♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.		♀, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.		♀, Mae Hong Son, Thailand.
♂ (bred), Chiang Mai, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)		♀ (bred), Chiang Mai, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)

form asoka
♂ (bred), Chiang Mai, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)		♀ (bred), Chiang Mai, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)
♂ (bred), Chiang Mai, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)		♀ (bred), Chiang Mai, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)

ON : Nilasera ? adriana [sic] Nicéville, 1884 OD : J. asiat. Soc. Bengal, Part II. 52(2/4):79, pl.9, figs.5,♂, 5a♀. TL : Sikkim, [N.India]. Distribution : Nepal, Sikkim, Assam, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, S.China.

Nilasera ? asoka [sic] Nicéville, 1884 : J. asiat. Soc. Bengal, Part II. 52(2/4):78-79, pl.9, figs.6,♂, 6a♀. TL. Sikkim, [N.India]. (NZC)
Satadra chola Moore, 1884 : J. asiat. Soc. Bengal, Part II. 53(1):39-40. TL. Sikkim, [N.India]. (NHML)
Arhopala asoka vaya Fruhstorfer, 1914 : Duet. ent. Zeit. [Iris] 28(2):130. TL. Hongkong. (NHML)

adriana ; Type 1♂ 1♀, Sikkim. (NZC) ; Sheela et al.,2019 : 110, figs.♂,♂(Un) ; 111, figs.♀,♀(Un).
asoka ; Types 1♂ 1♀, Sikkim. (NZC) ; Sheela et al.,2019 : 112, figs.♀,♀(Un),♂,♂(Un).

[ THAILAND ]
Amblypodia adriana ; Godfrey,1932b : 328. (Petchaburi: Tung Luang)
Flos adriana ; Shirôzu & Saigusa,1962 : 52-53, pl.6, figs.45,♀,46,♀(Un). (Doi Inthanon)
Flos asoka ; Pinratana,1981 : 105, pl.18, fig.9(Un). (Chiang Mai; Nakhon Ratchasima)
Flos adriana ; Pinratana,1981 : 105, pl.31, fig.14(Un). (Kanchanaburi)
Flos asoka ; Yamaguchi & Aoki,2002 : 37, fig.110,♂. (Mukdahan: Ban Na Lak; Ubon Ratchathani: Nam Tok Soi Sawan)
Flos adriana ; Yamaguchi, Aoki & Akiyama,2005 : 55, fig.30,♂. (Mukdahan: Ban Lao Kram; Phu Huai Sing; Ubon Ratchathani: Nam Tok Soi Sawan; Phu Pung; Ban Ba Hai)
Flos adriana ; Ek-Amnuay,[2007] : 652, pl.297, figs.L291,♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Doi Phu Kha)
Flos asoka ; Ek-Amnuay,[2007] : 652, pl.297, figs.L292,♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Wiang Pa Pao; Tak)
Flos adriana ; Ek-Amnuay,2012 : 688, pl.314, figs.L315,♂,♂,♀,♀(Un). (Doi Phu Kha)
Flos asoka ; Ek-Amnuay,2012 : 688, pl.314, figs.L316,♂,♂,♀,♀(Un). (Wiang Pa Pao; Tak)
Flos adriana ; Kimura et al.,2014 : 86, figs.♂,♂(Un),♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Doi Suthep; Wan Nam Khiewo; Phu Huay Sing)
Flos asoka ; Kimura et al.,2014 : 87, figs.♂,♂(Un),♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Doi Suthep; Ban Na Lak)
Flos adriana ; S.Sophonviwatkul, C.Sunthornwiphat & T.Laola,2020- : Butterflies of Thailand, figs, Early Stages. (Chiang Mai) (accessed: 2024.04.04)
Flos asoka ; S.Sophonviwatkul, C.Sunthornwiphat & T.Laola,2015- : Butterflies of Thailand, figs, Early Stages. (Chiang Mai; Ubon Ratchathani) (accessed: 2024.04.04)

[ LAOS ]
Flos adriana ; Osada, Uémura & Uehara,1999 : 217, pl.120, figs.♂,♂(Un),♀. (Xam Neua; Xiang Khouang)
Flos asoka ; Osada, Uémura & Uehara,1999 : 217, pl.120, figs.♂,♂(Un),♀. (Xam Neua)
Flos adriana ; Nimura & Wakahara,2005 : 47. (Laksao)
Flos adriana ; Nakamura & Wakahara,2012 : 54.
Flos asoka ; Nakamura & Wakahara,2012 : 54.

[ CAMBODIA ]
Flos asoka ; Chartier & Kosterin,2022 : 122, fig.4K. (Koh Kong)

[ VIETNAM ]
Flos asoka ; Ikeda et al.,2001 : 51, figs.4:5,♀,6,♂,7,♂(Un),7:32(♂genitalia). (Cuc Phuong)
Flos asoka ; Luong et al.,2004 : 11, 79, figs.♂,♂(Un). (Cuc Phuong)
Flos asoka ; Monastyrskii & Devyatkin,2015 : 62. (by Ikeda et al.,2001)

[ THAILAND ]
Mae Hong Son : 2♀.

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Chiang Mai : 10♂ 13♀ (incl. photo by T.Laola).

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Lampang : 3♂ (photo by T.Laola).

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The butterfly is not rare in semi-dried montane forests at low to moderate elevations (Alt. 300 - 900m).
The relationship between adriana and asoka has long been unclear. Evans (1947:132) mentioned in his note on adoriana: "Same genitalia as asoka of which it may be a dimorph or an ecological sub-species: it is not a seasonal form".
Recently, Thianchai Laola found the larvae of these species and bred them several times in Chiang Mai province. The larvae and pupae were identical, but individuals identified as both adriana and asoka emerged (see photos of specimens above). Their DNA was analysed and found to be clearly identical (Shao-Ji Hu, pers. comm.). Thus, I conclude that adriana and asoka are forms of the same species and tentatively treat asoka as a synonym of adriana.

Nicéville, L. de,1884 : On new and little-known Rhopalocera from the Indian Region.
J. asiat. Soc. Bengal, Part II. 52(2/4):65-91. pls.1,9,10.

Moore, F.,1884 : Descriptions of some New Asiatic Lepidoptera; chiefly from Specimens contained inthe Indian Museum, Calcutta.
J. asiat. Soc. Bengal, Part II. 53(1):16-52.

Fruhstorfer, H.,1914 : Neue Arhopala Rassen.
Deut. ent. Zeit. [Iris] 28(2):121-137. (30.Jun.1914)

♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.	♀, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.	♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
♀ (bred, f. asoka), Chiang Mai, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)

1999.07.18 - 2023.04.30.