Number: 171
Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae
Species: Melanitis phedima (Cramer, 1780)
Common name(s): The Dark Evening Brown
Photography locations: Cuc Phuong N.P. (Ninh Binh Prov.), Ba Vi N.P. (Hanoi), Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)
Voucher male specimen from Cuc Phuong, upperside
Identification from the underside alone is unreliable - phedima can only be reliably identified from the dorsal surface, which is much darker than in leda
Same specimen, underside
Another specimen, from Mount Ba Vi, December 2016
The genus Melanitis comprises of 12 species, commonly known as Evening Browns. They usually fly at dawn and shortly before dusk and are not normally seen during the day, except when disturbed.
Three Melanitis species are recorded from Vietnam viz. M. leda, M. phedima & M. zitenius.
Melanitis phedima, photographed in natural light - Ba Vi, April 2017
Melanitis species love very dark places. This made photography without flash very difficult. With flash, it can really alter their appearance
A nother specimen photographed in natural light, from Tam Dao, June 2016
Identification from the underside alone is unreliable - phedima can only be reliably identified from the dorsal surface, which is much darker than in leda
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