Chiang Mai, N. Thailand - 26 Feb/6 March 2014

[Painted Jezebel]

I have just returned from a very interesting investigative trip to Chiang Mai.

I was fortunate in meeting Yutaka Inayoshi who was kind enough to show me the best places on Doi Suthep-Pui, and also invited me to Doi Pha Hom Pok, a trip I will never do again. I understand why most people now go to the nearby Doi Lang.

Altergether 3 days were spent on Doi Suthep-Pui, 2 at Chiang Dao Wildlife Santcuary and 1 day at Doi Pha Hom Pok. One day was wasted as I looked to see if there were any good butterflying spots on the Samoeng Loop (there weren't).

40+ new species for me seen, plus umpteen additional male/female and upper/underside photos taken where needed. I will not show them all here as there are too many!

Part 1 : Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary

1) Atrophaneura aidoneus (Striped Batwing)
2) Ctenoptilum multiguttatum (Multi-Spot Angle)
3) Sebastonyma pudens (Tufted Ace)
4) Tongeia ion ssp. (Black Spotted Cupid) - A Chiang Dao speciality which has yet to be formally identified to ssp. level.
5) A skipper that I have been unable to identify with all my books - HELP! Arnetta atkinsoni (Atkinson's Bob)- Thank you Seow.

[Painted Jezebel]

Part 2 : Doi Pha Hom Pok, c. 1800m.

1) Hypolycaena kina kina (Blue Tit)
2) Neptis soma shania (Cream-Spotted Sailor)
3) Orthomiella rantaizana rovorea (Chinese Straight-wing Blue)
4) Orthomiella pontis pontis (Burmese Straight-wing Blue)

We also saw Papilio arcturus but it was too damaged to show here.

[Painted Jezebel]

Part 3 : Doi Suthep-Pui (700m and below)

1) Artipe eryx eryx (Green Flash) - Female, as shown by extensive white tornal markings on hindwing.
2) Dodona deodata deodata (White Punch) - Male
3) Dodona deodata deodata (White Punch) - Female. I thought this was a different species until I returned home!

[Angiud]

ConGRRRRatulations for the great finds. And I suppose this is just the beginning....
.
On the ferry to the mainland destination Sri Phan-Nga national park

:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Part 4 : Doi Suthep-Pui c. 1100m.

1) Darpa hanria (Hairy Angle)
2) Dodona egeon egeon (Orange Punch)
3) Lethe sinorix sinorix (Red-tailed Forrester) - CORRECTION. This is Lethe kansa kansa (Bamboo Forrester)
4) Neptis ananta learmondi (Ananta Yellow Sailor)
5) Ticherre acte acte (Blue Imperial)

[Painted Jezebel]

Part 5 : Doi Suthep-Pui c. 1500m.

1) Cheritrella truncipennis (Truncate Imperial) - always stayed about 4m. up in the trees.
2) Laringa horsfieldi glaucescens (Banded Dandy)
3) Papilio agestor agestor (Tawny Mime)
4) Simiskina phalia potina (Blue Brilliant)

[Psyche]

Post 1 skipper is Arnetta atkinsoni.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/ArnettaAtkinsoni/ArnettaAtkinsoni_KrushnameghKunte_af887.jpg

TL Seow :Cheers.

[Painted Jezebel]

Post 1 skipper is Arnetta atkinsoni.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/ArnettaAtkinsoni/ArnettaAtkinsoni_KrushnameghKunte_af887.jpg

TL Seow :Cheers.

Thank you. I did look at that but discounted it because of the white shading on both wings and also the forewing shape looked wrong (too long and pointed at apex). Another, less clear photo from a different angle.

[Psyche]

Thank you. I did look at that but discounted it because of the white shading on both wings and also the forewing shape looked wrong (too long and pointed at apex). Another, less clear photo from a different angle.

It should be the dry season male . These dsf & wsf are rather confusing. Wingshape due to excessive perspective distortion.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/buxa_tiger_reserve/8297054818/in/photostream/

Others in the region.
A. vindhiana
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ArnettaVindhiana_801_1_Fitch.png
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/ArnettaVindhiana/thumb/th_01ArnettaVindhiana_MilindBhakare_am492.jpg

A. mercara.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Forest_Hopper_(Arnetta_mercara)_I_IMG_0160.jp g


TL Seow:cheers:

[Painted Jezebel]

Thanks, the new photo is identical to mine. None of the books mention dsf or wsf for this species and only apparently picture the wsf.

[atronox]

Fantastic Artipe eryx.:thumbsup:
But shouldn't the batwing be Atrophaneura aidoneus?

[Elbowed Pierrot]

the green flash coloration is so unreal :what:, can't wait for the trip. :redbounce

[Painted Jezebel]

Fantastic Artipe eryx.:thumbsup:
But shouldn't the batwing be Atrophaneura aidoneus?

Thank you regards the Artipe. She was a very good model.

Again thanks, not quite sure what I was thinking, of course it is Atrophaneura, duly corrected.

[Banded Yeoman]

So many lovely butterflies. :cheers:

The truncate imperial is really interesting with its cryptic markings and (truncated!) hindwing.
I hope to see it one day.

[Peacock Royal]

Wow, so many species that were different from what we shot at CM last Nov.

[Painted Jezebel]

Apologies, but an ID in post #5 was incorrect. Now changed.

[Psyche]

Apologies, but an ID in post #5 was incorrect. Now changed.

I am curious how you arrived at the new ID.
The two L. sinorix & kansa are so similar on the underside that there are probably many error images on the web.
I think you are right, though.

TL Seow:cheers:
PS. Lethe sinorix :HW ocelli form a sharp angle at spot 4 (almost 90 deg.);space between ocelli & postdiscal line widest in space 4.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DebisSinorix_78_3.jpg
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/media_images/LetheSinorix/LetheSinorix_AjayGaikwad_ap160.jpg

Lethe kansa. HW ocelli form a curve roughly following the contour of the postdiscal line.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Lethe_kansa_78_1.jpg
http://www.jpmoth.org/~dmoth/Butterflies%20of%20China/06_Satyridae/Lethe%20kansa/Lethe%20kansa.htm
http://www.thaibugs.com/wp-content/gallery/satyrinae/Lethe%20kansa.jpg

Lethe vindhya : spot 2, 3, & 4 out of line.

[Painted Jezebel]

Actually, I did not personally arrive at the change of ID. I noticed that the hindwing postdiscal band in my photos was wavy towards the tornus. This is standard for Lethe kansa, but in L. sinorix, it is usually far more regular. I asked Pasubsuk Sukkit and another northern Thailand collector, and they both felt that the species was most likely to be L. kansa after looking at their specimens of both species. Also, L. sinorix has yet to be found in the very well studied location of Doi Suthep-Pui, whilst L. kansa is 'common' there.

It is a shame that I could not get even a partial upperside shot, as that would have answered the problem immediately, but the fact that I had started to have doubts, together with the fact that 2 well respected local collectors both thought so, made me change the ID.

I agree that some photos on the web may be incorrect, but as you say, the two are very similar.

[Psyche]

Actually, I did not personally arrive at the change of ID. I noticed that the hindwing postdiscal band in my photos was wavy towards the tornus. This is standard for Lethe kansa, but in L. sinorix, it is usually far more regular. I asked Pasubsuk Sukkit and another northern Thailand collector, and they both felt that the species was most likely to be L. kansa after looking at their specimens of both species. Also, L. sinorix has yet to be found in the very well studied location of Doi Suthep-Pui, whilst L. kansa is 'common' there.

It is a shame that I could not get even a partial upperside shot, as that would have answered the problem immediately, but the fact that I had started to have doubts, together with the fact that 2 well respected local collectors both thought so, made me change the ID.

I agree that some photos on the web may be incorrect, but as you say, the two are very similar.


I have actually studied the postdiscal line at the tornus where it arched over the ocellus in space 1b, but was confused by the Indian website below.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/441-lethe/lethe-sinorix

Now looking through the images I think you are right, this should be the correct difference between the two.
I thought only the dsf form of sinorix have the line at the tornus fairly straight, but the ssp vanda from Malaya also have it straight.

TL Seow:cheers:
PS. Should this one be sinorix or kansa. The line at the tornus is only lightly curved. I think it is kansa.
http://mybutterflycollection.com/2013/03/18/red-tailed-forester-lethe-sinorix-sinorix/

This female sinorix have upperside confirmation.
http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/441-lethe/lethe-sinorix

The original images of L. sinorix shows how the postdiscal line runs in space 1b.
Fig 19 & 20.
http://www.archive.org/stream/illustrationsofn4186771hewi#page/n83/mode/1up
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DebisSinorix_78_3.jpg
versus that for L. kansa.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Lethe_kansa_78_1.jpg