260. Mycalesis cf. adamsonii (The Watson's Bushbrown)

Number: 260

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Mycalesis cf. adamsonii Watson, 1897

Common name(s): The Watson's Bushbrown

Photography location: Ba Vi N.P. (Hanoi)

Mycalesis inopia is one of the 3 vietnamese Mycalesis (with adamsonii and inopia) in which Up of both wings don't exhibit ocelli.

Underwings of Mycalesis inopia appears to be very similar to that of M. adamsonii. Both show a broad white postdiscal band suffused with violet on both wings bearing the same arrangement of ocelli. But according to me (to be confirmed), area from base to postdical band is blackish in inopia wheras it appears somewhat brown ochraceous in adamsonii.

Identification is easy with voucher specimens: M. inopia show black Up (brown in adamsonii) and the male lacks a brand on the UpF (brand overlaid by a hair tuft in space 1b in adamsonii).

Mycalesis cf. adamsonii, Ba Vi (May 2016) - without flash

Mycalesis cf. adamsonii, Ba Vi (June 2016) - with flash

256. Mycalesis mucianus mucianus (The South China Bushbrown)

Number: 256

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Mycalesis mucianus mucianus Fruhstorfer, 1908

Common name(s): The South China Bushbrown
Photography location: Ba Vi (Hanoi), Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Recently this species was known as M. zonata Matsumuza, 1909.
The nominate subsp. occurs in S.E. China, N. & C. Vietnam (to Gia Lai Prov.); the subsp. zonata, in Taiwan.

 Mycalesis mucianus, Tam Dao foothills (November 2016)

Note FW with apex truncated

Another specimen, from Ba Vi foothills (April 2017)

255. Heteropsis malsara (The White-line Bushbrown)

Number: 255

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Heteropsis malsara (Moore, 1858)

Common name(s): The White-line Bushbrown
Photography location: Ba Vi foothills (Hanoi)

This species was earlier considered to be part of the genus Mycalesis but phylogenetic studies have re-classified them in genus Heteropsis (Kodandaramaiah et al., 2010).

Heteropsis malsara occurs in N. India, Burma, Thailand, Laos, N. & C. Vietnam.

Heteropsis malsara (December 2016, Ba Vi foothills, secondary vegetation) 

Note underwings basal and discal areas more or less finely striated, the wide postdical band on both wings

Same individual, upperwings
Note the prominent whitish discal band on UpF

Another specimen - wet season form

Dry season form (March 2018, Ba Vi foothills)

Voucher specimen from Ba Vi, underside (April 2017)

Same specimen, upperside

180. Mycalesis deficiens

Number: 180

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Mycalesis deficiens Fruhstorfer, 1906

Common name(s): ?

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

Endemic of Laos, Vietnam (N. & C.) and N. Thailand. Type locality is "Chiem Hoa", Tonkin. 

This is apparently the very first image of this species in the wild posted to the internet.

ID credit: Alexander Monastyrskii

Voucher specimen from Tam Dao, upperside

116. Mycalesis inopia

Number: 116

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Mycalesis inopia Fruhstorfer, 1908

Common name(s): ?

Photography locations: Huu Lien N.R. (Lang Son Prov.), Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Mycalesis inopia is one of the 3 vietnamese Mycalesis (with adamsonii and inopia) in which Up of both wings don't exhibit ocelli.
Until recently, Mycalesis inopia was considered to be a northern Vietnam endemic. Now it is known from Laos, N. & C. Vietnam, S. China, Taiwan. The type locality is "Than Moi ; Chiem-Hoa, Tonkin" (this site is close to Huu Lien N.R.).

Mycalesis inopia, Huu Lien N.R., lowland forest on limestone (August 2015) - with flash

Mycalesis inopia, Tam Dao foothills (September 2016) - without flash 


Voucher specimen from Huu Lien N.R.
Upperwings black without ocelli


Same specimen, underwings 

35. Mycalesis perseoides (The Burmese Bushbrown)

Number: 35

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Mycalesis perseoides (Moore, [1892])

Common name(s): The Burmese Bushbrown

Photography locations: Hanoi City, Tam Dao foothills (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016) listed 18 Mycalesis species from Vietnam viz. inopia, anaxias, adamsonii, deficiens, gotama, francisca, perseus, mineus, perseoides, intermedia, mucianus, distanti, sangaica, mnasicles, misenus, nicotia, malsara and annamitica.

In my habitual butt hunting grounds around Hanoi, M. perseoides is one of the most common species of the many look-alike species of the genus Mycalesis. It is probably present throughout all lowland areas of Vietnam. In the suburbs of Hanoi, I found it in scrubby thickets in the vicinity of cultivated areas.

Mycalesis perseoides, banana plantation with dense undergrowth, Hanoi

Mycalesis perseoides, Tam Dao foothills, May 2016

Same individual, upperwings
Note the large ocellus in space 2 on the UpF which is clearly ringed with yellow

Another individual from Tam Dao, May 2017

Mating pair of supposed Mycalesis perseoides (dry season form), Hanoi (April 2016)
There are two disctinctive seasonal forms, individuals of the dsf show ocelli on the Un of both wings reduced to black dots.

Mycalesis perseoides male, dry season form, upperside (from Hanoi, March 2017)
Brand on UpH dark brown and wholly above vein 7, covered by a hair tuft

Same individual, underside

Close-up on the brands