Penthema darlisa melema

Penthema darlisa melema Riley & Godfrey, 1921


♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.		♀, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

♂, Phrae, Thailand.		♀, Phrae, Thailand.

♂, Vientiane, Laos.		♀, Phrae, Thailand.

♂, Phetchabun, Thailand.		♂, Phrae, Thailand.

♂, Phrae, Thailand.		♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

♂, Vientiane, Laos.		♀, Phong Saly, Laos.

♂, Mukdaharn, Thailand.		♂, 1988.01.--. "Ranong", Thailand.

ON : Penthema darlisa melema Riley & Godfrey, 1921
OD : J. nat. Hist. Soc. Siam 4(3):175, pl.5, fig.1,♂.
TL : Upper Me Lem, Prae, Siam. (♂, NHML)

Distribution : Thailand, Laos, Vietnam.

	● ssp.darlisa
	● ssp.melema
	● transition zone of melema and mimetica
	● ssp.mimetica
	● ssp.merguia

Synonym

Penthema binghami godfreyi Riley, 1932 : J. nat. Hist. Soc. Siam Suppl. 8:250. TL. N.Siam. (NHML)

Type Materials Information

melema :
Holotype ♂, R.I.Vane-Wright,1970, Rh122. Upper Me Lem, Prae, Siam. E.J.Godfrey. (NHML, examined)
Allotype ♀, 24.Apr.1924. Maymyo, N.Shan States. (NHML, examined)
Paratypes : 1♂, Apr.1918. Me Tharm, Prae Dist. N.Thailand. E.J.Godfrey. (NHML, examined) ; 1♀, Apr.1819. Upper Me Lem, Prae. N.Thailand. E.J.Godfrey. (NHML, examined)
godfreyi :
Holotype ♂, Apr.1918. Upper Melem, Prae Dist.,N.Siam. E.J.Godfrey. (NHML, examined)
Paratypes : 1♂, Apr.1918. Meetam, Prae, N.Siam. E.J.Godfrey. (NHML, examined) ; 1♂, 25.Apr.1916. Me Song, Prae, N.Siam. (NHML, examined)

Records taken from Literature

[ THAILAND ]
Penthema darlisa melema ; Godfrey,1927 : 123. (N)
Penthema darlisa melema ; Godfrey,1930 : 266-267. (Prae: Me Song forest)
Penthema binghami mimetica ; Godfrey,1930 : 266. (Prae: Me Song forest) (in part)
Penthema binghami godfreyi ; Godfrey,1932b : 323. (Upper Me Lem; Prae: Me Song forest)
Penthema darlisa melema ; Pinratana,1979 : 6, figs.N8a♂,♂(Un). (Chiang Mai; 'Trang' [loc.err.]) (in part)
Penthema darlisa melema ; Pinratana,1988 : 19, pl.21, fig.44a♂. (Chiang Mai) (in part)
Penthema darlisa melema ; Ek-Amnuay,[2007] : 261-262, pl.102, fig.S50a♂(Phrae). (Phrae; Chiang Dao) (in part)
Penthema darlisa mimetica ; Ek-Amnuay,[2007] : 261-262, pl.103, figs.S50c♂(bottom left),♂(ab.). (Phayao; Phrae) (in part)
Penthema darlisa mimetica ; Ek-Amnuay,2012 : 260, pl.102, figs.N85a♂,♂(Un). (Phayao)
Penthema darlisa melema ; Ek-Amnuay,2012 : 260, pl.102, fig.N85b♂(Phrae). (Mae Rim; Phrae) (in part)
Penthema darlisa melema ; S.Sophonviwatkul, C.Sunthornwiphat & T.Laola,2015- : Butterflies of Thailand, figs. (Chiang Mai; Phetchabun) (accessed: 2023.07.01)
Penthema darlisa mimetica ; Kimura et al.,2016 : 160, figs.♂,♂(Un)(Thung Saleng Luang),♀,♀(Un)(Doi Suthep). (Doi Suthep; Ban Salok; Thung Saleng Luang) (in part)

[ LAOS ]
Penthema darlisa f.annamitica ; Dubois & Vitalis,1924 : 35. (Laos)
Penthema darlisa mimetica ; Motono & Negishi,1989 : 65, pl.89, figs.1,♂,2,♂(Un),3,♀[♂],4,♀[♂](Un). (Vang Vieng)
Penthema binghami ssp. ; Motono & Negishi,1989 : 65, col.pl.14 ; pl.89, figs.5,♂,6,♂(Un). (Luang Prabang)
Penthema darlisa mimetica ; Osada, Uémura & Uehara,1999 : 210, pl.89, figs.♂,♂,♂,♂,♂,♂. (Lak Sao; Nhahin; Vang Vieng; Thabok)
Penthema darlisa mimetica ; Uémura,2003 : 3, fig.16 map. (Xam Neua)
Penthema darlisa mimetica f.mimetica ; Uémura,2003 : 3.
Penthema darlisa mimetica f.melema ; Uémura,2003 : 3.
Penthema darlisa mimetica f.godfreyi ; Uémura,2003 : 3.
Penthema darlisa melema ; Nakamura & Wakahara,2012 : 48.
Penthema darlisa melema ; Onodera,2022 : 54, pl.159, figs.♂,♂(Un), pl.160, figs.♂,♂(Un), pl.161, figs.♂,♂(Un). (Bolikamxai: Thabok; Phon Si)

[ VIETNAM ]
Penthema darlisa mimetica ; Luong et al.,2004 : 4, 45, figs.♂[♀],♂[♀](Un), 46, figs.♀,♀(Un). (Cuc Phuong)
Penthema darlisa ; Ikeda et al.,1999 : 57, fig.5:6,♂,7,♂(Un),8,♀,9,♀, fig.9:24(♂,genitalia). (Cuc Phuong)
Penthema darlisa mimetica ; Monastyrskii,2005 : 42-43, pl.9, figs.1a♂,1b♂(Un),1c♂. (N: Cuc Phuong / C: Ben En; Pu Mat; Vu Quang)
Penthema darlisa mimetica ; Monastyrskii & Devyatkin,2015 : 21. (N / C: to Ha Tinh)

Specimens Examined

[ THAILAND ]
Chiang Rai : 2♂ (incl. photo).

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

Chiang Mai : 6♂ 2♀ (incl. photo).

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

Lampang : 2♂ (incl. photo).

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

Phrae : 19♂ 3♀.

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

Nan : 2♂ (photo).

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

Mukdaharn : 1♂.

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

Phetchabun : 1♂.

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

"Ranong : 1988.01.--. 1♂ P.Sukkit (PS)"

[ LAOS ]
Vientiane : 6♂ 2♀.

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

Notes

The butterfly is locally common in montane bamboo forests at low to high elevations (Alt. 350 - 1800m). Males are territorial on shrubs.
There is a single specimen from 'Ranong' in Sukkit collection. but I suppose it may be incorrect data. Therefore, I treat it as an informal record until reconfirmed.
The populations in central Thailand is highly variable, with individuals intermediate between ssp.melema and ssp.mimetica are often found. This area is considered a transition zone between two subspecies.

Literature

Riley N.D. & Godfrey, E.J.,1921 : Some undescribed Rhopalocera from Siam.
J. nat. Hist. Soc. Siam 4(3):167-190, 4pls.

Riley N.D.,1932 : Descriptions of New Siamese Rhopalocera.
J. nat. Hist. Soc. Siam Suppl. 8(4):249-254, 1pl.


♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.	♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.

♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.	♂, Lampang, Thailand.

♂, Nan, Thailand.	♂ (territorial behavior), Chiang Mai, Thailand.

1998.12.28 - 2023.07.31.