Glorious Begum (Agatasa calydonia)

[Trehopr1]

Here we have a very colorful (on the underside) butterfly
which is from Perak, Malaysia (1963). It is reasonably large,
stout-bodied, and likely a powerful/fast flier like many other
Nymphalids of similar build.

I've always liked it and this one strangely is the only one
which I've ever encountered in any private collection here
in the U.S. Fortunately, my singular find turned out to be
a fine representative of this marvelous species !

[daveuk]

Here we have a very colorful (on the underside) butterfly
which is from Perak, Malaysia (1963). It is reasonably large,
stout-bodied, and likely a powerful/fast flier like many other
Nymphalids of similar build.

I've always liked it and this one strangely is the only one
which I've ever encountered in any private collection here
in the U.S. Fortunately, my singular find turned out to be
a fine representative of this marvelous species !

Marvelous species indeed. Great specimen considering it's age Trehopr. I have a couple of males from Malaysia & a pair from Sumatra. Will have to dig those out & take some photos.

[adamcotton]

This species was placed in genus Prothoe recently, after Mynes and before being placed in its own genus, Agatasa. It occurs in Thailand rarely with two subspecies, but I have never seen one.
ssp. calydonia http://yutaka.it-n.jp/cha/60010001.html
ssp. belisama http://yutaka.it-n.jp/cha/60010010.html

Adam.

[livingplanet3]

Here we have a very colorful (on the underside) butterfly
which is from Perak, Malaysia (1963). It is reasonably large,
stout-bodied, and likely a powerful/fast flier like many other
Nymphalids of similar build.

I've always liked it and this one strangely is the only one
which I've ever encountered in any private collection here
in the U.S. Fortunately, my singular find turned out to be
a fine representative of this marvelous species !...

Agreed - Agatasa calydonia is a very interesting, monotypic butterfly; one of only four species in the tribe Prothoini. I have a specimen that was collected in the early 1980s. Worth mentioning is its smaller relative, the Blue Begum (Prothoe franck) -


http://nlliew66butterflies.blogspot.com ... ormis.html

[daveuk]

My pair of Prothoe calydonia auricinia.
Siak, Riau
Sumatra May 2012

[daveuk]

Prothoe calydonia chrysodonia for Mindanao in the Philippines.
A pair recto & verso & another male.
Some authors treat this as a full species