Halpe fushigina  Maruyama & Uehara, 1992

Halpe fushigina ♂ Up. Halpe fushigina ♂ Un. Halpe fushigina ♂ Up. Halpe fushigina ♂ Un.
♂, 2017.03.13. Betong, Yala, Thailand. ♂, Betong, Yala, Thailand.
Halpe fushigina ♂ Up. Halpe fushigina ♂ Un. Halpe fushigina ♂ genitalia Halpe fushigina ♂ genitalia
♂, 1991.10.30. Mae Hong Son, Thailand. ♂ genitalia, Yala, Thailand.

ON : Halpe fushigina Maruyama & Uehara, 1992
OD : Butterflies 2:44,46, figs.20(HT,♂),21(HT,♂Un),22(PT,♀),
23(PT,♀Un),24-26(♂,genitalia).
TL : Sibolangit, Sumatra. (♂,in coll.K.Maruyama)
Distribution : Thailand, W.Malaysia, Sumatra.
Halpe fushigina map

Type Materials Information

Holotype ♂, 26.Apr.1989. Pasarbaru (Alt.600m), Sibolangit, Sumatera Utara. K.Maruyama leg. (in coll. K.Maruyama)
Paratype 1♀, 11.Jun.1989. Sibolangit, Sumatera Utara. Arbaimun leg. (in coll. K.Maruyama)


Records taken from Literature

[ THAILAND ]
Halpe fushigina ; Saito & Inayoshi,2018 : 40, figs.132,♂,♂(Un),133(Malaysia),♂,♂(Un),134(Malaysia),♀,♀(Un). (Mae Hong Son; Yala)
Halpe fushigina ; S.Sophonviwatkul, C.Sunthornwiphat & T.Laola,2021- : Butterflies of Thailand, figs. (Yala) (accessed: 2023.07.15)


Specimens Examined

[ THAILAND ]
Mae Hong Son : Mae Hong Son dist. 1991.10.30. 1♂, P.Sukkit (YI)
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Yala : 6♂ ; Betong dist. (incl. photo by S.Atdhabhan).
Yala : Betong dist. 2017.03.13. 1♂, Y.Inayoshi (YI).
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec


Notes

The male genitalia of specimens from Yala and Mae Hong Son are close to Halpe scissa, but the white markings on the upperside of the forewing are very similar to Halpe arcuata. These characteristics are the same as Halpe fushigina from Sumatra. In addition, the Malaysian population was previously treated as arcuata, but is now considered to be this taxon.
Maruyama & Uehara,1992 described this taxon as a distinct species. Subsequently, Uehara & Maruyama,2016 treated it as a subspecies of scissa. However, in comparison to scissa: large in size, the white spots in spaces 2 and 3 on the UpF are conspicuously larger, like those of arcuata, and their distributions overlap in Thailand and Malaysia. Thus we consider them to be separate species.

This is the first record from Thailand. The butterfly is locally not rare in montane forests at moderate elevation (Alt. 700 - 800m). Males are territorial on undergrowth at hilltops.
The taxon fushigina can be distinguished from arcuata, which is very similar in pattern, by the presence or absence of pale brown patches on the androconial brand on the UpF, which are conspicuous in fushigina but absent in arcuata. Further distributional research is needed.

♂ androconial brand on the UpF.
Halpe arcuata ♂ UpF Halpe lao ♂ UpF Halpe fushigina ♂ UpF Halpe scissa scissa ♂ UpF Halpe scissa scissa ♂ UpF
arcuata lao fushigina scissa scissa (Chiang Mai) scissa scissa (Ranong)


Literature

Maruyama, K. & Uehara, J.,1992 :
Two New species and Three New subspecies of Hesperiid Butterflies from the Islands of Southeast Asia.
Butterflies 2:43-50.

Uehara, J. & Maruyama, K.,2016 :
The revision of Halpe arcuata group and description of two new species of Halpe Moore,1878 (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) from Indochina.
Butterflies 73:19-24.


Halpe fushigina ♂ Halpe fushigina ♂
♂, Yala, Thailand. (photo by S.Atdhabhan)

2017.08.31 - 2023.07.31.

A Check list of Butterflies in Indo-China, Chiefly from THAILAND, LAOS & VIETNAM. Copyright © 1996- Y.Inayoshi.