205. Baoris farri (The Bamboo Paintbrush Swift)

Number: 205

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Baoris farri (Moore, 1878)

Common name(s): The Bamboo Paintbrush Swif

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

Four species of Baoris are recorded from Vietnam: B. farri, B. oceia, B. penicillata, B. pagana.

Baoris farri sunbathing on leaves. Note the spotless hindwing
This quite large skipper is recorded throughout the country

The forewing has hyaline spots in spaces 2-4, 6-8 and 2 cell spots. The female is usually fully spotted and has an additional non-hyaline spot in space 1b on the forewing (visible in this shot). The hindwing does not bear any spot, but the male has a black hair tuft in the cell on top of a scent pouch (hence "Paintbrush" in its common name). 

204. Coladenia agni sundae/agnioides

Number: 204

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Coladenia agni sundae or C. agnioides

Common name(s):

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

According to Monastyrskii  & Devyatkin (2016), 6 species of Coladenia are recorded from Vietnam: C. tanya, C. agni sundae, C. indrani uposathra, C. agnioides, C. laxmi sobrina, C. koiwayai (=C. fenestrata).

According to A. Monastyrskii (pers. comm.), C. agnioides is similar to C. agni sundae, but the male has a conspicuous white dot outward the central brand in the space 1b of the underside of the forewing. My specimen is a female therefore it is difficult to make a conclusion.

Female nectaring on Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) - Tam Dao (500m asl), mid-August 2016

Same individual, view of the underside pattern

203. Celaenorrhinus asmara consertus (The White-banded Flat)

Number: 203

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Celaenorrhinus asmara consertus de Nicéville, 1890

Common name(s): The White-banded Flat

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Celaenorrhinus asmara consertus, Tam Dao, ca 500m asl

Celaenorrhinus asmara consertus on Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) - an extremely popular nectar source for a wide variety of butterflies

This plant, which belongs to the Verbenaceae family, is native from tropical America and naturalized throughout tropics

202. Neptis harita harita (The Dingiest Sailor)

Number: 202

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Limenitidiinae

Species: Neptis harita harita Moore, 1875

Common name(s): The Dingiest Sailor

Photography location: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.)

According to Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016), 31 species - and 40 taxa - of Neptis have been recorded in Vietnam. This is a difficult genus with many very similar-looking species. Among the chocolate brown Neptis, N. harita is the commonest - recorded throughout the country.

Upperside smoky chocolate brown  with paler brown markings. Note the crescent-shaped spot in space 2 of FW, the hindwing band divided & chain-like.

Some other similar-looking species include N. ilira cindia (recorded from C. Vietnam), N. pseudovikasi (N. Vietnam: Lao Cai), N. omeroda (not recorded in Vietnam).

Voucher specimen, upperside (Ba Vi, April 2017)

Same specimen, underside

201. Dophla evelina annamita (The Redspot Duke)

Number: 201

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Limenitidiinae

Species: Dophla evelina annamita (Moore,1879)

Common name(s): The Redspot Duke

Photography location: Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Both sexes are drab coloured by with some bright red spots.

200. Bassarona teuta teuta (Doubleday, 1848)

Number: 200

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Limenitidiinae

Species: Bassarona teuta teuta (Doubleday, 1848)

Common name(s): The Banded Marquis 

Photography location: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.)

This species is placed by some authors in the genus Euthalia.

Female Bassarona teuta teuta from Xuan Son N.P., on July 30, 2016.
Male is smaller and with darker background color.

200 species up ... 300 here I come. Could take some time though!

199. Cigaritis syama latipicta (The Club Silverline)

Number: 199

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Thecliinae

Species: Cigaritis syama latipicta (Fruhstorfer, [1912])

Common name(s): The Club Silverline

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

Eight species of Cigaritis are known from Vietnam: C. lohita (2 subsp.), C. syama (2 subsp.), C. seliga, C. vulcanus, C. vixinga, C. gigas, C. leechi, C. evansii. In Tonkin (North of the country), lohita and syama are the most frequently encountered.
Cigaritis syama latipicta is replaced further south by C. syama peguanus.

Cigaritis syama latipicta, Tam Dao, mid-June 2016

198. Loxura atymnus continentalis (The Yamfly)

Number: 198

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Thecliinae

Species: Loxura atymnus continentalis Fruhstorfer, [1912]

Common name(s): The Yamfly

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

Genus Loxura is reddish-orange on Up, HW with a long white-tipped tail at vein 2, tornus in space 1a slightly produced to a round lobe.

197. Ancema ctesia ctesia (The Bi-spot Royal)

Number: 197

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-family:  Thecliinae

Species: Ancema ctesia ctesia (Hewitson, [1865])

Common name(s): The Bi-spot Royal

Photography location: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.)

Recorded from Nepal, N. India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malay Pen. (China?).

In Vietnam, known from few localities in the N. (Lao Cai: Hoang Lien N.P., Vinh Phuc: Tam Dao N.P.) and C. (Nghe An: Pu Mat N.R.). And now, from Xuan Son N.P. also.

196. Hestinalis nama nama (The Circe)

Number: 196

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Apaturiinae

Species: Hestinalis nama nama (Doubleday,1845)

Common name(s): The Circe
Photography location: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.), Ba Vi (Hanoi)

Recorded from Nepal to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, N. & C. Vietnam, S. China. This species mimics Danaids especially Parantica sita and P. melaeneus, but differs in having submarginal lunules on both wings. 

 Hestinalis nama, Xuan Son, June 2016

 Hestinalis nama, Ba Vi foothills, December 2016

195. Euripus nyctelius mastor (The Courtesan)

Number: 195

Family: Nymphaliidae

Sub-Family : Apaturiinae

Species: Euripus nyctelius mastor Fruhstorfer, 1903

Common name(s): The Courtesan

Photography locations: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.), Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

The genus Euripus is represented in Vietnam by 2 species viz. nyctelius mastor and consimilis eurinus, both recorded in the 3 main regions of the country (North, Central and South) - but consimilis appears to be rarer, at least in the North .

Euripus nyctelius is a widespread Indo-Malayan species, occurring from India to S. China, Indochina, extending south to Sumatra, Borneo.

A male Courtesan, showing bluish black upperwings with series of white spots/streaks on both wings
(Xuan Son, 300m asl, June 2016)

Female are larger and polymorphic - mimic the distasteful Euploea species (Batesian mimicry). The eyes of both sexes are yellow but those of the female are darker with varying degrees of brown shading.

Same specimen than above

A male specimen puddling on forest floor (Tam Dao, 900m asl, September 2016) giving a view of its underside

194. Celaenorrhinus aspersa (The Large Streaked Flat)

Number: 194

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Celaenorrhinus aspersa Leech,1891

Common name(s): The Large Streaked Flat

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

This species is recorded from Assam, N. Myanmar, N. Thailand, N. & C. Vietnam, Hainan, China.

Celaenorrhinus aspersa (at least the specimen on the left, the other one I am not sure) feeding on flower nectar
(21th June 2016, summit of Tam Dao/alt.1200m asl)

A very handsome little chap

193. Pithauria stramineipennis stramineipennis (The Light Straw Ace)

Number: 193

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Pithauria stramineipennis stramineipennis Wood-Mason & de Niceville, [1887]

Common name(s): The Light Straw Ace

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

This large-sized Hesperid is known to occur from Sikkim to Hainan and south to Sumatra.
Four species of Pithauria are recorded from Vietnam - stramineipennis, linus, murdava and marsena (Monastyrskii & Devyatkin, 2016).

A view of its uppersides showing the cream suffusion on the base of the forewings

192. Thoressa monastyrskyi monastyrskyi (The Monastyrsky's Ace)

Number: 192

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Thoressa monastyrskyi monastyrskyi Devyatkin, 1996

Common name(s): The Monastyrsky's Ace

Photography location: Tam Dao N.P. (Vinh phuc Prov.)

Thoressa monastyrskyi monastyrskyi is known, at least, from southern China and northern Vietnam. It is replaced further south by T. monastyrskyi annamita Devyatkin & Monastyrskyii, 1999.

All the photos below are from the type locality - Tam Dao (June 2016, alt. 900m asl).

This Thoressa monastyrskyi was feeding on some Bidens flowers along the "Water tank trail".

191. Seseria sambara indosinica (The Indochinese White Flat)

Number: 191

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Seseria sambara indosinica (Fruhstorfer,1909)

Common name(s): The Indochinese White Flat

Photography location: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.)

Strictly restricted to undisturbed forests where it can be seen puddling on moist sunny spots.
Type locality: "Chiem-Hoa", central Tonkin.

Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) listed 2 Seseria species in Vietnam viz. sambara & dohertyi - the former widespread (N., C.), the latter only recorded from C. (to Lam Dong Prov.).

Seseria sambara indosinica puddling on a damp stream bed

190. Badamia exclamationis (The Brown Awl)

Number:190

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family: Coeliadinae

Species: Badamia exclamationis Fabricius, 1775

Common name(s): The Brown Awl, The Narrow-winged Awl

Photography location: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.)

Only two species make up this genus, one restricted to a number of Pacific islands, the other very  widely distributed, from Pakistan to the Pacific islands and SE Australia.

Badamia exclamationis is readily distinguished from other awls by the elongate fore wing and shape of the hind wing which has a recurve along the margin near the tornus.

UpF dark brown with three pale yellow central spots. UpH with a dark-brown tornal patch and a pale yellow subtornal spot. Underside of both wings grey-brown. The large abdomen is characterized by black and yellow banding.

The range extends from India, China and the Philippines, through Indonesia to mainland New Guinea and adjacent islands, northern and eastern Australia, the Salomon Islands, New Caledonia and Fiji. Badamia exclamationis is known to migrate in vast flights. Locally the species can be so numerous that its food plants (Terminalia) are completely defoliated (Common and Waterhouse, 1981).

This crepuscular Hesperid flies actively early in the morning and late in the evening, whereas it usually pitches under a leaf and is loath to move during the daytime. Hopefully, one day, I will get a better shot.

189. Celaenorrhinus vietnamicus (The Vietnamese Dark Yellow-banded Flat)

Number: 189

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Celaenorrhinus vietnamicus Devyatkin,1998

Common name(s): The Vietnamese Dark Yellow-banded Flat

Photography location: Xuan Son N.P. (Phu Tho Prov.), Ba Vi N.P. (Hanoi)

Celaenorrhinus is one of the largest genera of the Hesperiidae and the only pantropical one, with about 130 species. 24 of these are found in the Neotropical region, 50 are found in various parts of eastern Asia, and 45 are Afrotropical in distribution. In Vietnam, 18 species are recorded.

Celaenorrhinus vietnamicus is closely related to C. aurivittata aurivittata (Moore, 1879) and differs externally in darker ground colour, lighter yellow forewing band, without any trace of orange, and detached apical spot in space 6 (Devyatkin, 1998). Recorded from southern China to central Vietnam. Holotype from northern Vietnam (Ba Vi National Park).

Celaenorrhinus vietnamicus roosting upside down under leaves...

... and feeding on flower nectar (Xuan Son, May 2016)

Another individual, from Ba Vi foothills (December 2016)