Flos asoka

Flos asoka (Nicéville, [1884])


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

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

ON : Nilasera asoka Nicéville, [1884]
OD : J. asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt.2. 52(2/4):78-79, pl.9, figs.6,♂,6a♀.
TL : Sikkim. (♂, NZC)

Distribution : Sikkim, Assam, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Hong Kong, S.China.

Synonyms

Satadra chola Moore, 1884 : J. asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt.2. 53(1):39-40. TL. Sikkim. (♂, NHML)
Arhopala asoka vaya Fruhstorfer, 1914 : Duet. ent. Zeit. [Iris] 28(2):130. TL. Hongkong. (♀, NHML)

Type Materials Information

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

Records taken from Literature

[ THAILAND ]
Flos asoka ; Pinratana,1981 : 105, pl.18, fig.9(Un). (Chiang Mai; Nakhon Ratchasima)
Flos asoka ; Yamaguchi & Aoki,2002 : 37, fig.110,♂. (Mukdahan: Ban Na Lak; Ubon Ratchathani: Nam Tok Soi Sawan)
Flos asoka ; Ek-Amnuay,[2007] : 652, pl.297, figs.L292,♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Wiang Pa Pao; Tak)
Flos asoka ; Ek-Amnuay,2012 : 688, pl.314, figs.L316,♂,♂,♀,♀(Un). (Wiang Pa Pao; Tak)
Flos asoka ; Kimura et al.,2014 : 87, figs.♂,♂(Un),♂,♂(Un),♀,♀(Un),♀,♀(Un). (Doi Suthep; Ban Na Lak)
Flos asoka ; S.Sophonviwatkul, C.Sunthornwiphat & T.Laola,2015- : Butterflies of Thailand, figs, Early Stages. (Chiang Mai) (accessed: 2023.04.11)

[ LAOS ]
Flos asoka ; Osada, Uémura & Uehara,1999 : 217, pl.120, figs.♂,♂(Un),♀. (Xam Neua)
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)

Specimens Examined

[ THAILAND ]
Chiang Mai : 4♂ 7♀.

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

Notes

The butterfly is locally not rare in montane forests at low to moderate elevations (Alt. 300 - 700m).
The relationship between this taxon and adriana is still unclear. Evans,1947 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". Further taxonomic study, including DNA analysis, is needed.

Literature

Nicéville, L.de,[1884] : On new and little-known Rhopalocera from the Indian Region.
J. asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt.2. 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, Pt.2. 53(1):16-52.

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

♀, Chiang Mai, Thailand. (photo by T.Laola)

1999.07.18 - 2023.05.31.