welcome your thoughts.

1. An olive green skipper seen near Mole park rangers HQ nectaring on a legume-like flower - underwing band, striped body



2. A brownish skipper with spots seen by the side of Mole lake



3. A marbled skipper seen by the roadside


4. A white 'flat-wing' skipper seen on the edge of the hill by Mole Motel viewing platform


and the wildlife wasn't bad either

[Padfield]

Hello. What wonderful wildlife.

I think your first skipper is Platylesches moritili. The second is probably Borbo fanta and the last Caprona adelica. If someone who knows the butterflies of the region personally contradicts me, take their word for it, not mine!

The third one is evading me. The only 'marbled skipper' type in the region is Gomalia elma, and that is sufficiently different from this for me to think it is not that. I'm probably missing something obvious.

Guy

[Padfield]

I'm now pretty confident the third one is Sarangesa, quite probably S. laelius. The pictures in Larsen are a little misleading but there are some good pictures of live butterflies online.

Guy

[sifenn]

Thanks Guy - I take it you may have Larsen's guide - does it have illustrations or photos ?

This Sarangesa spp. was one of the first butterflies I saw at Mole - I provisionally ID'd it as S laelius



The other browner specimen (above) was seen in a similar vicinity. Now I've looked at some images on the web, I can see listings of the browner version as well as blue-grey - would these be male and female perhaps ?