Taman Negara -- Malay Viscount?

[moloch]

Greetings,

I saw these lovely butterflies a number of times at Taman Negara. I believe that they are Malay Viscounts (Tanaecia pelea) but I have seen photos of a few other species that look similar. Is my id correct?

photo 1:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Malaysia/Taman%20Negara/June2010/first/butterfly20bTanaeciapeleaMalayVisco.jpg

photo 2:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Malaysia/Taman%20Negara/June2010/first/butterfly20aTanaeciapeleaMalayVisco.jpg

photo 3:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Malaysia/Taman%20Negara/June2010/first/butterfly20TanaeciapeleaMalayViscou.jpg


photo 4:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Malaysia/Taman%20Negara/June2010/first/butterfly20cTanaeciapeleaMalayVisco.jpg


These butterflies remind me so much of members of genus Hamadryas in the New World tropics. Years ago when I was a uni student (1970s, gulp!), I used to travel to the tropics of Mexico whenever I could. There was a similar species to the Viscount that also would land head downward on trunks of trees. The most amazing thing about it was that it could make audible snapping sounds with its wings.

Here is a link to photos of the Red Cracker (Hamadryas amphinome) from Mexico:
http://www.mariposasmexicanas.com/hamadryas_amphinome_mexicana.htm


And here is a link to one with similar wing shape but much more brightly coloured. I photographed this one at the Santa Cruz biological research station in the Peruvian Amazon earlier this year:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Peru/Jan%202010/butterflies/butterfly_Hamadryaslaodamia.jpg


Regards,
David

[Commander]

That's an interesting looking butterfly from the Amazon you got there, David.

As for the Tanaecia shots, the first two may be the Malay Viscount, but there are very similar looking species (two others) in Malaysia. So it's not easy to distinguish them.

Pics #3 and #4, probably of the same individual, are of the female Horsfield's Baron.

[moloch]

Thanks, Khew. I thought that the latter two photos (same individual) may have been of a different species but I am shocked that this was a female Horsefield's Barons. I only knew the pattern of the males and they look so different. Here are two photos that I think to be male Horsefield's Barons. Once again, I saw photos of another similar species so am not certain of my identification.

... such a beautiful butterfly!
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Malaysia/Taman%20Negara/June2010/second/butterfly34aTanaeciaiapisHorsefield.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Malaysia/Taman%20Negara/June2010/second/butterfly34TanaeciaiapisHorsefields.jpg


Also, forgot to mention, but the butterfly from the Amazon was Hamadryas laodamia.

Regards,
David

[Glorious Begum]

The last one could be Tanaecia godartii asoka. :cheers:

Photo #3 & #4 could be Tanaecia iapis puseda (female)

[atronox]

Nice shot of the cracker.
Pls share more shots of some south american butts.:)

[moloch]

Thanks, LC and Aaron.

LC,
I thought that the following might have been T. godartii. I photographed it near the new nursery along the road to the falls at Fraser's Hill. The colour pattern seemed to be almost white rather than blue. Unfortunately, the butterfly remained high overhead and I could never take a good photo.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c386/moloch05/Malaysia/Frasers%20Hill/June2010/butterfly45Tanaeciagodartii.jpg

Aaron,
I will post more Peruvian butterflies later on. I did see some real beauties but overall, they were far easier to approach in Malaysia than they were in the rainforests of Peru.


Regards,
David

[Banded Yeoman]

Nice shot of the cracker.
Pls share more shots of some south american butts.:)

Looks like the starry cracker to me.:)