Prosopocoilus astacoides karubei Nagai, 2000

Prosopocoilus astacoides karubei Nagai,2000 was described based on materials that collected from Lam Dong Province, South Center of Vietnam. It is the second subspecies of the species found in Vietnam, other wide distribute subspecies is Prosopocoilus astacoides castaneus (Hope & Westwood, 1845), found in North of Vietnam and very common in Ha Giang Province. Not same to the subspecies Prosopocoilus astacoides karubei only found from type location, Prosopocoilus astacoides castaneus found also in Thailand, Myanmar, India and Laos, maybe also in South China.
The subspecies Prosopocoilus astacoides karubei Nagai,2000 named after Mr. Haruki Karube, Kanagawa Museum of Nature History, who is well known with his publication on dragonfly of South East Asia.

 
 Small male of Prosopocoilus astacoides karubei Nagai,2000 - photographed by Nguyen Ba Quang

Large male of Prosopocoilus astacoides karubei Nagai,2000 - Photographed by Nguyen Quang Thai

Trachyzulpha frushtorferi varia Gorochov, 2014

Trachyzulpha frushtorferia varia Gorochov, 2014 was original described based on materials that collected from Kon Tum Province, South Center of Vietnam. The holotype of the subspecies was collected from Kon Plong, Mang Canh with elevation about 1200m. It is the first time this subspecies was recorded from Bidoup, Lam Dong Province, South Center of Vietnam. It was attracted by light trap in the locality with elevation about 1650m. It is easy to understand about the distribution because of connection of two forest mountain areas in South Center of Vietnam.
Species of Trachyzulpha found in tropical forests in Indo-Malay area, the genus was described based on the species T. frushtorferia from Java, Indonesia. The latter second species was found from Tonkin, North Vietnam: T. annulifera. Today, Trachyzulpha frushtorferia was found from South China and South East Asia. In Vietnam, there only 2 species of the genus were recorded: T. frushtorferia and T. annulifera.
They are really beautiful and strange species of Grasshopper with the lichen mimic form, they fround in pristine tropical forest.

Trachyzulpha frushtorferia varia Gorochov, 2014 - photographed by Cuong Do, 2016 in Bidoup National Park, Lam Dong Province

Samia vuvanlieni Naumann, Peigler & Läffle, 2014

A new described species of Saturniidae in 2014, the species is large size moth that found from Bidoup National Park, Lam Dong Province, they also were recorded in Kon Tum and Da Nang Province. The species is largest moth of the genus, two smaller related species are S. watsoni and S. formosana. Mature form found in high elevation habitat, about more than 1500m.

Samia vuvanlieni Naumann, Peigler & Läffle, 2014 - dorsal view of male

Teinopalpus aureus from Vietnam

Teinopalpus aureus is a rare buttefly that found from high elevation forests. In Vietnam, there has been two subspecies of T. aureus, Teinopalpus aureus shinkaii and Teinopalpus aureus eminens. They are Papilionidae butterflies that listed as protected species.

The subspecies Teinopalpus aureus eminens was described by Turlin in 1991, the male holotype was collected from Dong Nai, South Vietnam (elevation is 1500m) and deposited in Nature History Museum, London, England. The subspecies later be found many high land area in South Vietnam: Di Linh and Bidoup National Park, Lam Dong Province, Dak Nong Province, Hon Ba Nature Reserve, Khanh Hoa Provicne. Recently the subspecies also was found in center of Vietnam (Vu Quang National Park, Ha Tinh Province).


Dorsal view of male of Teinopalpus aureus eminens, Dak Nong Province.

Mr. Shinkai collected materials of Teinopalpus aureus from Pia Oac Mountain, Cao Bang Province in 1995 and Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc Province from 1990 - 1998. Based on the materials, Morita described the new species and named after Mr. Shinkai, the paper was published in 1998 with the hotoype is male specimen from Pia Oac, Cao Bang, this holotype is deposited in Morita's collection. Recent year, the subspecies also was recorded from Pu Mat, Nghe An Province, North Center of Vietnam.

A male of Teinopalpus aureus shinkaii Morita, 1998, dorsal view (Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc Province)

Teinopalpus aureus shinkaii and Teinopalpus aureus eminens males can be separated by the shape of yellow triangle cell of the hind wings. The triangle cell of shinkaii is much more larger than it of eminens.

 
Triangle cells of hind wings of T. aureus shinkaii (left) and T. aureus eminens (right).

Weinreichius perroti Laxcroix, 1978

The genus Weinreichius consist of a single species Weinreichius perroti and this species has known as an endemic taxon from South of Vietnam, near Da Lat area. The distribution of the species has been recorded in high land area of Lam Dong Province, South Vietnam.

In general, this species quite similar to another Vietnamese endemic species, Yumikoi makii that only found from South Center of Vietnam. Mature forms of Weinreichius perroti mainly found from April to September during the year. Their habitat is mountain forests with elevation over 1000m.

Male of W. perroti in nature, Bidoup Nui Ba National Park, Lam Dong Province

Female of W. perroti in nature, Bidoup Nui Ba National Park, Lam Dong Province

Dorsal view of a male specimen