Neptis nashona nashona
Swinhoe, 1896
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♂ (ds), Nan, Thailand. |
♂ (is), Luang Namtha, Laos. (photo by H.Onodera) |
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♂ (ds), Xieng Khouang, Laos. (photo by H.Onodera) |
♂ (ws), Phong Saly, Laos. |
ON :
Neptis nashona Swinhoe, 1896
OD : Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (6)17(101):357.
TL : Cherra Punji, [Kashi Hills, Assam]. (NHML)
Distribution : India (Assam), Myanmar (to S.Shan States),
N.Thailand (Nan), Laos, N.Vietnam, S.Yunnan.
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● ssp.nashona |
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● ssp.aagaardi |
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● ssp.chapa [? loc.err.] |
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● ssp.kishii |
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● ssp.??? |
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● ssp.tamamitsui |
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Records taken from Literature
[ LAOS ]
Neptis nashona chapa ; Osada, Uémura & Uehara,1999 : 206, pl.55, fig.♀(Un). (Xiang Khouang)
Neptis nashona chapa ; Onodera,2022 : 36, pl.112, figs.♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Oudomxai; Luang Phabang: Phou Yang)
Specimens Examined
[ THAILAND ]
Nan : 1♂.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
[ LAOS ]
Phong Saly : 1♂.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Luang Namtha : 1♂ (photo by H.Onodera).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Oudomxai : 1♂ (photo by H.Onodera).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Xieng Khouang : 2♂ (incl. photo by H.Onodera).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
[ VIETNAM ]
Lai Chau : 2♂.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Notes
This is the first reliable record from Thailand.
Ek-Amnuay ([2007],2012) recorded 'Neptis nashona aagaardi' from Doi Phu Kha, Nan, however, it is a misidentification of Neptis cartica cartica.
The butterfly is uncommon in montane forests at moderate elevations (Alt. 1300m).
The populations from Nan, Thailand, Laos and Lai Chau, N. Vietnam are very similar to the nominotypical subspecies, although the submarginal markings on the UpH tend to be slightly narrower.
I treat them here provisionally as this taxon.
Further taxonomic and distributional studies are needed.
The fact that a population of what appears to be this taxon was found in Lai Chau means that it is likely to be distributed in Lao Cai province, which is thought to be the type locality of ssp.chapa.
If this is the case, it means that the type locality of ssp.chapa is more likely to be an erroneous locality.
Literature
Swinhoe, C.,1896 : New Species of Lepidoptera from the Khasia Hills
Ann. Mag. nat. Hist. (6)17(101):357-363.
Eliot, J.N.,1969 : An Analysis of the Eurasian and Australian Neptini (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae).
Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.) Supple.15. London.
Lang, S.Y.,2012 : The Nymphalidae of China (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) Part 1
Libytheinae, Danainae, Calinaginae, Morphinae, Heliconiinae, Nymphalinae, Charaxinae, Apaturinae, Cyrestinae, Biblidinae, Limenitinae
456 pp, 32 col. + 41 black&white pls. Tshikolovets Publications, Pardubice.
A Check list of Butterflies in Indo-China, Chiefly from THAILAND, LAOS & VIETNAM. Copyright © 1996- Y.Inayoshi.
