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A living jewel, Thermozephyrus ataxus

Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:41 am
by mokky
Thermozephyrus ataxus zulla female.JPG
Thermozephyrus ataxus zulla female.JPG (190.52 KiB) Viewed 551 times
Thermozephyrus ataxus zulla male.JPG
Thermozephyrus ataxus zulla male.JPG (217.63 KiB) Viewed 551 times

Re: A living jewel, Thermozephyrus ataxus

Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 3:44 am
by mokky
An attractive Lycanidae called "Zephyrus". This species ranges from western to eastern Himalaya and several subspecies are known. These specimens were obtained from northern Myanmar (Burma). As you know, now Myanmar became a battlefield especially border areas. Now I have a scarce hope to visit there and see this magnificent Lycaenid.

Re: A living jewel, Thermozephyrus ataxus

Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 4:11 am
by Trehopr1
Very stunning species !
Thank you for posting it.

Re: A living jewel, Thermozephyrus ataxus

Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 10:12 am
by wollastoni
Wonderful species ! And an impressive sexual dimorphism !
I agree about Burma, I am afraid it is closed for many years now... the "democratic" window has been very short...

Re: A living jewel, Thermozephyrus ataxus

Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 9:53 pm
by livingplanet3
I'd not seen this species before - thanks for posting!

I have only two butterflies from Myanmar, which I feel fortunate to have obtained -

Papilio krishna thawgawa -
Image

Papilio bianor ganesa -
Image

Re: A living jewel, Thermozephyrus ataxus

Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 10:29 pm
by adamcotton
livingplanet3 wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 9:53 pm Papilio bianor ganesa
Papilio bianor ganesa comes from Nepal, Bhutan and just east of there. Your specimen is Papilio bianor triumphator. I recently published a paper about these two subspecies with Shao-ji Hu and Yutaka Inayoshi, and we designated a lectotype for Papilio ganesa Westwood, 1842. It is available here https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... pilionidae
or send me a PM with your e-mail address and I will send a copy.

Adam.

Re: A living jewel, Thermozephyrus ataxus

Posted: Thu May 26, 2022 11:46 pm
by livingplanet3
adamcotton wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 10:29 pm
livingplanet3 wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 9:53 pm Papilio bianor ganesa
Papilio bianor ganesa comes from Nepal, Bhutan and just east of there. Your specimen is Papilio bianor triumphator. I recently published a paper about these two subspecies with Shao-ji Hu and Yutaka Inayoshi, and we designated a lectotype for Papilio ganesa Westwood, 1842. It is available here https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... pilionidae
or send me a PM with your e-mail address and I will send a copy.

Adam.
Many thanks for the corrected identification; I've now downloaded the paper.

Re: A living jewel, Thermozephyrus ataxus

Posted: Fri May 27, 2022 2:16 am
by Luehdorf
Wonderful specimens!

Re: A living jewel, Thermozephyrus ataxus

Posted: Fri May 27, 2022 12:05 pm
by mokky
Thank you all for your comments.

I am looking for western population of this fantastic Lycaenid, nominotypical subspecies, ataxus. It ranges from Pakistan to NW India (as east as Uttarakhand?). Old literatures tell it is locally common but in recent years very few records available. Is there anybody who find this species in Pakistan or NW India recently?

About Papilio krishna, I was so lucky to find this mystic Himalayan beauty in Kachin state, northern Myanmar in 2000. Here I share you with the video clip. This butterfly flew away after I filmed. Too bad!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ-fXPwBtnw