188. Suastus minuta aditia (The Small Palm Bob)

Number: 188

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Suastus minuta aditia Evans, 1943

Common name(s): The Small Palm Bob

Photography location : Cat Ba N.P. (Hai Phong City)

Two species of Suastus are recorded from Vietnam - gremius and minuta.

Suastus minuta aditia, Cat Ba Island, secondary forest (July 21th, 2016)

187. Ampittia dioscorides etura (The Bush Hopper)

Number: 187

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Ampittia dioscorides etura (Mabille, 1891)

Common name(s): The Bush Hopper

Photography location: Cat Ba N.P. (Hai Phong City)

Two species of Ampittia are recorded from Vietnam - dioscorides and virgata. The subspecies A.dioscorides etura is limited to North of the country (and also southern China, Taiwan), and is replaced further south by A.dioscorides camertes.
This small skipper is often seen in abandoned paddy fields.

Ampittia dioscorides etura, Cat Ba Island, secondary forest (July 20th, 2016)

186. Matapa cresta (The Fringed Branded Redeye)

Number: 186

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Matapa cresta Evans, 1949

Common name(s): The Fringed Branded Redeye 

Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

The skipper genus Matapa, described by Moore in 1881 with Ismene aria  Moore, 1866 as the type species, is a small group of the family Hesperiidae. The members of the genus share the following  characters: the eyes are red, wings are dark brown above and below without spots in both sexes, the  hindwing cell at vein M3 is acutely produced, the males of all but M. deprivata  have a stigma on the  upperside of the forewing in spaces Cu1 and Cu2. The genus is comprised of 9 species, which occur  mainly in Oriental region. The species have interesting habits, probably all being mainly crepuscular (de Jong, 1983).
Four species of Matapa are recorded from Vietnam: cresta, aria, druna and sasivarna.

Photo taken without flash - with flash, it really alter its appearance. Lost a lot of sharpness (area very dark, so very high ISO settings) but it doesn't matter, photo looks more natural! Note the extensive pale area on the underside of forewing, distinctly lighter than ground colour. Basal part of hindwing also paler, but less conspicuously

185. Koruthaialos rubecula hector (The Narrow-banded Velvet Bob)

Number: 185

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Koruthaialos rubecula hector Watson, 1893

Common name(s): The Narrow-banded Velvet Bob

Photography location: Cat Ba National Park (Hai Phong City)

The genus Koruthaialos comprises of 4 species, all of which being limited to the Oriental region. In Vietnam 3 are recorded - rubecula, sindu and butleri.
Butleri is unique for the genus in having no oblique orange band on forewing.

Tonkin and S. Annam, respectively, are the type-localities of gopaka Frühst, and avidha Frühst., both synonyms of hector. The subspecific division of rubecula is rather complicated by its individual and seasonal variability and, in particular, by the existence of bandless specimens found occasionally throughout the species range (Evans, 1949)

This species is very closely related to K.sindu. But in sindu the orange band is wider, almost of equal width throughout, and extends as far as the leading edge of the forewings
Moreover the third segment of palpi is short and stout in sindu, long and slender in rubecula

184. Rapala manea schistacea (The Common Slate Flash)

Number: 184

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-family:  Thecliinae

Species: Rapala manea schistacea (Moore, 1879)

Common name(s): The Common Shot Flash

Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

The genus Rapala comprises of about 30 species, and 16 are recorded from Vietnam. Rapala manea is one of the most widely distributed species, being found in most ot the Oriental ecozone.

183. Herona marathus marathus (The Yellow Pasha)

Number: 183

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Apaturiinae

Species: Herona marathus marathus Doubleday, [1848]

Common name(s): The Yellow Pasha 

Photography location: Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

A poor photo (everything was set up for close macro work) and one shot and it was gone... anyway, it's still good enough for ID purposes

Voucher male specimen from Tam Dao, upperside

Same specimen, underside

182. Thaduka multicaudata multicaudata (The Many-tailed Oakblue)

Number: 182

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Thecliinae

Species: Thaduka multicaudata multicaudata Moore, 1878

Common name(s): The Many-tailed Oakblue

Photography locations: Hàm Yên District (Tuyen Quang Prov.), Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.)

In the field, I thought at fist that it was an Arhopala sp.. But when I returned home, a little research on the Internet revealed that it was in fact Thaduka multicaudata. 
Thaduka is a monotypic genus.

 Thaduka multicaudata multicaudata (Tuyen Quang Prov., July 2015)
Found in a thin strip of streamside forest running through agricultual fields.

Un is dark brown marked like Arhopala species, but note the FW pointed sidewardly at apex, HW with three distinct tails and dentate margin

Another specimen, from Xuan Son N.P. (July 2016)

Sexes are alike. UP is silvery blue with broad black borders.

181. Cynitia lepidea cognata (The Grey Count)

Number: 181

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Limenitidiinae

Species: Cynitia lepidea cognata Moore, [1897]

Common name(s): The Grey Count

Photography location: Hàm Yên District (Tuyen Quang Prov.)

The genus Cynitia is represented in Vietnam by 5 species – lepidea, cocytus, whiteheadi, stellata and shigehoi. C. lepidea is the commonest member of the genus in Vietnam.

Cynitia lepidea cognata - male (July 5, 2016)
Photographed in the garden of my mother-in-law. I never thought I would find a new species for my personal list in such a place!