Group outings to Mahua Waterfall, Tambunan in Sabah (9-15 February 2020)

After our outings to Chiangmai last year, we decided to go on another trip with sifu Khew to Mahua Waterfall in Sabah, who has been there before with Mei Yee.
This time, we have David Chan and his wife, Elaine and I who joined them.
Mei Yee had organised the whole trip and when we arrived there, we were all ready for the butterflies fun.

Although the butterflies activities were not fantastic, I was happy enough to encounter some of the endemic butterflies of Sabah and many new Malaysian ones that I have not seen in West Malaysia.
We just got back to Singapore yesterday and we will post some photos here to share with everyone. We would indeed appreciate the help of Dr Seow to assist us in indentifying some of the butterflies too.


My favourite endemic butterfly was the Big Eyed Jungle Lady or Silky Owl (Taenaris horsfieldii occulta). It was not a pristine fella, but it had us all very excited when Elaine who spotted it called out for us.
Indeed, we all had a jolly good time taking our shots.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fd6b7e_c_d.jpg


Needless to say, The Kinabalu Swordtail (Graphium stratiotes) was my next favourite.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e85881_c_d.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...33bde1_c_d.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a3e2d6_c_d.jpg


Thats all the posts from me for today.
I have so far been unable to ID 2 of the small butterflies seen and would require the assistance of Dr Seow please!
1.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...87a957_c_d.jpg
2.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1d4506_c_d.jpg



Regards
Cheng Ai

Very difficult to ID small lycaenid from the underside with the FW down.
There is no submarginal spot (lunule).
This narrow it down to 3 species.
See Borneo Lycaenidae . L88, L89, & L90.
http://www004.upp.so-net.ne.jp/jamid.../borneo-e.html
L89. U. dilectissima can be ruled out because the two HW postdiscal spots 6 & 7 are equal.

This means it is either U. camenae or selma.
General appearance suggest U. selma but U. camenae is probably the commoner species.


2. Eurema ada.
FW with 2 cell spots; termen (margin) rounded.
HW postdiscal spot 7 a long sinuous streak.
http://nlliew66butterflies.blogspot....urema-ada.html

TL Seow: Cheers.

Thanks Dr Seow

These are the two interesting butterflies that I have seen for the first time.


Pirdana albicornis
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f56c55_c_d.jpg


Kohinoor (Amathuxidia amythaon)
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0d424c_c_d.jpg

Dr Seow, need your help to ID again please!


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...173a57_c_d.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...aa576f_c_d.jpg


Regards
Cheng Ai

The Tanaecia iapis complex is quite complicated in Borneo.
There are numerous forms which are either as ssp or forms.


Many authors now separated the type in Java as a different species.
eg T iapis iapis .
Male & female , Java.
https://live.staticflickr.com/8846/2...5c94fb39_b.jpg
https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungl...2PMOlnFTkkk%3D

The representatives from Sumatra, Malay & Borneo are referred to T. cocytina.
Further, some placed them under the genus Cynitia.

Although there are numerous named ssp. in Borneo the one in Sabah is generally ssp ambalika.

This form is named as taxon diardi but usually placed under ambalika.
See Tanaecia cocytina ambalika in funet.
http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life...inae/tanaecia/

As taxon (taxonomic name) diardi fig 2.
https://archive.org/stream/tijdschri.../n236/mode/1up


TL Seow: CHeers.

Thank you so much Dr Seow, for taking time to explain and for the links.

Pirdana albicornis is a rare endemic species. Congratulations!!

Oh, I did not know that! :) Thanks Aaron!

Dr Seow and Aaron,

Which Athyma is this please?

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c0fa6d_c_d.jpg


Regards,
Cheng Ai

Athyma cama ambra

Also would appreciate the ID of the following:

1.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6e304d_b_d.jpg

2.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bceb37_b_d.jpg

3.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...410530_b_d.jpg

4.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...cae200_b_d.jpg

Thanks Aaron :)

Common name is Orange Staff Sergeant?
It was a pity I didnt get a closer look.

Post 12.

1. Parantica luzonensis praemacaristus.

2. Appias cardena cardena.

3. Taractrocera ardonia.

4. Plautella cossaea.
Submarginal lunules present.
HW space 1b without a basal spot.
Postdiscal spots thick, rounded on the HW, postdiscal spot 7 very large.
See Borneo Lycaenid L91B.

TL Seow: Cheers.

Thanks Dr Seow.

Dr Seow and Aaron,

Is this Burmese Sailer (Neptis leucoporus) please?

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a22324_b_d.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8daa9f_b_d.jpg


Regards
Cheng Ai

Nice shots
Look like you have got a very fruitful trip

Post 16.

Yes it is Neptis leucoporos.

TL Seow: Cheers.

Thanks Dr Seow.

Hi Federick,

Thanks! It was indeed a fruitful trip! Learnt from sifu the endemic butterflies of Sabah and they were just great.

I was so awed by the Borneo Birdwing ((Troides andromache) which flew all over the stream and was almost impossible to get any shots. So I just went on some crazy continuous shooting and was lucky to get one record shot with open wing. Here is the shot for sharing.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...51f1ca_b_d.jpg


Also had great fun with the Borneon Mormon.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2b5578_b_d.jpg


It was fascinating to see them in quite a few numbers. I managed to take some fun shots.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6c6c8e_b_d.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2bf626_b_d.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d57d73_b_d.jpg





Lets catch up again soon.


Regards
Cheng Ai

Dear Dr Seow,

These are the last few species shot in Mahua that I have not been able to ID and would require your help please.

1
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f7cde9_b_d.jpg

2
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...da2581_b_d.jpg

3
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b58341_b_d.jpg

4
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4db723_b_d.jpg

5.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...92a5a3_b_d.jpg


Regards
cheng Ai

Post 31.

1. Udara placidula.
Similar to U. dilecta except ground darker grey & hW postdiscal spot 7 is darker than the others below it.
See Borneo Lycaenid L86.

2.Nacaduba kurava.
The dark striae within the bands are weak.
There is a spot on the costa above the inner cellband.
The submarginal spots though narrow have rounded margins.
https://www.butterflycircle.com/chec...neBlue-KSK.JPG

Another Bornean species N. normani have the submarginal spots lunulate & dark.
https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/N...niMUpUNAC1.jpg

3. Pelopidas agna.
HW with cellspot & more uniformly brown.

4. Celastrina lavendularis.
The HW marginal spots & submarginal lunules are strongly marked in a dark ground.
HW postdiscal spot 7 darked & ringed with white.
See Bornean Lycaenid L98.

5. Tanaecia godartii.
Underside FW submarginal fascia runs parallel ti the margin.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/721010010.html


TL Seow: Cheers.

Thanks Dr Seow.