paranticopsis phidias ssp.

[panzerman]

phidias 2 ssp.


John

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[Adam Cotton]

John,

There is no difference between akikoae and phidias AT ALL! Apart from which, the type locality of phidias in Vietnam is just across the border from Lak Sao (the type locality of akikoae), and if you believe they don't fly over the border you must be deluded (nothing personal ;-) ). They don't need passports and visas to cross between Laos and Vietnam at the Nam Phao border post. In fact they can be seen at the stream below the bridge in no-man's land between Laos and Vietnam at the top of the pass (altitude about 800 m.).

Also I am very suspicious of the data on the top specimen in the photo. I have never heard of phidias from Fansipan, and also not in June, which is WAY too late in the year. G. phidias is flying NOW, as I write (well, ok it's night time now here in SE Asia, but it will be flying tomorrow morning) in the Lak Sao area, and will be finished by early March. It is univoltine and only has a very short flight period. Further north it will be flying in early March to early April at high altitude, earlier at lower altitudes (for instance on Phou Phan, Sam Neua it can be found at low altitude in late February, mid altitude in March and near the summit of the mountain in early April).

G. phidias does fly on Mt. PiaOac in NE Vietnam in April, but that is the only locality I know in northern Vietnam.

[Adam Cotton]

Here's a photo of the female.

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[Deleted]

Adam, how rare is phidias in nature?

[harmas]

There is not the name of G. phidias now. It is G.akikoae.

[Adam Cotton]

Harmas,

You are incorrect. The name phidias is still available and MUST be used, not akikoae.

ICZN Code Article 23.9.5. states:

When an author discovers that a species-group name in use is a junior primary homonym [Art. 53.3] of another species-group name also in use, but the names apply to taxa not considered congeneric after 1899, the author must not automatically replace the junior homonym; the case should be referred to the Commission for a ruling under the plenary power and meanwhile prevailing usage of both names is to be maintained [Art. 82].

In the case of phidias, the homonymy is between a Hesperiid and a Papilionid - definitely not congeneric since 1899, thus phidias MUST be used until such time as the Commission decides otherwise. The name akikoae MUST be treated as a junior synonym except in the case that the Commission would rule phidias Oberthur unavailable.

Adam.

[Adam Cotton]

Feb 18, 2011 13:29:31 GMT -8 @dunc01226 said:

Adam, how rare is phidias in nature?

The answer is actually 'very rare' under the normal collectors' criteria.

However the truth is that if you are in the right place at the right time you will see plenty of males (females are very rare, as with most other species, and are occasionally found at high altitude -1,500m+). Males fly down to 500m+ to mud-puddle, where they can be seen in numbers (5-10 at a time), but only for about 1 week in the year. A few days later the remaining specimens will be ragged. Of course the species emergence can be 'followed' northwards, as it emerges later further north. Also the species only occurs at some habitats, mostly on the Annam Mts bordering Laos and Vietnam. In Laos it is only known from a few localities (Sam Nuea, Xiang Khouang, Lak Sao), and similarly in Vietnam in particular localities from central to north Vietnam. The type of phidias actually came from Central Vietnam (ie. near the type locality of akikoae as I stated above), but north Vietnamese phidias are identical anyway.

To illustrate the local nature of G. phidias, at Lak Sao it is only found in the mountains near the border. The forest around Lak Sao town, 35 km away, does not have this butterfly at all. Similarly it does not occur at the next really good collecting spot 'Nahin' which is 60 km west of Lak Sao (less in a straight line). Wakahara (has lived in Laos for over 20 years) told me that phidias is only found on mountains with igneous outcrops.

By the way, Graphium phidias may not be a "Paranticopsis" at all. Preliminary DNA work suggests it is related to the eurypylus group. In any case "Paranticopsis" is internal to subgenus Pathysa (the aristeus, nomius, antiphates type Graphium spp), and just represents a mimetic group of species in that lineage.

Adam.