228. Faunis canens (The Common Faun)

Number: 228

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Amathusiinae

Species: Faunis canens Hübner (1826)

Common name(s): The Common Faun

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

F. canens is my 3rd member of the genus seen in northern Vietnam - the 2 other being F. eumeus and F. excelsa.

Five species of Faunis have been recorded in Vietnam viz. F. eumeus (N. and C. Vietnam), F. canens (N. and C.), F. excelsa (N. and C.), F. bicoloratus (C.) and F. centrala (C.). Centrala and excelsa have Up of both wings grey. The 3 other species have brown Up.  

Faunis canens is recorded from North and central Vietnam (to Quang Tri Prov.).

Faunis canens, Tam Dao (900m asl, September 2016)
Un both wings with very small and nearly equal whitish or yellowish dot-like spots

References:

Butterflies of Vietnam, Vol. 3: Nymphalidae: Danainae; Amathusiinae (A.L. Monastyrskii, 2011)

227. Lethe naga (The Naga Treebrown)

Number: 227

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Lethe naga Doherty, 1889

Common name(s): The Naga Treebrown

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Lethe naga (male), Tam Dao foothills (100m asl), 15th June 2016

Lethe naga (male), Tam Dao (900m asl), 23th June 2016
Note the rather plain underwing pattern with a row of postdiscal ocelli in line in spaces 2-6 of FW
Female is larger and with a broad oblique underwing white band on FW

226. Matapa sasivarna (The Black-veined Branded Redeye)

Number: 226

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Matapa sasivarna (Moore, [1866])

Common name(s): The Black-veined Branded Redeye

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

Matapa sasivarna, lower slopes of Tam Dao, 26th October 2016

 Note the extensive metallic green hair scales on body (photos taken without flash).

225. Pirdana hyela rudolphii (The Green-striped Palmer)

Number: 225

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Pirdana hyela rudolphii Elwes & de Nicéville, [1887]

Common name(s): The Green-striped Palmer

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

Pirdana hyela rudolphii, 13th November 2016

224. Pantoporia hordonia hordonia (The Common Lascar)

Number: 224

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Limenitidiinae

Species: Pantoporia hordonia hordonia (Stoll, [1790])

Common name(s): The Common Lascar

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

According to Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016), 5 Pantoporia species have been recorded in Vietnam: P. hordonia, P. sandaka, P. paraka, P. aurelia & P. bieti. The first three are widespread, the fourth is known from the Center and South, and the latter is only recorded from the North-West corner of the country (Lao Cai).

Pantoporia hordonia, Ba Vi, 17th December 2016

Note that the FW grey line between the orange submarginal line and the bands is thick and not interrupted (thinner, irregular, constricted or broken in P. sandaka). If upper margin of the FW cell-bar in a male have two strong notches it is likely to be P. hordonia; in sandaka  the 2 notches tends to be obliterated (not always). Another feature to separate the 2 species (in-hand examination required): sandaka show grey speculum on the upper hindwings where HW and FW overlaps

223. Yasoda tripunctata atrinotata (The Three-spot Yamfly)

Number: 223

Family: Lycaeniidae

Sub-Family : Thecliinae

Species: Yasoda tripunctata atrinotata Fruhstorfer, [1912]

Common name(s): The Three-spot Yamfly, The Branded Yamfly

Photography locations: Huu Lien N.R. (Lang Son Prov.), Ba Vi N.P. (Hanoi)

With its yellowish underwings, reddish orange upperwings and long white-tipped tail at vein 2, it supperficially looks like Loxura atymnus but you would notice the different shape of forewings, the black head, the different black markings on upperwings etc.

According to Monastyrskii & Devyatkin (2016), 2 Yasoda species have been recorded in Vietnam: Y. tripunctata atrinotata and Y. androconifera. The former is widespread whereas the latter is only known from some localities in the North.

 Yasoda tripunctata atrinotata, Huu Lien, October 2016

Yasoda tripunctata, showing the upperside distinctive pattern of its wings (Ba Vi, April 2017)

222. Pithecops corvus correctus (The Forest Quaker)

Number: 222

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Polyommatiinae

Species: Pithecops corvus correctus Cowan,1966

Common name(s): The Forest Quaker

Photography location: Huu Lien N.R. (Lang Son Prov.)

There are currently 5 species recognized in the genus Pithecops. P. corvus is the most widespread (from India to Indonesia and north to Japan), divided in different subspecies. In Vietnam, two species of Pithecops have been recorded : P. corvus correctus and P. fulgens fulgens.   

P. corvus correctus is known from N. India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam (N., C. & S.), S. China.
It is very similar to Neopithecops zalmora but differs in the presence of 2 subcostal black spots on UnF.

Pithecops corvus correctus, Huu Lien, October 2016

221. Lethe philesanoides (The Interrupted Treebrown)

Number: 221

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Lethe philesanoides Monastyrskii & Devyatkin, 2003*

Common name(s): The Interrupted Treebrown

Photography location: Huu Lien N.R. (Lang Son Prov.) 

Described from northern Vietnam (holotype: Cat Ba National Park/paratypes: Huu Lien Nature Reserve), This inhabitant of limestone forests is also known from northern Thailand. 

Lethe philesanoides is very similar to L. philesana Monastyrskii & Devyatkin, 2000. The two species can be distinguished by some details on the underwings pattern (see PDF documents below)*.

*Update January 2017: I sent the pictures below to A. Monastyrskii who answered: "Your specimen looks like L. philesana... however only genitalia analysis may confirms this".

Lethe philesanoides (male), Huu Lien (October 2016) - without flash (close to the "true colour" of the species)

Lethe philesanoides (female), Huu Lien (October 2016) - with flash

There are over 1100 butterfly species currently known from Vietnam. Approximately 7% of all species are considered as endemic to the Indochinese Peninsula (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and eastern Thailand) (Monastyrskii, 2010a). This is the case of Lethe philesanoides.

Voucher specimen, upperside (from Huu Lien)
Ground colour of both wings uniform deep velvet brown-black; apex indistinctly paler. 

Same individual, underside

Description of Lethe philesanoides (PDF document) here.

Description of L. philesana here.

220. Parantica melaneus melaneus (The Chocolate Tiger)

Number: 220

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Danaiinae

Species: Parantica melaneus melaneus (Cramer, [1775])

Common name(s): The Chocolate Tiger

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

The genus Parantica comprises 39 species, of which 6 are known to occur in Vietnam viz. aglea, agleoides, aspasia, melaneus, swinhoei, sita.

P. melaneus ranges from India through the Southeast Asia mainland to S.China. The subspecies melaneus occurs in S.China and N.Indo-China.

Graphium xenocles, Chilasa epycides, Ch. clytia f. dissimilis (Papilionidae), Hestina persimilis, H. nicevillei (Apaturinae) and Aporia agathon (Pieridae) are regarded as mimics of P. melaneus (Monastyrskii, 2011).

Parantica melaneus, Tam Dao, September 2016

References:

Butterflies of Vietnam, Vol. 3: Nymphalidae: Danainae; Amathusiinae (A.L. Monastyrskii, 2011)

219. Parantica sita sita (The Chestnut Tiger)

Number: 219

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Danaiinae

Species: Parantica sita sita (Kollar, [1844])

Common name(s): The Chestnut Tiger

Photography locations: Ba Vi N.P. (Hanoi), Tam Đường Distr. (Lai Chau Prov.), Hàm Yên Distr. (Tuyên Quang Prov.)

There are actually 42 species in the genus Parantica, whose representatives occur variously from India to the islands of the South Pacific. Parantica sita is one of the most widespread species, being distributed from northern India to Korea and Japan, and south to the West Malaysian peninsula.  

Six Parantica species are known to occur in Vietnam viz. P. aglea, P. agleoides, P. aspasia, P. melaneus, P. swinhoei, P. sita.

Female Parantica sita sita nectaring on Bidens flowers (Mount Ba Vi, December 2016)

Male Parantica sita sita, from Lai Chau (January 2017)
Particularly easy to see in this picture are the male alar androconial organ (sex brand) on the sub-tornal area of the hindwing

Same individual, showing its upperwings

Another male, puddling in a dry stream bed (Ham Yên District, Tuyen Quang Prov., 30th January 2017)

Same male specimen, in flight

218. Catochrysops strabo strabo (The Forget-me-not)

Number: 218
Family: Lycaeniidae

Sub-Family: Polyommatiinae

Species: Catochrysops strabo strabo (Fabricius, 1793)

Common name(s): The Forget-me-not

Photography location: Ba Vi N.P. (Hanoi), Huu Lien N.R. (Lang Son Prov.)

There are 7 species in the genus Catochrysops, variously distributed from India to Malaysia, and south across the Pacific islands to Australia, New Caledonia and the Society Islands. The genus is closely allied to Chilades and Euchrysops but unlike them Catochrysops does not include any African species. 

Two species of Catochrysops have been recorded in Vietnam: C. strabo and C. panormus.

C. strabo is found from Pakistan to Indonesia, but unlike the very similar C. panormus it does not reach Australia.

Catochrysops strabo, male, Ba Vi (December 2016)

 Catochrysops strabo, female, Huu Lien (September 2016)
Note FW costal spot far from the postdiscal band; submarginal spots broad, merging to form an irregular continuous band. In C. panormus,  FW costal spot nearer to the postdiscal band ; submarginal spots are a series of chevrons (V-marks).

Catochrysops strabo, female, view of the upperside pattern

217. Junonia iphita iphita (The Chocolate Pansy)

Number: 217

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Nymphaliinae

Species: Junonia iphita iphita (Cramer, 1779)

Common name(s): The Chocolate Pansy

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

The genus Junonia comprises about 33 species, of which 11 occur in the Oriental region. Of these, 6 are found in Vietnam - iphita, atlites, orithya, hierta, almana and lemonias.

J. iphita is my 5th Junonia seen in the country - the last one in the list being hierta.

216. Cynitia whiteheadi (The Green Skirt Baron)

Number: 216

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Limenitidiinae

Species: Cynitia whiteheadi (Crowley, 1900)

Common name(s): The Green Skirt Baron

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

Formely known as Euthalia niepelti Strand,1916. Recorded from southern China, N. & C. Vietnam (to Quang Ngai Prov.).

Cynitia whiteheadi (male)

215. Pareronia anais anais (The Common Wanderer)

Number: 215

Family: Pieriidae
Sub-Family: Pieriinae

Species: Pareronia anais anais (Lesson, 1837)

Common name(s): The Common Wanderer

Photography location : Da Nang (Quang Nam Prov.)

According to Monastyrskii  & Devyatkin (2016), 3 Pareronia species have been recorded in Vietnam: P. anais anais, P. paravatar, P. avatar.

Male Pareronia anais on Lantana flowers - an extremely popular nectar source for a wide variety of butterflies. Specimen from central Vietnam (March 2016) - I haven't yet encountered this species in my habitual butt hunting grounds in the North 

214. Neorina patria westwoodii (The White Owl)

Number: 214

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Neorina patria westwoodii Moore, [1891]

Common name(s): The White Owl

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

Neorina patria is a large species of satyrine butterfly found in India (Assam), Burma, Thailand, Laos, China and Vietnam. 

In Vietnam, this montane species is recorded from the north and center of the country (to Ha Tinh Prov.) (Monastyrskii  & Devyatkin, 2016).

Neorina patria westwoodii - Tam Dao, 16th November 2016
Specimen found in relatively undisturbed closed forest, at 900m asl

213. Lethe verma stenopa (The Straight-banded Treebrown)

Number: 213

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Lethe verma stenopa Fruhstorfer, 1908

Common name(s): The Straight-banded Treebrown

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

This is my 8th Lethe species seen in Vietnam... but 39 are listed in "Butterflies of Vietnam, an illustrated checklist" (Monastyrskii  & Devyatkin, 2016)... arghhh !!!

Lethe verma stenopa, Tam Dao, 25th August 2016
L. confusa and L. verma are very similar but the latter show HW weakly toothed at vein 4 (making the HW appear more rounded), HW subbasal whitish line zigzag, not as straight as that of confusa. 

212. Lethe mekara crijnana (The Common Red Forester)

Number: 212

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Lethe mekara crijnana Fruhstorfer, 1911

Common name(s): The Common Red Forester

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

I only managed some poor record shots (heavily cropped) for now... until the next time we meet!

Female (left) from Tam Dao, Sept. 2016 / Male (right) from Ba Vi, Dec. 2016

                                    In male, FW without subapical white bar beyond the cell

Lethe mekara, female, upperside (voucher specimen from Ba Vi, April 2017)

211. Lethe europa niladana (The Bamboo Treebrown)

Number: 211

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Satyriinae

Species: Lethe europa niladana Fruhstorfer, 1911

Common name(s): The Bamboo Treebrown

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

Well, after a number of years of searching but having little knowledge of the species, I finally clapped eyes on it: Lethe europa. I only managed a record shot (heavily cropped) as it was just too far out of reach. Still, I know where it is now and will search for it again next year (it is right at the end of its flight season now). It was worth all the effort - it really is a beautiful thing. For a naturalist, the most wonderful feeling is spotting a new species for the first time. I want to do cartwheels and backflips when I see something new. 

Northern Vietnam is a site of particularly high level of diversity for this genus, hosting over 80% of the known number of species (Monastyskii pp.32. in Anon, 2001).

In Greek mythology, Lethe, the river of forgetfulness, was one of the five rivers of the underworld, the other four being Styx (the river of hate), Acheron (the river of sorrow), Cocytus (the river of lamentation) and Phlegethon (the river of fire).

Male Lethe europa niladana, lower slopes of Mount Ba Vi, 4th December 2016
Female is similar but with broader oblique white band on FW

210. Euthalia lubentina lubentina (The Common Gaudy Baron)

Number: 210

Family: Nymphaliidae
Sub-Family: Limenitidiinae

Species: Euthalia lubentina lubentina (Cramer, [1777])

Common name(s): The Common Gaudy Baron

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

The genus Euthalia (“Barons” and “Counts”) is represented in Vietnam by 32 species – a hard genus with many new species described in the years 1990-2000. Identification is confounded by the fact that the males and females of each species are usually very different in colour and pattern, and because several of the species produce a number of different colour forms or morphs. 

Female Euthalia lubentina lubentina, lower slopes of Mount Ba Vi, 28th November 2016 
In male, white patches are reduced to small spots

What a splendid fellow - God is the greatest artist! I love particularly the red patches surrounded by black lines.
Photo taken with natural light

A glimpse of the underwings pattern of the same individual, feeding on over-ripe fig

209. Jamides alecto alocina (The Metallic Caerulean)

Number: 209

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Polyommatiinae

Species: Jamides alecto alocina Swinhoe, 1915

Common name(s): The Metallic Caerulean

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

According to Monastyrskii  & Devyatkin (2016), 7 Jamides species have been recorded in Vietnam: alecto, celeno, caeruleus, virgulatus, elpis, pura & bochus.

J. alecto is my third Jamides species found around Hanoi. It belongs to the elpis subgroup, which is characterised by the forewing postdiscal band being dislocated at vein 4.

Jamides alecto, Tam Dao, July 2016

A glimpse of the milky white tinged with pale lavender-blue upper surface of the same specimen

208. Taraka hamada mendesia (The Forest Pierrot)

Number: 208

Family: Lycaeniidae
Sub-Family: Miletiinae

Species: Taraka hamada mendesia Fruhstorfer, 1918

Common name(s): The Forest Pierrot

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

In Vietnam, the Miletinae subfamily is represented by five genera - Allotinus, Logania, Spalgis, Miletus and Taraka. This subfamily is unique in the sense that their caterpillars are predatory or "carnivorous" (preys are mostly Homoptera: aphids, coccids, mealy bugs) whilst it is generally well-known that most butterflies caterpillars are "herbivorous".

Taraka hamada looks similar to the Common Pierrot (Castalius rosimon) at first glance but you would notice that the spotting pattern is quite different in detail. And notice the unusually fluffy legs.

Taraka hamada mendesia, Tam Dao (900m asl), bamboo forest, 16th Sept. 2016

207. Matapa aria/druna

Number: 207

Family: Hesperiidae

Sub-Family : Hesperiinae

Species: Matapa aria or M. druna

Common name(s): 

Photography location: Foothills of Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

According to Monastyrskii  & Devyatkin (2016), 4 species of Matapa are recorded from Vietnam: cresta, aria, druna and sasivarna.

M. druna can be easily confused with M. aria, but the male of the former has a large & curved grey brand whereas it is narrow in aria. 
From the shot below, I am unable to come to a firm identification.

Matapa aria/druna, lower slopes of Tam Dao, 18th Sept. 2016
Despite low-light conditions, this photo was taken without a flash in order not to alter the color of the subject.

206. Gerosis sinica narada (The White Yellow-breasted Flat)

Number: 206

Family: Hesperiidae
Sub-Family : Pyrgiinae

Species: Gerosis sinica narada (Moore,1884)

Common name(s):The White Yellow-breasted Flat

Photography location: Tam Dao (Vinh Phuc Prov.)

According to Monastyrskii  & Devyatkin (2016), 5 species of Gerosis are known from Vietnam: G. sinica narada, G. phisara phisara, G. bhagava bhagava, G. limax dirae, G. tristis gaudialis. Only sinica and phisara are recorded from the North of the country.
Gerosis sinica narada ranges from Sikkim to Myanmar, N.Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China.

Strolling slowly and enjoying the morning breeze without taking any shot for close to an hour, I finally spotted this Gerosis sinica narada resting beneath a leaf above my head. It was tame but not the kind of perch any photographer would like to shoot. Tam Dao (900m asl), 16th Sept. 2016

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