N. Thailand Part 1 - Thung Salaeng Luang NP, Phitsanulok

[Painted Jezebel]

Antonio and I have just returned from 4 full days in N. Thailand, where we met up with 3 Facebook friends of Antonio's for the first 2 days which were spent at Thung Salaeng Luang National Park, Phitsanulok Province. the other two days were spent in other National Parks, and owing to the number of new species/subspecies found in each park, they will each have their own thread, otherwise this would become over cumbersome.

As some will know, our aims included the JungleQueen and the Yellow Gorgon. Whilst we were there at the wrong time of year, apparently, for the JungleQueen, we did, at long distance, see a single Yellow Gorgon, and are looking forward to finding a better quality specimen next time we visit, which will also allow us closer.

So, to start this thread off with this 'goody' ( there will be many, many more to come), a dishevelled, heavily cropped, female Yellow Gorgon (Meandrusa payeni langsonensis).

[bluefin]

More More More

[Silverstreak]

Waiting for More ! :)

[moloch]

Wow, great to see a shot of the Yellow Gorgon. They are a nice looking swallowtail. Looking forward to the rest.

[Angiud]

Sorry, as always, for the mixed systematic and for the mistakes:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2843/9959885676_4a64417eef_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9959885676/)
The Common Tiger - Danaus genutia genutia (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9959885676/)

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3827/9959861294_8875a97e65_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9959861294/)
The Spotted Snow Flat - Tagiades menaka menaka (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9959861294/)

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5337/9960072584_844d354098_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9960072584/)
The Common Mime - Papilio clytia clytia (Form clytia) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9960072584/)

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5340/9973761845_3307674784_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9973761845/)
Skipper and drops (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9973761845/) ??

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/9973891953_cbf7785d0b_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9973891953/)
The Indian Skipper - Spialia galba (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9973891953/)

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3756/9973817166_2779bef50a_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9973817166/)
The White-tipped Palmer - Lotongus calathus balta (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9973817166/)

[Angiud]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7337/9974141753_f13f033ddb_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974141753/)
The Cruiser - Vindula erota erota, male (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974141753/)

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3748/9974136783_dfe755fc4a_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974136783/)
The White Punch - Dodona deodata deodata (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974136783/) (heavily cropped ;)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/9974136023_206abba460_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974136023/)
The Yellow Gorgon - Meandrusa payeni langsonensis (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974136023/) Canon 300/4 at f 5.6

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3834/9974017734_c7667aa385_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974017734/)
Unidentified Hedge Blue (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974017734/)

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2847/9974648006_c808a7a1f6_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974648006/)
The Large Snow Flat - Tagiades gana meetana (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974648006/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7430/9974575445_401fe5b287_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974575445/)
The Common Gull - Cepora nerissa dapha (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974575445/)

[Angiud]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7395/9974707223_108a3be91e_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974707223/)
The Red Lacewing - Cethosia biblis biblis (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9974707223/)

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5541/9976082694_eece7e0eb7_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9976082694/)
The Blue-striped Palmfly - Elymnias patna stictica (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9976082694/) - Mimic male of Euploea mulciber

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5485/9976033485_7a7c52860f_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9976033485/)
The Pointed Palmfly - Elymnias penanga chelensis de (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9976033485/)

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5342/9976182303_8f6628a0d8_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9976182303/)
The Constable - Dichorragia nesimachus nesimachus (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9976182303/)

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3709/9976174523_118ed1f9b1_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9976174523/)
The Glorious Begum - Agatasa calydonia belisama (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9976174523/) - Note the bait...

[Painted Jezebel]

I knew you had better photos than me!

I THINK that the unidentified Lycaenid is Celastrina lavendularis limbata (Plain Hedge Blue), but I will be happy to be shown to be wrong.

Just to add to a couple of yours already posted:
1) Vindula erota erota (female)
2) Cepora nerissa dapha (upperside)

[moloch]

Beautiful shots, guys. I really liked the Glorious Begam ... such colourful butterflies. How do you find the 300mm lens for butterfly photos? The shot of the Yellow Gorgon turned out nicely.

Regards,
David

[Psyche]

Post 5.

Skipper is Parnara spp. most likely P. bada.
Antenna without apiculus ; FW cell without spots.
Since P. guttata & ganga usually have cell spots it is either bada or apostata.
P. apostata is almost black on the topside.

Post 6.
Probably Udara placidula howarthi.
It need to fulfill the 2 main criteria.
1. A submarginal lunulate line (spots).
2. A small black spot in HW space 1a.
In addition also the following.
3. HW costal spot 7 is larger than the others.
4. HW tornal area with 3 small separate spots.
5. Relatively pale (whitish) ground colour.
http://www.lycaenidae.gmxhome.de/Lycaenopsis/Udara/Udara-index.htm

TL Seow:cheers:

[Psyche]

I knew you had better photos than me!

I THINK that the unidentified Lycaenid is Celastrina lavendularis limbata (Plain Hedge Blue), but I will be happy to be shown to be wrong.


You could be right too.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/220-celastrina/celastrina-lavendularis

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

I do have one species I am pretty sure is an Udara sp. I think (yet again) that this is Udara dilecta dilecta (Pale Hedge Blue). Sorry Seow, I gave the wrong English name first, but now changed.

[Psyche]

Agreed it is Udara dilecta.

I was going to state it also looks identical to U. rona catius until I realised it is not recorded in Thailand.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Peacock Royal]

Antonio, I like that Glorious Begum shot - hope I have too see and shoot one in Nov.
Les, the female Cruiser shot was nicely composed and shot.

[Angiud]

I hope too Federick! But who carry the smelly bait? :bsmile:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5521/9990411394_a3fb8da09f_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9990411394/)
The Burmese Batwing - Atrophaneura varuna zaleucus (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9990411394/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7328/9990403525_77ce3dfe3b_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9990403525/)
The White-bar Bushbrown - Mycalesis anaxias aemate (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9990403525/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7369/9990414195_8d0e5c6820_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9990414195/)
The Small Banded Flat - Celaenorrhinus nigricans nigricans (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9990414195/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7327/9990549873_199ba6c4fe_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9990549873/)
The Scarce Catseye - Coelites nothis nothis (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9990549873/)

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2811/9990425245_5e39f398cb_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9990425245/)
The Common Duffer - Discophora sondaica zal (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9990425245/) ??

[Painted Jezebel]

Some more, most, I think, Antonio did not get.

1) To add to Antonio's last post, an upperside shot of Atrophaneura varuna zaleucus.

Some Lycaenids:
2) Poritia hewitsoni tavoyanus (female) - Common Gem
3) Poritia sp. I am not sure if this is the same sp. or possibly Poritia erycinoides trishna (Blue Gem). The hind wing submarginal marking are much less produced than in No. 2.
4) A Prosotas species. I see a very small tail, I think. Is this P. pia marginata?
5) A large Miletus species.

[Angiud]

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2849/9991212124_6cd361a84a_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9991212124/)
The Chapman's Cupid - Everes argiades (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9991212124/)

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5444/9991208284_2c8e64b3ba_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9991208284/)
The Scarce Tawny Rajah - Charaxes aristogiton (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9991208284/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7304/9991343913_49981ebbba_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9991343913/)
The Dawnas Royal - Pseudotajuria donatana arooni (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9991343913/)

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5457/9991278316_f73dfd599d_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9991278316/)
The Common Treebrown - Lethe rohria rohria (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9991278316/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7343/9991233614_8fb27e617e_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9991233614/)
The Common Maplet - Chersonesia risa risa (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9991233614/)

[Painted Jezebel]

1) Eurema laeta pseudolaeta (Spotless Grass Yellow)
2) Delias pasithoe pasithoe (Red-base Jezebel)
3) Ancema ctesia ctesia (Bi-spot Royal)

[Angiud]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7332/9992682396_d70068d51f_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9992682396/)
Unidentified Bushbrown (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9992682396/) - mineus?

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3684/9992769183_87d94e8884_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9992769183/)
The White Commodore - Parasarpa dudu dudu (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9992769183/)

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2894/9992643395_9265f88e31_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9992643395/)
The Spotless Grass Yellow - Eurema laeta pseudolaeta (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9992643395/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7432/9992696206_7a31a45587_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9992696206/)
The Dingy Lineblue - Petrelaea dana (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9992696206/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7328/9992653074_17e81937c6_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9992653074/)
The Bi-spot Royal - Ancema ctesia ctesia (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/9992653074/)

[Bluebottle]

Beautiful shots, Les and Antonio. :thumbsup:
Despite the less than ideal weather, you guys manage to nail quite a lot of specifies and chalk up some ++
The Ancema ctesia ctesia (Bi-spot Royal) is beautiful.

[Psyche]

Post 16.

1 . It looks nigh impossible to differentiate P. erycinoides trishna from P. hewitsoni tavoyana.
There is too much variations.

It is true the female of erycinoides tend to have 'flatter less pointy HW postdiscal spots.
So there is a suggestion it is this.
Typical ssp phraatica from Malaya also have a whiter groud & markings.
Male
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bwR-4hVDtqw/T-aaUWsMd_I/AAAAAAAAGPw/6RYhyuGBazo/s1600/DSC1589+Poritia+erycinoides+phraatica.jpg
Female.
http://m3.i.pbase.com/o6/25/686825/1/85026833.48JmOzFe.Poritiaphilotaphilotamale.jpg

2. There is a possibility this is P. pia marginata as it is not a rare species.
The extension of the central cell band into space 1b tend to be reduced though it is not very obvious here.
The marginata refers to the FW having a broad border topside compared to pia.
So a topside view will help.

3. This should be a female M. symethus.
The shape of the white band rules out spp like chinensis , mallus & lack of dark HW band rules out archilochus, & ancon.
The apical areas of both wings are lightly whitened as typical of this species.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you Seow, for the Miletus, it was doing my head in.

Unfortunately, I do not have upperside shots for either the Prosotas or the suspect P. erycinoides trishna. I do not think Antonio has the Prosotas upperside either, and he was not with me when I found the Poritia.

[Psyche]

Post 18. Mycalesis species.

Normally I would think this is Mycalesis mineus as it looks fairly typical.

However, there are a couple of things wrong with it.

M. mineus belongs to group where HW spots 4 & 5 are very small .
This feature is very consistent through all the species seen.
Here, spot 5 is very large. If this is an aberration it is the first seen.

2ndly the ground colour is finely striated/stippled, not seen in mineus, but possibly could occur in dsf.

TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

I suggest possibly Mycalesis malsara (White-line Bushbrown), spots in 5 & 6 are usually similarly sized. This is not in the mineus group. Upperside photos would help.

[Angiud]

And unusually dark to be a M. mineus (in my newbie opinion)

[Psyche]

I suggest possibly Mycalesis malsara (White-line Bushbrown), spots in 5 & 6 are usually similarly sized. This is not in the mineus group. Upperside photos would help.

You got the ID.

Note the tapering shape of the FW white band & the fine streaks in the ground pattern.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/HeteropsisMalsara/HeteropsisMalsara_GauravAgavekar_aa683.jpg

TL Seow: Cheers.

[Angiud]

Thanks, Seow and Les for the prompt ID, going to a new species for me too :cheers:

[Angiud]

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5528/10009637985_07c6148fa9_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/10009637985/)
The Common Evening Brown - Melanitis leda leda (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/10009637985/)

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2813/10009667936_d6a7d9d79a_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/10009667936/)
The Red Lacewing - Cethosia biblis biblis (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/10009667936/)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7314/10009592944_eac833971b_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/10009592944/)
The Staff Sergeant - Athyma selenophora bahula (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/10009592944/)

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3709/10009601695_a734f17d35_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/10009601695/)
The Colon Swift (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/10009601695/) EDIT: Caltoris cahira austeni Thanks Seow!

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2883/10009709353_4894429a81_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/10009709353/)
Thung Salaeng Luang National Park (http://www.flickr.com/photos/angiud/10009709353/) A view of the wonderful "savannah"

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/527/x6l7.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/801/x6l7.jpg/)

Les with the usual lover

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/3342/uet6.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/405/uet6.jpg/)
Photo by ปีโป้ รักเมืองไทย

Our group with the admins of the Thai website http://www.savebutterfly.com/ and of the FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/ButterfliesOfThailand/

[Painted Jezebel]

I am getting towards the end for this section, only one more group after this one to show, but it will have a couple of nice species to end off with, if not specimens!

Pesky Hesperiidae:
1) Tagiades vajuna vajuna ( Water Snow Flat) - Previously known as T. litigiosus.
2) Pyroneura sp. ID needed.
3) Potanthus sp. I think it is P. ganda but need to be certain.
4) Potanthus sp. I am wondering if the forewing spot is small enough to be P. juno.
5) Telicota sp. I know nothing about this genus which is surprisingly rare on Samui.

[Psyche]

Post 28.

Skipper should be Caltoris cahira male.
Everything is identical to C. cormasa except the colour.
Note HW is dark chocolate brown.

TL Seow : Cheers.

[Psyche]

Post 29.

2. Pyroneura niasana. (FW apical spots directed to termen;no silverstreak; HW vein 8 broadly orange both sides; brown area twice width of orange veins.)

3. Probably Potanthus serina. (FW band detached; spot 5 i/2 of spot 4; HW veins not darkened; spot 6 prominent.)
Close to P. pava, but pava has FW band continuous; spots 4 & 5 equal.)
http://m5.i.pbase.com/g1/98/670198/2/97013315.LPZMwJ3X.jpg

4. Probably P. juno is correct. (FW spot 8 small; Spot 5 1/2 that of spot 4; HW veins not darkened.)

5. Cephrenes trichopepla. ( Male without FW brand.)

TL Seow : Cheers.

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you, Seow.

One question. The id of Cephrenes trichopepla is a massive extension to its known movement north, as it has not been recorded from Thailand before. Could it be Cephrenes aculle oceanicus? Unfortunately, it would not allow an underside shot.

[Psyche]

It is Cephrenes trichopepla.

In C. acalle, Note broad overlap of spot 5 with subapicals; shape of spot 4 & 5; spots 2 -4 without veinstreaks (tails); strongly black HW veins.
C. acalle oceanicus from HK.
http://old.hkbutterfly.org/news/C.%20acalle/Hong%20Kong/MALE%20copy.jpg

C. trichopepla.
http://www.lepbarcoding.org/australia/image_code/phpThumb.php?src=http://www.boldsystems.org/pics/ANICU/11ANIC_08510+1302420046.JPG&w=500&fltr%5B%5D=wmt%7C%7C4%7CBR%7CCC3300%7Cverdana.TTF% 7C100%7C5%7C0

TL Seow: Cheers.

[Glorious Begum]

Wow. So many butterflies. Nice shots, Les & Antonio

[Painted Jezebel]

Thanks, LC, and thank you, Seow for the explaination, I have been confused by those two species ever since its discovery in Singapore and Malaysia.

My last lot from Thung Salaeng Luang NP:

1) Mycalesis mnasicles perna (Cyclops Bushbrown)
2) Euploea doubledayi doubledayi or E. eyndhovii gardineri? I can not see the differences!
3) Mycalesis gotama charaka (Chinese Bushbrown). Only photo I got, so sorry about quality, but I don't think it has been shown before.
4) Atrophaneura dasarada barata (Great Windmill). It never stopped beating its wings, most frustrating!

and finally, as I started this thread off with a 'seen only once, and a worn individual', I will end my contribution with the same:

5) Euripus consimilis erinus (Painted Courtesan)-Male. I love the English name for the species.

[Psyche]

A BIG Oopsie here.:embrass:

The' Cephrenes trichopepla' is actually a female Telicota colon.

The brush end abdominal tip had me fooled.
I thought a number of points were not quite right, the shape of spots $ & 5, the extension of the HW band into sp ace 6.

However the FW cell bar have a black 'hole' in the centre typical of all female Telicotas.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=21722&d=1380501570

A male C. trichopepla in the same position.
http://www.nss.org.sg/butterflies_list/show_photo.php?img_id=455

TL Seow:cheers:

[Psyche]

Post 35.

I am faiely sure this is Euploea doubledayii with its large well-defined white stripes.

TL Seow : Cheers.

[Painted Jezebel]

Thank you foir the correction, Seow. I must admit that I was having a problem with the original id, and it would have caused a lot of work, being a new species for Thailand. Not a new species for me but a far clearer photo than what I previously had.

[Painted Jezebel]

On our way back from Chiang Mai, Antonio and I were to have stopped at Kaeng Krachan. However, we were advised that the Park had been closed owing to substantial flooding in the area, so we changed plans and returned for a day's stay at Thung Salaeng Luang NP. We had received two reports of the White Emperor (Helcyra hemina hemina) being photographed there in the previous week, so we got location details and went in search of it.

Unfortunately, the weather was against us, and the numbers of butterflies very low compared to our previous visit. There were a few interesting ones, but not enough to warrant a seperate thread, so I am adding them here.

TSL1) Euploea cameralzeman cameralzeman (Blue King Crow) - very different from the ssp. down south!
TLS2) I can not get an id on this one which was about the same large size as E. cameralzeman, but the hindwing spots are different.
TSL3) A Mycalesis species, but I don't know which.
TSL4) Charaxes species. C. aristogiton aristogiton or C. bernardus hierax f. hipponax?
TSL5) Zeuxidia masoni (Burmese Saturn)
TSL6) Ragadia crisilda crisilda (Striped Ringlet). An unexpected +1 for me, and the only shot I managed.

[Psyche]

Post 38.

TSL2 . Euploea camaralzelman malayica. The narrow short streak inner submarginal HW spots is typical of ssp. malayica.
This one has reduced spotting. C&P4 include a ssp paraclaudina with blueshot wingbase, but Yutaka subsumed this under ssp. malayica.

TSL3. Mycalesis visala dsf. It is possible to deduce the ID of this by deduction.
M. mineus, distanti , intermedia, have ocelli in dsf .
M. perseus have misaligned spots.
M. perseoides have the dark line toothed at the bottom.
http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/India%20-%20Mycalesis%20visala.htm

TSL4. Charaxes bernardus hierax f-hipponax.
C. aristogiton do not have a well-formed series of large pale spots beneath.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/1a_7/ab611.jpg
http://us.123rf.com/450wm/teptong/teptong1307/teptong130700041/21228248-close-up-of-scarce-tawny-rajah-charaxes-aristogiton-butterfly-puddling-on-the-ground.jpg
http://www.insect-sale.com/kr/photo.asp?photo=Charaxes-aristogiton-aristogiton
CORRECTION: The Insect Sale .com specimen for sale is actually Charaxes kahruba.

http://yutaka.it-n.jp/cha/60210001.html

TL Seow :cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Post 38.

TSL2 . Euploea camaralzelman malayica. The narrow short streak inner submarginal HW spots is typical of ssp. malayica.
This one has reduced spotting. C&P4 include a ssp paraclaudina with blueshot wingbase, but Yutaka subsumed this under ssp. malayica.



This has staggered me! What is it doing up there? It is many hundreds of KM north of its known range (Sundaland), and was flying/puddling with the usual nominate ssp.

[Psyche]

This has staggered me! What is it doing up there? It is many hundreds of KM north of its known range (Sundaland), and was flying/puddling with the usual nominate ssp.

I think I am too hasty here.

If size is not factored in there are two possibilities.
Closest is E. modesta.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/dan/30240001.html

2nd is E. midamus which is a lot larger.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/dan/30350010.html

Do the two subspecies of E. camaralzeman overlaps & what happens then.

TL Seow : Cheers.

[Painted Jezebel]

Do the two subspecies of E. camaralzeman overlaps & what happens then.

TL Seow : Cheers.

As far as I am aware, no way, there is a large gap betwen the two ssp.

I have to say that your initial id caused me a hell of a lot of problems because I had thought the same. When I got home and looked at the photos in the books, I could only agree, but geography told me.. no!

The specimen was large, the same size as the E. c. cameralzeman I posted. Can midamus or modesta be as large?

[Psyche]

It is strange that the continental & sundanian representatives of a species do not meet when the landmasses rejoin.

E. midamus can reach the lower size range of E. camaralzeman but does not look like it.

The logical explanation is that this is a variant of ssp camaralzeman with reduced spotting.

TL Seow : Cheers.

[Painted Jezebel]

I think the absence at the meeting point is due to a lack of records. The southernmost known record of E. c. cameralzeman is Kaeng Krachan, and I saw it there last year, whilst the northernmost record for ssp. malayica is Ranong. There is a gap of c.250Km, but that area (Chumphon and Prachaup Kirikhan) is hardly ever studied, being about as well researched as Samui was before I arrived!

I tend to agree about it being a variation.