UK Butterflies
Building a Community of Responsible Butterfly Enthusiasts in Britain & Ireland
Building a Community of Responsible Butterfly Enthusiasts in Britain & Ireland
This page provides access to all named aberrations of a given species and Goodson & Read (1969) is a key resource in this regard.
Description to be completed.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk
This section contains those aberrations that are considered new, and have yet to be formally defined.
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Females with the ground colour yellow, very bright in appearance.
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Females with the ground colour fiery orange, richer and stronger than the type [typical form].
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Females with the ground colour green in the same places that ab. [form] valesina is brownish-grey.
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“The falsely called valesina male from Königsberg [Germany] has a beautiful, almost pale blue underside (as well as other characters not mentioned by Lengerken): Dryas paphia ab. harmsi m. = perfecta, brunneomaculata, luteoalba, virideoiridescens, suffusa, subtuscoerulea. Androconial distribution 5a (B cu2cu2 ) compare normal formulae in my work in Arch.Naturg.March.1922”, Reuss. Seitz, Verity, and others, give the reference Arch.Naturg.(1921)1922.87.All.p.210 but I can find no reference to ab. harmsi on that page or in the long article by Reuss. The above is merely a footnote relating to ab. subtuscoerulea Reuss, the only reference to ab. harmsi that I can find [Goodson & Read]. Presumably it shows the characters of all the other forms Reuss mentions.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The normal yellow-brown ground colour of both upper and underside has taken on a completely whitish tone, with normal markings. The costa of the hindwings is weakly yellowish dusted. Also, the abdomen is whitish and the strongly haired body is opalescent grey-green. Silbernagel says the form is a total albino but this is obviously not so, it is only the ground colour affected, not the black pigment of the markings.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Albino. All black patterning is replaced by pale silvery grey on a normal ground colour.
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The whole of the hindwings and apical part of the forewings is of a whitish tint. This form is probably pathological.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
An oval white patch on each of the four wings. This form is probably pathological but is quite frequent.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The figure shows the male with the black spots normally seen at the ends of the veins at the extreme margin, completely absent. The female figure shows these not completely absent but represented by shadowy triangles at the ends of the veins. In both sexes the row of submarginal spots are much larger than usual but the postmedian spots much smaller.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= imperfecta Reuss.Arch.Naturg.(1921)1922.87.AII.p.210.
The apical area, 10mm wide, with no patterning.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Reuss apparently named this form as having the pattern present as opposed to his ab. imperfecta, which has the apical pattern absent, in which case it is a synonym of the type [typical] form and of no use.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the upperside of the wings the two outer rows of black spots unite with each other, forming marginal rays. An example of this is figured in Bull.Soc.Lep.Gen.3.pl.7.f.4.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Similar to ab. ocellata Frings and may really be considered a synonym of it. However, it is not so extreme in the marginal area, the outer rows of black spots not being fused together as in ab. ocellata, so it is kept separate here. Forewings with the black area increased from the median row of spots outwards, so that ovals of ground colour remain before the margins each enclosing a black spot and appearing like two rows of eyes or ocelli. Hindwings with the basal half of normal ground colour and black in the outer half except for longish ovals of ground colour in which the two rows of black spots are enclosed, two spots in each oval. In ab. ocellata these two spots are fused into one.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upperside of the wings with striking longitudinal spots enclosed in one ring of ground colour before the margins which appear like a row of eye spots and caused by the union, or fusion, of the two rows of black spots before the margins. Mainly the form is characterised by the broadening and flowing out of the black markings of the central area which mar vary in its intensity. Frings cites the figure in Berl.Ent.Z.1888.32.pl.7.f.1 as an example. This shows a form extremely like ab. pelopioides Krombach, the main difference being that in the ovals of ground colour before the margins there is a longitudinal stripe formed by the fusion of the two spots, which in ab. pelopioides are separated.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The black spots of the upperside fused. The description is not sufficient to attach to any particular form; it can be used for any fusion of spots not covered by other described forms.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= melaina D’Aldin.Lamb.1931.31.p.82.
The description is somewhat vague and lacking in detail. The forewings and hindwings are black as far as the marginal spots, which touch themselves. This probably means that the two rows of marginal spots are fused together, the black area reaching them, giving the appearance of a practically black wing with lighter spaces in the margins so that the fused spots can still be seen. D’Aldin’s ab. melaina is so similar that it can hardly be separated. The figure shows all wings black with a row of spots of a lighter shade, followed by another row of smaller less defined spots, in the margins, those of the hindwing being rather more developed. These spots, although rather oval in shape, contain no black centre as in ab. ocellata Frings. D’Aldin was obviously under the impression that this form had been named by Morton but in Lamb.31.p.82 states that it is “ab.nov” and gives it the name himself. Moreton figured it in Ent.Mon.Mag.1898.pl.1 but did not name it.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upperside of all wings uniformly black, except the base and a very narrow marginal band 1mm in breadth, and two or three intercostal streaks of brown in the apical area. Another similar form to ab. nigricans Cosmovici but until the types of these various melanics can be seen it is impossible to tell if they are different from each other.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
All the black spots fused together, darkening the whole of the upperside, only the base and two spots on the hindwings, contracted, being of normal colour. Most authors make this a synonym of ab. nigricans Cosmovici but the description makes no mention of any lighter marginal spots so it would seem to be the blackest of the melanics.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Forewings black except base and a costal spot in the cell, the apical region normal but the margins divided by black-dusted veins. Hindwings with the median area black the base normal, the outer marginal area of normal colour but divided by black neural rays.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The figure shows a male with the forewings upperside black, except at the base and outer margin, which is normal in colour but heavily rayed with black. Hindwings entirely black, the margins not so intense, orange-black, and divided by deep black still giving a rayed appearance. Very close to ab. joannis Cabeau but with more extreme hindwings.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Reuss created the name for somatic mosaics i.e. specimens which show a different form on part of a wing or whole wings, not bleached patches but definite characters and gives several different examples under the one name. It is hardly possible to include such a variety under this name; each should be termed somatic mosaic and the name ignored [Goodson & Read].
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= minor Derenne.Lamb.1926.26.p.4.
= pusilla Wnukowsky.Mitt.Munch.Ent.Ges.1927.17.p.71.
Very small specimens, 4.5cm wing span.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the upperside of the forewings the median spots are enlarged and coalescent so as to form a continuous zigzag band, the spots of the hindwings are enlarged.
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This shows a faded pattern on the underside of fore and hindwings, in the latter the row of eyes increase again and so form the original pattern element. Presumably the author is linking this eyed pattern of the hindwings with the pattern seen in other Argynnis, which have silver spots or eyes [Goodson & Read].
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the underside of the hindwings the outer third is rosy, semi-transparent, the spots of the upperside showing through.
Natural History Museum
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Male with the underside of the wings gold-brown.
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The underside of the hindwings deprived of the silvery bands. Described from Corsica where it flies less commonly than the type [typical] form but is not rare. Bellier says it is constant in Corsica, but it is not a subspecies if the type [typical] form flies with it.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the underside of the hindwings the silver band on the margin is absent but the three inner silver bands are enhanced.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Male. The underside of the hindwings with the green colour replaced by grey-blue. The moon spots and submarginal spots are similarly coloured and the areas dividing the silver bands between the subcostalis and cubitalis are ochraceous but somewhat washed-out and in the lower half with a grey-blue dusting. The inner half of the submarginal band is somewhat brownish tinted and the silver bands stand out distinctly and show a somewhat reddish-cast, bluish tint, the fringe yellowish.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the underside of the hindwings the silver bands broaden and fuse so that the whole base and median field is silver without pattern. The band of ocelli greenish.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Underside of the hindwings with the proximal half entirely silver, the outer half normal. The rows of black spots on the upper and underside are reduced, the two external rows only feebly indicated or absent but less reduced in the female. Almost identical, apart from the absent rows of spots, with ab. marillae Aigner and probably a synonym.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Underside of the hindwings green with two narrow dark violet bands, one of them marginal, and uniting with the other at the anal angle, the only marking present. A form of the subspecies anargyra Staudinger without the silver stripes.
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Form of valesina with the ground colour whitish-grey to whitish-yellow.
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Form of valesina with the ground colour brownish.
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Verity includes a valesina-flava among Reuss forms Arch.Naturg.87 but I can find no mention of such a form in the long article [Goodson & Read]. See Farf.Diurn.It.4.p.307.
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Form of valesina with the ground colour grey.
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Form of valesina with the ground colour greenish-ochre.
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Form of valesina with the ground colour tending to blue-black.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Form of valesina with the ground colour dark olive-brown, the median field black with thick black streaks on the veins as far as the margin on the hindwings, whilst the forewings are completely black except for a light streak at the apex near the costa and the base which is of normal colour.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
A form of valesina, normal only at the base, especially of the forewings. Deep black, relieved only by two streaks of lighter colour before the apex of the forewings, followed by a row of arrow-shaped lighter spots in the margin which are also seen on the hindwings.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
A form of valesina with nearly all the normal markings obliterated by black, the central discoidal marks of the forewing confluent forming a blotch in deeper black. The figure shows the forewings black-brown with two costal stripes near the base standing out in much deeper black, and a marginal row of lighter spots. Hindwings also black-brown with lighter marginal ovals in which are black elongated streaks as in ab. ocellata Frings. The base of both fore and hindwings is normal.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Normal only at the base. A form of valesina in which all the wings are black except for a yellowish streak before the apex of the forewings. This would appear to be the blackest form in valesina.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
A form of valesina with the underside shiny parts blue-green.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
A form of valesina with the underside of a beautiful violet colour without any brownish shade, replacing the normal green.
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britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
A valesina form of the silverless subspecies anargyra Staudinger. On the underside of the hindwings the silver bands almost or completely fail. In a few examples the silver totally disappears and leaves dull bone-white or bone-yellow in its place but the outlines remain sharp and distinct. In other examples there remains some somewhat suffused silver on the outlines and a silver gloss extends across the dark green ground colour. This may be confined to the subspecies anargyra from Corsica but possibly occurs among other races.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
