Virachola vietnamica laolai

Virachola vietnamica laolai Saito & Inayoshi, 2024


♂ (dsf), 2016.11.28, Kanchanaburi, Thailand. (Holotype)		♂ genitalia, Kanchanaburi, Thailand. (Holotype)

ON : Virachola vietnamica laolai Saito & Inayoshi, 2024
OD : Butterflies 94:12, figs.27(HT,♂), 27v(HT,♂Un),
31(♂genitalia), 34g(♂brand).
TL : Thong Pha Phum, Kanchanaburi, W.Thailand. (RIEB)

Distribution : W.Thailand (Kanchanaburi).

	● ssp.laolai
	● ssp. uncertain
	● ssp.vietnamica

Type Material Information

Holotype ♂, 28.Nov.2016, Thong Pha Phum Dist., Kanchanaburi, W.Thailand. Local Catcher leg. (RIEB, examined.)

Specimens Examined

[ THAILAND ]
Kanchanaburi : 1♂ (Holotype), (genitalia dissected).

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

-----------------------------------------------------------
? Virachola vietnamica ssp.

Lampang : 1♂, (photo by T.Laola).

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

Notes

The butterfly is rare in montane forests at moderate elevations (Alt. 900 - 1300m).
In September 2021, an individual thought to be Virachola vietnamica was photographed by Thianchai Laola in Lampang, N.Thailand. It is quite similar to the nominotypical subspecies. Whether this is the rainy season form of ssp.laolai or the nominotypical subspecies needs to be examined by specimens. Further taxonomic and distributional studies are needed.

Literature

Saito, K. & Inayoshi, Y.,2024 : Descriptions of four new species and two new subspecies of Lycaenidae from Thailand and Vietnam.
Butterflies 94:4-14.

? Virachola vietnamica ssp.

♂, Lampang, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)

2024.09.30.