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).

Teinopalpus imperialis (Kaiser-i-hind swallowtails) from Vietnam

Kaiser-i-hind swallowtails butterfly (Teinopalpus imperialis) is one of rare Papilioninae, they distributed in high mountain, the males are more common than the females. The matures appear in early morning, at the summit area of high mountain forests. In the first sunlight of the day, the males fly up above the tree canopy and waiting for the females that will fly up later from the forests. A female with larger wings is attractive object of males, as soon as the female appears, males will fly follow her in very high speed for mating purpose. The competition factor of males is speed and the fastest male will get the female. It is an unusual case in insect world, the true of other insect groups, males always more colorful or more attractive, but for this species, males need to be simple shape and speed is the most important to get his own female or to make next generations.

There are 3 among 8 subspecies of Teinopalpus imperialis have been recorded from Vietnam: Teinopalpus imperialis glilessi, Teinopalpus imperialis imperatorix and Teinopalpus imperialis herteri. While two subspecies glilessi and imperatorix are found in North Vietnam, the subspecies herteri only found from South Center of Vietnam. In dorsal view, the males are very similar, the main characteristic to separate males of that three subspecies is black marking on underside of their fore wings.

In Vietnam, the subspecies T. imperialis glilessi found from Lao Cai - Ha Giang mountain forests but T. imperialis imperatorix is rarer, only found from Cao Bang Province.

Teinopalpus imperialis glilessi (Male, dorsal view)

Teinopalpus imperialis glilessi (Male, ventral view)

Teinopalpus imperialis herteri (Male, dorsal view)

Teinopalpus imperialis herteri (Male, ventral view)