Heliophorus epicles latilimbata  (Fruhstorfer, 1908)

Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Up. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Un. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♀ Up. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♀ Un.
♂ (ds), Chiang Mai, Thailand. ♀ (ds), Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Up. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Un. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♀ Up. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♀ Un.
♂ (ds), Chiang Mai, Thailand. ♀ (ds), Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Up. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Un. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♀ Up. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♀ Un.
♂ (ws), Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. ♀ (ws), Nakhon Nayok, Thailand.
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Up. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Un. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Up. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Un.
♂ (ws), Nan, Thailand. ♂ (ds), Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Up. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Un. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Up. Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Un.
♂ (ws), Oudomxay, Laos. ♂ (ws), Bolikhamxai, Laos.
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ genitalia Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ genitalia Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ genitalia Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ genitalia
♂ genitalia, Chiang Mai, Thailand. ♂ genitalia, Bolikhamxai, Laos.

ON : Ilerda epicles indicus forma latilimbata Fruhstorfer, 1908
OD : Ent. Zeit. 22(12):49.
TL : Sikkim. (♂, NHML)
Distribution : Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Assam, Myanmar, Andamans,
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Yunnan.
● ssp.latilimbata
ssp.tweediei
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata map

Synonym

Ilerda epicles indicus subforma rufonotata Fruhstorfer, 1908 : Ent. Zeit. 22(12):49. TL. Sikkim. (♂, 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♂.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

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

Nan : 3♂ 1♀.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

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


[ LAOS ]
Phong Saly : 1♂.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Luang Nam Tha : 1♂ (photo by H.Onodeara).
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Oudomxay : 1♂.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

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

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

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

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

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


[ VIETNAM ]
Thua Thien Hue : 1♂.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Da Nang : 1♂.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec


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 Pele-Mele. I. Neue ostasiatische Rhopaloceren.
Ent. Zeit. 22(12):48-49.

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.


Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♀
♂, Nan, Thailand. ♀, Nan, Thailand.
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂
♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand. ♂ (ws), Chiang Mai, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂
♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand. ♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♀
♂, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama) ♀, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♀
♂, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama) ♀, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)
Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♂ Heliophorus epicles latilimbata ♀
♂, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama) ♀, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand. (photo by T.Aoyama)

2006.02.06 - 2023.05.31.

A Check list of Butterflies in Indo-China, Chiefly from THAILAND, LAOS & VIETNAM. Copyright © 1996- Y.Inayoshi.