Penthema darlisa melema  Riley & Godfrey, 1921

Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Un. Penthema darlisa melema ♀ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♀ Un.
♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand. ♀, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Un. Penthema darlisa melema ♀ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♀ Un.
♂, Phrae, Thailand. ♀, Phrae, Thailand.
Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Un. Penthema darlisa melema ♀ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♀ Un.
♂, Vientiane, Laos. ♀, Phrae, Thailand.
Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Un. Penthema darlisa melema ♀ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♀ Un.
♂, Phrae, Thailand. ♀, Phetchabun, Thailand.
Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Un. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Un.
♂, Phrae, Thailand. ♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Un. Penthema darlisa melema ♀ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♀ Un.
♂, Vientiane, Laos. ♀, Phong Saly, Laos.
Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Un. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ genitalia Penthema darlisa melema ♂ genitalia
♂, '1988.01.--. Ranong', Thailand. ♂ genitalia, Phrae, Thailand.

Specimens from transition zone of melema and mimetica
Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Un. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Up. Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Un.
♂, Phetchabun, Thailand. ♂, Mukdaharn, Thailand.
Penthema darlisa melema ♂ genitalia Penthema darlisa melema ♂ genitalia Penthema darlisa melema ♂ genitalia Penthema darlisa melema ♂ genitalia
♂ genitalia, Phetchabun, Thailand. ♂ genitalia, Mukdaharn, 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
Penthema darlisa melema map

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; Nakhon Panom; Chaiyaphum; Phitsanulok) (in part)
Penthema darlisa melema ; Ek-Amnuay,[2007] : 261-262, pl.102, figs.S50a♂(Phrae),♂,♂(Un)(Phu Khieo). (Phrae; Chiang Dao; Phu Khieo) (in part)
Penthema darlisa mimetica ; Ek-Amnuay,[2007] : 261-262, pl.103, figs.S50c♂,♂(Un),♂,♂(ab.). (Phayao; Phrae; Phu Khieo)
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),♂,♂(Un)(Phu Khieo),♂,♂(Un)(Phu Khieo). (Mae Rim; Phrae; Phu Khieo) (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)(Phu Khiewo),♂,♂(Un)(Phu Khiewo),♂,♂(Un)(Thung Saleng Luang),♀,♀(Un)(Doi Suthep). (Doi Suthep; Ban Salok; Thung Saleng Luang; Phu Khiewo) (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).
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Chiang Mai : 6♂ 2♀ (incl. photo).
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Lampang : 2♂ (incl. photo).
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Phrae : 19♂ 3♀.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Nan : 3♂ (photo).
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Mukdaharn : 1♂.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Phetchabun : 2♂.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

Chaiyaphum : 1♂.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec

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

[ LAOS ]
Vientiane : 6♂ 2♀.
JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec


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-northern to eastern Thailand are highly variable, with individuals often found that appear to be an intermediate between ssp.melema and ssp.mimetica in wing shape and genitalia. This area is considered a transition zone between two subspecies.
The shape of the valva between the darlisa group (darlisa, melema and merguia) and mimetica is rather different. The taxon mimetica is much closer to michallati, bowringi, adelma and formosanum than to the lisarda and darlisa group. Further taxonomic study is needed.


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.


Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Penthema darlisa melema ♂
♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand. ♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Penthema darlisa melema ♂
♂, Chiang Mai, Thailand. ♂, Lampang, Thailand.
Penthema darlisa melema ♂ Penthema darlisa melema ♂
♂, Nan, Thailand. ♂ (territorial behavior), Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Penthema darlisa melema ♂
♂, Phetchabun, Thailand.

1998.12.28 - 2024.05.31.

A Check list of Butterflies in Indo-China, Chiefly from THAILAND, LAOS & VIETNAM. Copyright © 1996- Y.Inayoshi.