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