Laxita thuisto sawaja

Laxita thuisto sawaja (Fruhstorfer, 1914)


♂, 2016.11.28. Kanchanaburi, Thailand.		♀, 2013.01.19. Phetchaburi, Thailand.

ON : Taxila thuisto sawaja Fruhstorfer, 1914
OD : In: Seitz, Gross-Schmetterl. Erde 9: 791, pl.138, fig.♀ (as thuisto).
TL : 'Birma von den Karen-Hills (nördlich von Tungo) an südwärts [Myanmar from Taungoo, Bago Region and Kayah State southwards]; Tavoy (Tenasserim) [Dawei, Tanintharyi Region, Myanmar]'.

Distribution : Myanmar (Kayah State to Myeik Dist.), W. to P.Thailand (Kanchanaburi to Phetchaburi).

	● ssp.ephorus
	● ssp.sawaja
	● ssp.thuisto

Specimens Examined

[ THAILAND ]
Kanchanaburi : Thong Pha Phum dist., 2016.11.28. 1♂, LC (YI).

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

Phetchaburi : 3♀ (incl. photo by M.Hayashi, T.Aoyama & K.Yano).
2013.01.19. 1♀, K.Yano (YI).

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

Notes

The butterfly is uncommon in montane forests at low to moderate elevations (Alt. 300 - 1000m).
I have previously treated the population from Phetchaburi, in the northern part of peninsular Thailand, as an intermediate between ssp.thuisto and ssp.sawaja. But, ssp.sawaja was found in W. Thailand, and I consider the population from Phetchaburi should be included in this taxon. Kimura et al. (2014) recorded ssp.thuisto from Tenasserim, and it is also possible to be this taxon. However, I treat it as the nominotypical subspecies until it is confirmed by specimens. Further taxonomic and distributional studies are needed.

Literature

Fruhstorfer, H.,1914 : 7. Familie: Erycinidae, B. Unterfamilie: Riodinini. In: Seitz, A. (Ed.), Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde.
9: 785-792 (15.Apr.1914), Stuttgart, Alfred Kernen.


♀, Phetchaburi, Thailand. (photo by M.Hayashi)

Y.Inayoshi & K.Saito, 2021.12.31.