♂, Vinh Phuc, Vietnam. (photo by K.Saito)		♂, Ha Giang, Vietnam. (photo by K.Saito)
♂, Phetchabun, Thailand.		♀, Chaiyaphum, Thailand.

ON : Neptis namba Tytler, 1915 OD : J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 23: 510, pl.3, fig.20,♂. TL : 'Michuguard, Naga Hills [Nagaland, NE.India]; on the Burma and Cachar Roads in Manipur, [NE.India]; near Silchar, Manipur, [NE.India]'. (NHML) Distribution : Sikkim to Myanmar (to S.Shan States), Yunnan, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam.

Neptis ananta learmondi Tytler, 1940 : J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 42: 118. partim ♀ nec ♂. (♀, Allotype NHML)
Neptis lucida Lee, 1962 : Acta ent. Sinica 11(2): 140,145, pl.3, figs.15.♂, 16.♂(Un). TL. Yunnan.

namba : ♂, Type (red), #1034762, no loc. (NHML, photo examined)

[ THAILAND ]
Neptis namba namba ; Kimura,1994 : 18-19, figs.11,♂,12,♂(Un). (Chaiyaphum: Phu Khiewo)
Neptis namba namba ; Pinratana & Eliot,1996 : 52, pl.32, figs.82,♂,♂(Un). (Chaiyaphum)
Neptis namba namba ; S.Sophonviwatkul, C.Sunthornwiphat & T.Laola,2015- : Butterflies of Thailand, figs. (Phetchabun; Chaiyaphum) (accessed: 2023.06.13)
Neptis namba namba ; Kimura et al.,2016 : 82, figs.♂,♂(Un). (Chiang Dao; Phu Khiewo)

[ LAOS ]
Neptis namba namba ; Osada, Uémura & Uehara,1999 : 206, pl.56, figs.♂,♂(Un) (Xam Neua; Vang Vieng)
Neptis namba namba ; Nakamura & Wakahara,2012 : 45.
Neptis namba namba ; Onodera,2022 : 36, pl.112, figs.♂,♂(Un). (Bolikhamxai: Thabok)

[ VIETNAM ]
Neptis namba namba ; Eliot,1969 : 100. (Tonkin)
Neptis namba ; Monastyrskii et al.,2006 : 41. (Thua Thien Hue: A Luoi)
Neptis namba namba ; Yokochi et al.,2015 : 40. (Khanh Hoa: Hon Ba)
Neptis namba ; Monastyrskii & Devyatkin,2015 : 37. (N / C)
Neptis namba ; Monastyrskii,2019 : 4(2):78, pl.48, figs.3a♂,3b♂(Un). (N: Tam Dao; Ba Vi / C: Huong Son; Vu Quang; Bach Ma; A Luoi; Ngoc Linh; Hon Ba)

[ THAILAND ]
Chiang Mai : 2♂ 1♀ (photo and photo by RIEB).

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Phetchabun : 5♂ (incl. photo & photo by A.Giudici).

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Chaiyaphum : 6♂ 2♀ (incl. photo & photo by A.Giudici).

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[ LAOS ]
Bolikhamxai : 1♂ (photo by H.Onodera).

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[ VIETNAM ]
Ha Giang : 1♂.

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Vinh Phuc : 1♂.

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This is localized species but is not rare in their habitats. The butterfly is found in montane forests at moderate elevations (Alt. 700 - 1400m).
In some examples from C. Thailand, the orange marking of the UpF is rather broader, however it is variable.
Kimura et al. (2016) recorded it from 'Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai', but I thought this might be an incorrect locality. However, I have recently found what I believe to be this species in another district of Chiang Mai province. Although no specimens could be obtained and only photos in nature are available, it is most likely to be this taxon. Further distributional research is needed.

The difference between ananta and namba.

ananta ♂(Un) namba ♂(Un)

ananta ♂(Un) namba ♂(Un) ♂ underside / Species ananta namba Cilia obscure clearly chequered with white FW, base of space 1b covered with brownish scales without these scales

Tytler, H.,1915 : Notes on Some New and Interesting Butterflies from Manipur and the Naga Hills. Part.2.
J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 23: 502-515, 3 pls.

Tytler, H.,1940 : Notes on Some New and Interesting Butterflies chiefly from Burma. Part.2.
J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 42: 109-123.

Lee, C.L.,1962 : Some new species of Rhopalocera in China, II.
Acta ent. Sinica 11(2): 139-158.

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.,2009 : A Study on the systematics of Nymphalidae (excepting Satyrinae) from China (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea).
Beijing, P.R.China.

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. Pardubice, Tshikolovets Publications.

♂, Phetchabun, Thailand.	♀, Chaiyaphum, Thailand. (photo by A.Giudici)
♂, Phetchabun, Thailand.	♂, Phetchabun, Thailand. (photo by A.Giudici)
♂, Chaiyaphum, Thailand.	♂, Phetchabun, Thailand.
♀, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

2006.02.20 - 2023.06.30.