245. Abisara freda (The Lesser Judy)

Number: 245

Family: Riodiniidae
Sub-Family: Riodiniinae

Species: Abisara freda Bennett, 1957

Common name(s): The Lesser Judy

Photography location: Ô Quy Hô pass (Tam Đường District, Lai Chau Prov.)

According to Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016), 11 Abisara species are currently known from Vietnam.
Abisara freda ranges from Myanmar through N.Thailand and N.Laos to N.Vietnam. In Vietnam, this Riodinid is only recorded from the Hoang Lien Son range (the Fansipan massif), especially Sa Pa District (Lao Cai Prov.). The butterfly fauna in this area is characterized by a great number of Sino-Himalayan species.

Abisara freda, photographed in scrub-shrub habitat below Ô Quy Hô pass, 1800m asl
(Tam Đường District, Lai Chau Prov., January 2017)

Same specimen

141. Abisara echerius (The Plum Judy)

Number: 141

Family: Riodiniidae
Sub-Family: Riodiniinae

Species: Abisara echerius (Stoll, 1790)

Common name(s): The Plum Judy

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

According to Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016), 11 Abisara species are currently known from Vietnam.

Abisara echerius is represented in Vietnam by two subspecies: echerius (Lang Son and northern areas near Chinese border) and paionea (N., C. and S.).

Male Abisara echerius paionea, Tam Dao foothills

Male Abisara echerius paionea - wing pattern of the underside (left) and the upperside (right)

Abisara echerius, probably subsp. echerius (Tam Đường District, Lai Chau Prov., January 2017)

14. Abisara neophron chelina (The Tailed Judy)

Number: 14

Family: Riodiniidae
Sub-Family: Riodiniinae

Species: Abisara neophron chelina (Fruhstorfer, [1904]) 

Common name(s): The Tailed Judy

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.), Lai Chau 

Abisara neophron is very widespread through the Oriental region, from Nepal through the Indian subcontinent, to Indochina and Peninsular Malaysia. Subspecies chelina is found from Myanmar and Yunnan to Indochina and Malaysia.

Abisara neophron chelina, Tam Dao, 900m asl

Easily recognized by a long, pointed white tipped tail on the hindwing formed by an extension of vein M3 and a wide white band crossing the discal area of the forewing from the costa and tapering just before the tornus. Sexes are similar.

Same specimen

Abisara neophron, Lai Chau, January 2017

12. Abisara fylla magdala (The Dark Judy)

Number: 12

Family: Riodiniidae
Sub-Family: Riodiniinae

Species: Abisara fylla magdala (Fruhstorfer, 1914) 

Common name(s): The Dark Judy

Photography location: Sa Pa (Lao Cai Prov.)

According to Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016), 11 Abisara species are currently known from Vietnam.
Abisara fylla ranges from Nepal to Yunnan, China and south to Vietnam and Laos. Subspecies magdala (described from a male and female from Chiem Hoa in central North Vietnam) occurs in North and central Vietnam, Thailand, and eastern Laos.

Male Abisara fylla magdala, Sa Pa, 1300m asl (September 2012)
The female shows a broader and white oblique band on FW

Same specimen
Found in disturbed habitas along a stream