Euthalia merta alboapicala

Euthalia merta alboapicala Monastyrskii, 2005


♂, Lam Dong, Vietnam. (photo by K.Saito)		♀, Lam Dong, Vietnam. (photo by K.Saito)


♂, 1983.03.28. Chanthaburi, Thailand.

ON : Euthalia eriphylae alboapicala Monastyrskii, 2005
OD : Atalanta 36(1/2): 151-153, pl.7, figs.9(HT,♀), 10(HT,♀Un); pl.8, figs.1(PT,♂), 2(PT,♂Un).
TL : Nghia Trung, Bu Dang, Binh Phuoc, S.Vietnam.

Distribution : C. & S.Vietnam.

	● ssp.
	● ssp.alboapicala
	● ssp.[alboapicala ?]
	● ssp.merta
	● ssp.milleri

Type Materials Information

Holotype, ♀, 27.Nov.2003. Nghia Trung forest, Bu Dang District, Binh Phuoc Province, S.Vietnam. A.L.Monastyrskii leg. (NHML)
Paratypes :
1♂, 18.May.2003. La Nga forest, Dinh Quan District, Dong Nai Province, S.Vietnam. A.L.Monastyrskii leg. (NHML)
1♀, 06.Feb.1975. Col de Blao, Rout QL20, Lam Dong Province, C.Vietnam. R.Metaye leg. (MNHN)

Records taken from Literature

[ VIETNAM ]
Euthalia eriphylae alboapicala ; Miyazaki, Saito & Saito,2006b : 32, figs.N-90,♂,♀(left). (Lam Dong: Dai Duc Me)
Euthalia alboapicala ; Miyazaki et al.,2010 : 19, 24. (Lam Dong: Dai Duc Me; Madagui)
Euthalia alboapicala ; Monastyrskii & Devyatkin,2015 : 40, pl.10, figs.39a(HT,♀),39b(HT,♀Un). (C: Lam Dong / S: Dong Nai)
Euthalia alboapicala ; Monastyrskii,2019 : 4(2):118-119, pl.64, figs.2c♀,2d♀(Un). (C: Lam Dong / S: Cat Tien) (in part)
Euthalia eriphylae lioneli ; Monastyrskii,2019 : 4(2): pl.64, figs.1a♂,1b♂(Un). (S: Cat Tien) (in part)

Specimens Examined

[ VIETNAM ]
Lam Dong : 1♂ 1♀.

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

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[ THAILAND ]
Chanthaburi : 1983.03.28. 1♂, Y.Inayoshi (KS).

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

Notes

The butterfly is rare in montane forest at low elevations.
This taxon was described as a subspecies of eriphylae, then Miyazaki et al. (2010) regarded it as a distinct species. However, I consider it should be a subspecies of Euthalia merta based on morphology. The male does not differ from merta in both pattern and genitalia. The female looks slightly different, but its basic characteristics are the same as those of merta. In Monastyrskii (2019), males of alboapicala and Euthalia eriphylae are misidentified, including their genitalia.
A single male was found on 28.Mar.1983 in Chanthaburi province, SE. Thailand. It is likely to be ssp.alboapicala, or it could be a peninsular taxon. It is not certain at present. I am holding the subspecies until a female is found.

Literature

Monastyrskii, A. L.,2005 : New Taxa and new records of butterflies from Vietnam (3) (Lepidoptera, Rholalocera).
Atalanta 36(1/2): 141-160, Col.pl.6-8.

2010.04.15 - 2021.08.31.