129. Cyrestis thyodamas thyodamas (The Common Map)

Number: 129

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Cyrestiinae

Species: Cyrestis thyodamas thyodamas Doyère, [1840]

Common name(s): The Common Map

Photography location: Cuc Phuong N.P. (Ninh Binh Prov.)

The genus Cyrestis (“Maps”) comprises around 25 species, all except one (C. camillus/African Map) from Oriental Region. According to Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016), 4 Cyrestis species are currently known in Vietnam viz. themire, cocles, thyodamas and nivea. 

C. thyodamas ranges from India to Vietnam (N., C. & S.) and north to Japan.

Cyrestis thyodamas - really nice and interesting underwing pattern

Usually encountered singly or in two's and three's, in forest edge habitats, on gravel roads or along water courses, puddling with wings fully expanded

 Puddling congregation of Cyrestis thyodamas, with Pseudergolis wedah, Vindula erota, Symbrenthia hypselis, Heriophorus sp...

Another congregation of puddling butterflies in Cuc Phuong, with Vidula erota and 3 species of Cyrestis (C. themire, C. thyodamas and C. cocles)

Three species of Cyrestis side by side: mainly C. thyodamas and C. cocles + two (blurry) C. themire at the bottom of the image