Khao Sok NP, Thailand

[Painted Jezebel]

Antonio and I spent two days at Khao Sok NP in Sratthani Province. It was meant to be longer, but the weather was atrocious, the Sok river broke its banks and flowed under our chalet, and, owing to the weather forecast of another 7 days of constant rain to come, we decided to leave early.

Of those two days, we only had about 2 hours of sunshine, so our finds were VERY limited.

Nevertheless, we did find one or two interesting things.

1) Tagiades toba toba. I have not been able to find any live photos on the net!
2) Scobura woolletti. As above, and the recent Japanes book describes this as very rare, though what exactly they mean by that, I do not know. It was so small, it could easily be overlooked.
3) Pantoporia aurelia aurelia (I think!). This was much smaller than any Panotporia I have seen before. I saw two of them in different spots, both very small.
4) An Arhopala.(Sorry) This one was quite large for a tailless species, anf the hindwing border being so narrow has me confused. I nearly got the underside, which would have helped, but it flew off the moment I pressed the shutter.

[Angiud]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7125/7539568768_01bbb102a2_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539568768/)
The Tree Flitter - Hyarotis adrastus praba (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539568768/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8281/7539495642_40b7c10a1e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539495642/)
UnID Archduke (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539495642/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/7539435414_9ebbcafb15_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539435414/)
The Common Small Flat - Sarangesa dasahara dasahara (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539435414/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8014/7539355086_88ee973a6f_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539355086/)
The Great Mormon - Papilio memnon agenor f.distantianus (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539355086/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7249/7539285690_45f273a979_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539285690/)
The Great Jay - Graphium eurypylus (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539285690/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8283/7539288870_d7f05478bb_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539288870/)
Larva of Arhopala sp. possibly A.centaurus nakula (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7539288870/)

[Psyche]

Here are valid examples of Tagiades toba.(Oops, not live photos)
http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=295301

Pantoporia aurelia can be recognised by the the hooked upper end of the forewing postdiscal band.

In Arhopala female the brown border cut diagonally across the apex of the forewing. Not sure if there is any exception.
Anyway the female of A. amphimuta can be ruled out.
(Note Bornean ssp. also amphimuta.)
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~EY4Y-TKNM/philframe.html

The closest match is A. norda male.
However, the ssp in Malaya ronda have broader border. You need to check EK-Amnuay if it matches ssp norda in your area.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Psyche]

The Archduke looks to be L. dirtea merguia.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/721510020.html

It doesn't match L. albopunctata.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim2/721480001.html

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you, Seow. Unfortunately Pisuth only shows a male A. norda norda, but even that appears to have broader borders than mine! Pintatana only shows an underside.

However, I did come across that species last time I was there, getting an underside only, so I know the species is at that location.

[Angiud]

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7540263954_462e50a7fe_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7540263954/)
The Spotted Jay - Graphium arycles arycles (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7540263954/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7540907448_4b30c5d983_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7540907448/)
The Spotted Jay - Graphium arycles arycles (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7540907448/)

[Angiud]

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8161/7542191824_2fba4a6039_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7542191824/)
The Banded Blue Pierrot - Discolampa ethion thalimar (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7542191824/)

[Psyche]

However, I did come across that species last time I was there, getting an underside only, so I know the species is at that location.

That would be interesting if you can find the pic.
I have run out of possibilities going thru both sexes of the amphimuta group as well as A. hypomuta & epimuta.

I think it is a male as all females in the group have broad apical borders.
The description of the male of A. sceva where the border is 0.75mm at tornus expanding to 1.25mm at apex is close, but this species is not recorded in Thailand.
(Oops, this not close actually. It is more like 0.75mm expanding to 4mm.)

TL Seow:cheers:
PS. The unusual colour reflection indicates it is a member of the muta subgroup.( muta = change ) . The colouration is very similar to the female of A. muta here.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/ArhopalaMutaWaterstradtiMFUpUnAC1.jpg
Now I am wondering if it is a variant of A. muta.

[WillFolsom]

Guys: Glad you got off your island, but sorry you encountered such drenching rain. Still, you managed to pull off some nice images. That's always encouraging. William

[Painted Jezebel]

That would be interesting if you can find the pic.



It is here. (http://www.butterflycircle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12590&page=2)

[moloch]

Very interesting, guys. Too bad that it was so wet. Looks lke the place has lots of potential if the weather was a little kinder to you.

Regards,

[Psyche]

It is here. (http://www.butterflycircle.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12590&page=2)

This would be the Post 11 no. 4 pic brought here.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=18438&d=1333096998

I did another check on this underside and it is still A. norda ronda (Yutaka kept this ssp for Thailand)
This one can only end in 3 possibilities.The other 2 are.
A. moolaiana, male with very thin border; female with very broad border.
A. sceva hindwing postdical band more or less dislocated at vein 2.

The edge of the apex can be seen with a moderate border ruling out A. moolaiana. Typical borders of A. moolaiana male & female.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/ArhopalaMoolaiana_690_3_Fitch.png/640px-ArhopalaMoolaiana_690_3_Fitch.png

The hindwing postdiscal band is partially dislocated here discounting A. sceva (also not recorded in Thailand).

Most amphimuta members probably have some reflective change on their wings.(frequent use of the word, muta.)

If the two are the same it would suggest they are both A. norda..
I can't find anything else.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Psyche]

How do you do get the attachment number? I tried to find it, but failed!

Yes it was No.4, sorry, I should have mentioned it.

Since A. sceva is not known from Thailand, I have put it in my A. norda file with a ?.

I simply open the thread without logging in. The pics are attachment files.
Then I click on the attachment & logged in.

I am quite confident that the underside is A. norda since there are no ambiguity with the key at all.
It is the upperside shot which stumped me. I think they are not the same.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Silverstreak]

Another way of doing it is :

Hover your mouse over the image, RIGHT click to show the pull-down menu : LEFT click on [copy Image URL]

Go to where you intend to insert in your post, Right Click to show the pull down menu: Left click [ paste ].

[Painted Jezebel]

Another way of doing it is :

Hover your mouse over the image, RIGHT click to show the pull-down menu : LEFT click on [copy Image URL]

Go to where you intend to insert in your post, Right Click to show the pull down menu: Left click [ paste ].

God, that is complicated. By the way, what is a 'mouse'?

[Silverstreak]

It sure is gonna be complicated ........if you don't have a mouse to move your pointer over the picture!!:bsmile:

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you, got it, it is the Right Click. I never use that! Nice to know.

[Painted Jezebel]

Only two unidentifieds left for me from this shortened trip, unfortunately, both Potanthus sp. I suspect you will say that they are both P. ganda, but the second one, in particular is a bit odd, in that, on the forewing, the subapical spot in space 7 is quite a bit longer than those in both 6 & 8.

Sorry, not the greatest photos, but the best I have!

[Psyche]

The first is nicely P. ganda.
Looks just like omaha but the veins on the hindwing band are not darkened.

The 2nd is something different.
P. trachala can be discounted because its spot 3 & 4 are connected by a mere thread & its subapical spots are deeply notched (correction: traits variable).
Note the outer margins of spot 2(hidden by the hindwing) & spot 3 are deeply excavated (concave).
The veins between spots 2 ,3, & 4 are not darkened.
In P. ganda the spots are not so strongly excavated & the veins mentioned are darkened. Here is P. ganda male for comparison.
http://i.pbase.com/g4/25/686825/2/142059551.hxASEFJU.jpg

It matches P. confucius well.

P. pava is similar but have a prominent spot 6.

One thing which caught me out in the past is that the degree of overlap between the subapical spots (specifically spot 6) and spot spot 5 is no indicator of the connection on the upperside. There could be a wide overlap but on the upperside the spots are not connected.

Coorection This is really P. trachala male.
I did said in another post that P. trachala was unique in that spot 4/5 combined on the hindwing juts outwards more than in other Potanthus.
I should have believed in myself.
here is P. confucius from Hk.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7076/7156286273_9ca160eb5b_z.jpg
Here is P. trachala.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yzw2AzY2du4/TR31LsANpuI/AAAAAAAAFbE/VzS6C3y_kEY/s1600/Potanthus_male_02.jpg

TL Seow:cheers:
PS. 2nd correction :Definitely not P. trachala.
All examples of P. trachala, constant, very narrow connection of spots 4 & 5 to spots above & below; spot 3 narrow (ie. short horizontally, not elongate as here.); deep notches in subapical spots.
Needs a recheck . probably back to P. ganda.

[Psyche]

After checking P. confucius & pseudomaesa, it is down to two.

1. P. ganda.
C&P4 shows a P. ganda underside which match this quite well, the dark patches & deep excavations of the forewing band.
However, the degree of black shading is probably variable.

2. P. juno.
The upperside of juno have the costal spot 8 missing or vestigial, but on the underside it is present though short.( C&P4 pl. 59/19 )
Here spot 8 is 2/3 that of spot 7 as in P. juno, but the black shading is as in ganda.
I have not seen other underside pic of P. juno.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Psyche]

Final correction. It is P. ganda male after all.
The size or lenght of spot 8 is variable in all the Potanthus species.

The underside forewing of juno is similar to omaha except for undarkened veins, more excavated spot 2 & 3, and spot 8 always short.

The initial confusion was due to the fact that I have not seen the full underside forewing of P. ganda except for the little image in C&P4.
The zigzag forewing band was rather like that of the upperside of P. confucius & somewhat similar to P. trachala.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you. So my original suspicion was, unfortunately, correct!:thumbsdow

[Angiud]

Third trip to Khao Sok, almost all the time raining, 72 hours with a few stops, that I used to get a few shots.

Les was busy so I went alone. I got some pictures, mostly Hesperiidae, maybe because of the bad weather.

Sorry if most of the butterflies are unidentified, but Hesperiidae are not my best choice...


http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8441/7961416868_5930bca902_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7961416868/)
The Coon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7961416868/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8322/7961359768_6e57033175_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7961359768/)
The Restricted Demon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7961359768/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8179/7961324516_3361df720b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7961324516/)
The Malay Dartlet, upper view (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7961324516/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8307/7960889986_f56a559c33_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7960889986/)
The Lesser Dart (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7960889986/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8438/7960867212_1d699b5525_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7960867212/)
The Narrow-banded Velvet Bob (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7960867212/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8442/7960801602_19302d00dd_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7960801602/)
The Lesser Dart (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7960801602/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8040/7960660766_6481bc5f70_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7960660766/)
The Hoary Palmer (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7960660766/)

[Angiud]

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8437/7955798906_5160fef15d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7955798906/)
The Great Red-veined Lancer (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7955798906/)

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/493/unid5.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/651/unid5.jpg/)

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/3576/unid1p.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/818/unid1p.jpg/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8313/7955422548_2f52319062_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7955422548/)
2 Large Snow Flat mating (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7955422548/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8441/7955119272_c1018ca0b3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7955119272/)
2 Dart mating (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7955119272/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8318/7954880188_a03ce264ab_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954880188/)
The Common Small Flat (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954880188/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8307/7954656560_0cda1c6011_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954656560/)
The Common Wight (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954656560/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8300/7954593022_0dbb92896e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954593022/)
2 Chestnut Bob mating (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954593022/)

[Angiud]

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8301/7954553532_c97ac33cb1_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954553532/)
The Malay Dartlet (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954553532/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8171/7954607236_260383150a_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954607236/)
The Common Imperial (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954607236/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8171/7954722410_4f1ca62cea_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954722410/)
Mycalesis janardana (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7954722410/)

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8175/7959079558_edf7afdaf8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7959079558/)
The Elbowed Pierrot (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/7959079558/)

[Psyche]

Post 23

Psolos fuligo -Hunchback appearance.

Notocrypta curvifascia. subapical spots ; band not reaching costa.

Unid 4 Potanthus omaha. Hindwing darkened veins.

Unid 3 Koruthaialos rubecula female. long palpi; band not reaching costa.

Unid 2 P. omaha hindwing dark veins visible.

Post 24.

Pyroneura perakana ; forewing without silver streak; reddish veins.

Tagiade.s gana mating pair.

Potanthus pair uncertain. forewing, overlap between spot 3 & 4.
Like P. ganda but hindwing dark spots excavate outer margin of band.
The hindwing is similar to P. trachala
( This is actually the same species that was Ided as P. ganda in Les' post 18 earlier. The problem is with spot 3. All valid examples of P. trachala in C&P4 , Fleming have this spot narrow (ie not elongate in shape as the one in post 18. However HK examples show an elongate spot.)
(Correction : Spot 3 is highly variable in shape.)
Post 25.

Mycaesis janardana.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Sorry I could not make it, but you have come back with some lovely photos. Pity about the weather again. The last two days here have been very sunny, but illness has prevented me from going out, not that there is much arround at the moment.

Congrats on the Great Red-veined Lancer (Pyroneura perakana perakana). I have never seen this one before, in fact I have never seen this Genus in the wild!

[Angiud]

Thank you very much, TL Seow, for the prompt and precise identification of the several Hesperiidae! I hope soon to be able to ID the species myself!

Les, don't worry, I have an open issue with the Park and I'll go back soon!

I'll tell you a secret: 80% of the shot were made in the garden of the Morning Mist resort :embrass:

Only the last day I was able to go in the park walking up to the small house at the end of the interpretative trail, but not so many species in the forest. And a lot, a lot of water!

[moloch]

Beautiful shots. I really enjoyed viewing those.

Regards,

[Bluebottle]

Beautiful shots, Antonio :thumbsup:
Like the Large Snow Flat and Common Small Flat shots.

[WillFolsom]

Doesn't matter where you shot them, the plain fact is that they are wonderful shots. William