Heliophorus epicles latilimbata

Heliophorus epicles latilimbata (Fruhstorfer, 1908)


♂ (ds), Chiang Mai, Thailand.		♀ (ds), Chiang Mai, Thailand.

♂ (ds), Chiang Mai, Thailand.		♀ (ds), Chiang Mai, Thailand.

♂ (ws), Nakhon Nayok, Thailand.		♀ (ws), Nakhon Nayok, Thailand.

♂ (ws), Nan, Thailand.		♂ (ds), Chiang Mai, Thailand.

♂ (ws), Oudomxay, Laos.		♂ (ws), Bolikhamxai, Laos.

♂ genitalia, Chiang Mai, Thailand.		♂ genitalia, Bolikhamxai, Laos.

ON : Ilerda epicles indicus forma latilimbata Fruhstorfer, 1908
OD : Ent. Zeit. 22(12):49.
TL : Sikkim, [N.India]. (NHML)

Distribution : Nepal, Bhutan, India (Sikkim ; Assam), Myanmar, Andamans, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Yunnan.

	● ssp.latilimbata
	● ssp.tweediei

Synonym

Ilerda epicles indicus subforma rufonotata Fruhstorfer, 1908 : Ent. Zeit. 22(12):49. TL. 'Sikkim; Bhutan; Assam; "Annam" [C.Vietnam]'. (NHML)

Records taken from Literature

[ THAILAND ]
Heliophorus epicles chinensis ; Godfrey,1927 : 125. (N)
Heliophorus epicles chinensis ; Godfrey,1930 : 326. (Prae: Me Song forest; Chiang Rai)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Pinratana,1981 : 71, pl.11, figs.24,♂,25,♂(Un). (Kao Yai)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Ek-Amnuay,[2007] : 592, pl.267, figs.L165,♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Chiang Mai; Doi Phu Kha)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Ek-Amnuay,2012 : 618, pl.280, figs.L189,♂,♂(Un). (in part)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Kimura et al.,2014 : 151, figs.♂,♂(Un),♂,♂(Un). (Doi Pha Hom Pok; Chiang Dao; Kao Yai; Khao Soi Dao) (in part)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; S.Sophonviwatkul, C.Sunthornwiphat & T.Laola,2021- : Butterflies of Thailand, figs., Early Stages. (Nakhon Nayok) (accessed: 2023.05.20)

[ LAOS ]
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Motono & Negishi,1989 : 73, pl.104, figs.B2,♀(Un),B3,♂,B4,♂(Un). (Luang Prabang; Phatong; Vang Vieng)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Osada, Uémura & Uehara,1999 : 216. pl.112, figs.♂,♂(Un),♀. (Vang Vieng)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Nakamura & Wakahara,2012 : 52.
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Onodera,2022 : 84, pl.214, figs.♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Vientiane: Vang Vieng)

[ CAMBODIA ]
Heliophorus epicles ; Monastyrskii et al.,2011 : 130. (Phnom Samkos W.S.)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Chartier & Kosterin,2022 : 122. (Pursat)

[ VIETNAM ]
Ilerda epicles ; Lemée,1950 : 19. (Hagiang; Backan)
Ilerda epicles ; Metaye,1957 : 89. (C)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Luong et al.,2004 : 10. (Cuc Phuong)
Heliophorus epicles phoenicoparyphus ; Yago et al.,2005 : 366, 369, figs.1,♂,♀,♂(Un). (Tam Dao)
Heliophorus epicles ; Monastyrskii et al.,2006 : 43. (Thua Thien Hue: A Luoi)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ; Monastyrskii & Devyatkin,2015 : 55. (N: Lao Cai; Ha Giang; Lai Chau; Vinh Phuc / C: Thua Thien Hue)

Specimens Examined

[ THAILAND ]
Chiang Rai : 1♂.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Chiang Mai : 21♂ 8♀ (incl. photo and photo by T.Laola).

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Nan : 3♂ 1♀.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Nakhon Nayok : 6♂ 4♀ (incl. photo by M.Hayashi & T.Aoyama).

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 Nam Tha : 1♂ (photo by H.Onodeara).

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Oudomxay : 1♂.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Luang Phabang : 2♂ (photo by H.Onodeara).

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Xieng Khouang : 1♂ (incl. photo by H.Onodeara).

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Xaisomboun : 1♂ (incl. photo by H.Onodeara).

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Vientiane : 9♂ 1♀ (incl. photo by H.Onodeara).

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Bolikhamxai : 5♂ (photo by H.Onodera).

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

[ VIETNAM ]
Thua Thien Hue : 1♂.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Da Nang : 1♂.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Notes

The butterfly is locally common in montane forests at moderate elevations (Alt. 500 - 1200m). Males are territorial on shrubs and frequently occurs sympatric with ila at 700m - 1100m.
The populations in Indochina are highly variable in terms of individual, seasonal and geographical variation in both markings and genitalia. Some individuals are indistinguishable from ila and indicus except examination of male genitalia. Furthermore in this region, lobe of male genitalia is a mixture of short severed and long shapes. I tentatively treat all populations in continental indochina region as ssp.latilimbata. Further taxonomic study is needed.

Literature

Fruhstorfer, H., 1908 : Lepidopterologisches Pêle-Mêle. I. Neue ostasiatische Rhopaloceren.
Ent. Zeit. 22(12):48-49. (20.Jun.1908)

Eliot, J.N.,1963 : The Heliophorus epicles (Godart, 1823) (Lepidoptera : Lycaenidae) Complex
Entomologist 96(1203):169-180, 14 figs.

Yago, M., Wakabayashi, M., Tanaka, B. & Monastyrskii, A.L.,2005 : Species biodiversity and life histories of the genus Heliophorus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in Vietnam.
Report on Insect Inventory Project in Tropic Asia (TAIIV)(2005):365-370.


♂, Nan, Thailand.	♀, Nan, Thailand.

♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.	♂ (ws), Chiang Mai, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)

♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.	♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

♂, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)	♀, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)

♂, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)	♀, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)

♂, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)	♀, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)

2006.02.06 - 2023.05.31.