242. Heliophorus brahma major (The Golden Sapphire)

Number: 242

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Lycaeniinae
Species: Heliophorus brahma major Evans, 1932
Common name(s): The Golden Sapphire

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

Heliophorus brahma is a Sapphire species restricted in Vietnam to the northwest of the country - like H. kohimensis and H. eventa.
This nice Sino-Himalayan species ranges through N.India, N.Myanmar, N.Thailand, N.Vietnam, S.China (Yunnan). Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) recorded it from Lao Cai, Ha Giang and Phu Tho Provinces.

Heliophorus brahma major, male - Lai Chau, below Ô Quy Hô pass, 1800m asl (January 2017)

The upperwings of male are brilliant-shining golden copper

Male, underwing pattern

241. Heliophorus eventa (The Dusky Sapphire)

Number: 241

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Lycaeniinae
Species: Heliophorus eventa Fruhstorfer, 1918
Common name(s): The Dusky Sapphire

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

Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) listed 8 Heliophorus species in Vietnam viz. kohimensis, delacouri, ila, epicles, indicus, smaragdinus, brahma and eventa.

Heliophorus eventa is a Sino-Himalayan species known from N.Myanmar, N.Thailand, Laos, N.Vietnam, S.China. It is very localised in Vietnam (Lao Cai & Ha Giang Prov.).

Heliophorus eventa, male - Lai Chau, below Ô Quy Hô pass, 1800m asl (January 2017)
Male Up is brown, FW with little green-blue powdering

Another male specimen

Heliophorus eventa, male, underwing pattern

160. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata (The Common Purple Sapphire)

Number: 160

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Lycaeniinae
Species: Heliophorus epicles latilimbata (Fruhstorfer, 1908)
Common name(s): The Common Purple Sapphire

Photography locations: Ba Vi foothills (Hanoi)

Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) listed 8 Heliophorus species in Vietnam viz. kohimensis, delacouri, ila, epicles, indicus, smaragdinus, brahma and eventa.

Heliophorus epicles ranges from N.India to Indonesia. The subspecies latilimbata is known from Nepal, N.India, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam (N. & C.), S.China, Peninsular Malaysia.

A worn male Heliophorus epicles, Ba Vi (December 2016)
Purple area occupying less than 2/3 of FW (much more 2/3 in H. delacouri), FW with an obscure orange subapical patch beyond the cell (not always present)

93. Anthene lycaenina lycambes (The Pointed Ciliate Blue)

Number: 93

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Polyommatiinae

Species: Anthene lycaenina lycambes (Hewitson, 1878)

Common name(s): The Pointed Ciliate Blue

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

According to Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016), 3 Anthene species are known to occur in Vietnam viz. A. lycaenina lycambes, A. emolus emolus & A. lycates dusuntua - the last one only recorded from central Vietnam (Lam Dong Prov.), the two first ones widespread throughout the country.

52. Heliophorus delacouri (The Delacour's Sapphire)

Number: 52

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Lycaeniinae
Species: Heliophorus delacouri Eliot, 1963
Common name(s): The Delacour's Sapphire (? no official English name)

Photography locations: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.), Ba Vi N.P. (Hanoi)

Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) listed 8 Heliophorus species in Vietnam viz. kohimensis, delacouri, ila, epicles, indicus, smaragdinus, brahma and eventa.

Heliophorus delacouri is a restricted range species known from Vietnam (N. & S.) and S.-E. China.

Heliophorus delacouri, male (from Ba Vi)

Heliophorus delacouri, same specimen, upperside
Purple area occupying much more than 2/3 of FW (less than 2/3 in H. epicles)

Another male, from Tam Dao foothills (November 2016)

A supposed female Heliophorus delacouri (Ba Vi, December 2016)