♂, Ranong, Thailand.		♀, Ranong, Thailand.
♂, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.		♀, Ranong, Thailand.
♀, Satun (Koh Tarutao), Thailand.		♀, Yala (Than To dist.), Thailand.

ON : Hesperia democritus Fabricius, 1793 OD : Ent. syst. 3(1):285. TL : 'India orientali' [Phuket, Thailand]. (NHMD) Distribution : Myanmar (Mawlamyine to Myeik), P.Thailand (Ranong to Satun), Langkawi, W.Malaysia (North). ● ssp. ● uncertain ● ssp.democritus ● transition zone of democritus and lycaenaria

Amblypodia albopunctata Hewitson, 1869 : Ill. diurn. Lep. Lycaenidae 1(4):14e, pl.3b, figs.43,♂, 44,♂(Un). TL. "Maulmain" [Mawlamyine, Myanmar]. (NHML)

democritus ; Lectotype ♂, 'in India Orientali' [Phuket], det by Gaonkar & Vane-Wright,2003. (NHMD)
albopunctata ;
Syntypes 1♂, Type (HT/red), NHMUK 015105596 (NHML, photo examined.), 1♂, Type (HT/red), NHMUK 015105597 (NHML, photo examined.),
1♀, Type (AT/red), NHMUK 015105598 (NHML, photo examined.)

[ THAILAND ]
Arhopala albopunctata ; Pendlebury,1923 : 45. (Nakhon Sri Thammarat: Khao Ram; Khao Luang)
Amblypodia albopunctata ; Godfrey,1930 : 331. (W: Eka Klo; Takuapa: Nang Yaawn; Ranong: Kapor) (in part)
Amblypodia albopunctata ; Godfrey,1932a : 272. (Siam; P)
Narathura democritus democritus ; Evans,1957 : 105. (P) (in part)
Arhopala democritus democritus ; Pinratana,1981 : 84, pl.14, fig.1,♂(Un). (Uthai Thani; Nakhon Sri Thammarat; Phuket; Ranong; Trang) (in part)
Arhopala democritus democritus ; Seki,1986 : 14, figs.14,♂,15,♂(Un). (Ranong)
Arhopala democritus democritus ; Ek-Amnuay,[2007] : 618, pl.279, figs.L227a♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Khao Phanom Benecha; Trang; Ranong)
Arhopala democritus lycaenaria ; Ek-Amnuay,[2007] : 618, pl.280, figs.227b♂,♀,♀(Un). (Yala)
Arhopala democritus democritus ; Les Day,2011-2022 : Samui Butterflies, fig.[♂](Un). (Koh Samui) (accessed: 2022.08.01)
Arhopala democritus democritus ; Ek-Amnuay,2012 : 650, pl.295, figs.L252a♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Khao Phanombencha; Trang; Ranong)
Arhopala democritus democritus ; Kimura et al.,2014 : 65, figs.♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Kapar WF; Ranong Hot Spring; Kam Puan; Khlong Naka; Ka Chong; Thaleban)
Arhopala democritus lycaenaria ; Kimura et al.,2014 : 65, figs.♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Than To WF.)
Arhopala democritus democritus ; S.Sophonviwatkul, C.Sunthornwiphat & T.Laola,2015- : Butterflies of Thailand, figs. (Ranong; Surat Thani) (in part) (accessed: 2023.07.05)
Arhopala democritus democritus ; Küppers & Janikorn,2020 : 183-184, figs.Abb.L-283-286, [as Arhopala democritus lycaenaria]. (Phang Nga)

[ THAILAND ]
Ranong : 6♂ 5♀.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Phang-nga : 2♂.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Nakhon Si Thammarat : 1♂.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Satun (incl.Koh Tarutao) : 1♂ 3♀ (incl. photo by A.Giudici).

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Yala (Than To dist.) : 1♀.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

The butterfly is locally common in montane forests at low elevations (Alt. 10 - 350m).
Kimura et al. (2014) treated the specimens from Than To, Yala as ssp.lycaenaria, but the markings on the underside of both wings are the same as ssp.democritus. In the southernmost part of Thailand, the population close to the nominotypical subspecies is found in Than To district in Yala, and the populations close to ssp.lycaenaria have been found in Betong district in Yala and Narathiwat. However, both populations are different from the true respective taxa. I think they are transitional forms between ssp.democritus and ssp.lycaenaria. The effects of the transition between the two subspecies may be apparent. Eliot (1978: 291; 1992: 281) mentioned the possibility that these two taxa could be separate species. Further taxonomic and distributional studies, including DNA analysis, are needed.

The type specimens of albopunctata from "Moulmein" [Mawlamyine, Myanmar] are unfortunately completely discoloured and their original colouration is not known. Examination of the Myanmar specimens suggests that the nominotypical subspecies occurs south of the Mawlamyine and Dawna ranges. Alternatively, it is possible that this area is a transitional zone for both subspecies. Therefore, as in the past, I treat albopunctata as a synonym of democritus.

Fabricius, J.C.,1793 : Entomologia systematica emedata et aucta. secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, adjectis synonymis, locis, observationibus, descriptionibus.
3(1): [iv] + 488 pp. Copenhagen. C.G.Proft.

Hewitson, W.C.,1863-1878; Illustrations of diurnal Lepidoptera. Part I. Lycaenidae.
London, John Van Voorst.
(1):1-37 [sic], pls.1-16. (6.Jul.1863) ; (2):37-76, pls.17-30. (24.Jun.1865) ; (3):77-114, pls.31-46. (1.Apr.1867) ; (4):115-136, 14a-14h, supplementary pp.1-16, pls.47-54, 3a-3c, supplementary pls.1-5. (30.Apr.1869) ; (5):137-151 [sic], pls.55-59, supplementary pl.6. (10.Feb.1873) ; (6):151-185 [sic], pls.60-73. (1.Dec.1874) ; (7):185-209 [sic], pls.74-83 (Jan.1877) ; (8):209-228, supplementary pp. 17-35 [sic], 35-47, pls.84-85, 88-92, supplementary pls.1a-1b, 3a-3b, 4a, 5a-5b, 7-8. (Nov.1878) [pls. 86-87 were never published]

Corbet, A.S.,1941 : Observations on Certain of the Fabrician Names of Indo-Australian Rhopalocera (Lepid.)
Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond. (B)10(6):98-106.

Corbet, A.S.,1941 : A key to the Indo-Malayan species of Arhopala Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
Proc. R. ent. Soc. Lond. (B)10(9):149-183, figs.1-114.

Evans, W.H.,1957 : A Revision of the Arhopala Group of Oriental Lycaenidae (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera).
Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Ent.) 5(3):85-141.

Eliot, J.N.,1978 : In Corbet & Pendlebury. The Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula, edn. 3.
Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur.

Eliot, J.N.,1992 : In Corbet & Pendlebury. The Butterflies of the Malay Peninsula, edn. 4.
Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur.

Vane-Wright, R.I. & Gaonkar, H.,2006 : The Arhopala butterflies described by Fabricius: A. centaurus is from Java, A. democritus from Phuket (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)
Entomological Science (2006)9:295-311.

♂, Satun, Thailand. (photo by A.Giudici)

1999.07.18 - 2024.11.30.