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)
Ground colour somewhat paler than type, yellow ochreous or yellowish, or with the ground colour normal and the margins pale. This is actually two different aberrations under the same name. The second (ground colour normal and the margins pale) is named by Oberthür as ab. pallidemarginata.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Forewings with at least the outer half ochreous or yellowish, hindwings normal.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The red-brown ground colour replaced by yellow. The German word used is neapelgelb, Naples or antimony yellow. Leed’s says his pallidula covers mincki but this is not so [Goodson & Read].
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Every author, including Cockerell himself, has misread the description of this form, which was given by G.W. Oldfield in Entom.XI.p.228 and named by Cockerell in Entom.22.p.2, citing the description given by Oldfield. Cockerell imagined it to be the form with the orange replaced by whitish-yellow (see Entom.1912.45.p.323) since he says it is the same as ab. subalbida Verity which has pale yellowish-white ground. Actually this cannot be, if the whole of Oldfield's description is read. This says, "the ground colour of the upperside of both wings is a pale yellowish-brown or buff, relieved by the ordinary orange colouring, which contrasts singularly with the ground colouring, the antennae and the body of the insect are also buff, and the specimen presents generally a bleached appearance and more resembles C. pamphilus [Coenonympha pamphilus, Small Heath] in general colouring, though not otherwise." The latter statement alone makes it impossible for the margins to be dark, therefore Oldfield very wrongly described the dark areas as the ground colour. This form then has the margins pale and the ground colour normal orange and may be the same as ab. pallidemarginata Oberthür, but since Oldfield misses the one character which would identify the form, the colour of the eye-spots, it is impossible to know whether or not the specimen was an albino. Unless the insect can be traced it is best not to use the name.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= pallidus Frohawk.Vars.Brit.Butts.1938.pl.8.figs.2-3.
= lacticolor Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.&.Nat.Hist.Soc.(1948-49)1950.p.89.
The ground colour yellowish-white. Frohawk's pallidus had the wings yellowish-white. Leed's lacticolor had the wings paler than pallidula, which was yellow-ochreous.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= albida Castle-Russell.Entom.1904.37.p.127.
= virginalis Oberthür.Lep.Comp.
= alba Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.&.Nat.Hist.Soc.(1948-49)1950.p.89.
The ground colour white. Castle-Russell described his albida as, "the white form". Oberthür's virginalis was similar to the figures in Barrett.1.pl.34.figs.1c & 1d, which he says, are "white". His own female specimen was white. The figures in Barrett are not white but creamy-yellowish, also his own figure is not pure white, but since he describes the form as white this must stand. Leeds alba was white or closely approaching white.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Forewings white, the hindwings normal colour.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The name is not valid since Leeds had seen no such specimens. He says the names may be "wanted" here. The forewings normal in colour, the hindwings white.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Forewings paler than antipallidula but not white. They are symmetrically creamy or pale straw. Hindwings normal in colour.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The name is not valid since Leeds had not apparently seen specimens, the name being given in case they may be wanted here. The forewings normal in colour, the hindwings pale but not white.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Albino. All black or brown patterning replaced by silver-grey, including the eyespot.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Male in which the normal ground colour between the sexual blotch and the outer margin is replaced by white, uniformly on each side. The rest of the wing normal.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The ground colour normal with the margins pale instead of brownish, but the apical eye remaining black with a white pupil. Similar to albinotica Goodson which however has the eyespot lacking in black pigment. Oberthür's form is not an albino.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The opposite to albida Castle-Russell and virginaliis Oberthür. The entire border of all four wings white, even in the part bordering the margins of the forewings, the orange-brown area is very light and the dark base of the hindwings is very mixed with white scales. This would seem to be a symmetrical pathological form, the border of the albino form can hardly reach white, see the figure in Frohawk.Vars.Brit.Butts.pl.8.f.1, which agrees well with the several albinos seen [Goodson & Read].
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The ground colour darker fulvous than the type [typical form], the borders sometimes darkened.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The ground colour brown instead of fulvous. See figure in Frohawk’s Brit.Butts.pl.38.f.14.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Male with the base of the upperside of the forewings suffused with dark brown as far as the transverse median black shade (brand). The fulvous of the hindwings is strongly reduced.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= vernetensis Oberthür.(Rene).Lamb.1937.37.p.26.pl.2.f.1.
The black borders much widened, reaching to beyond the apical eyespot. The hindwing almost completely black-brown. The figure is of a female. Rene Oberthür's vernetensis would appear to be exactly the same form in the male, which is figured. The description says the black bands of the forewings much widened and the two ocellated spots are enclosed in them. Hindwings almost entirely blackish, there being hardly a trace of fawn in the centre.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= postobscura Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.&.Nat.Hist.Soc.(1948-49)1950.p.90.
Forewings normal. The hindwings so darkened that only a small patch of orange ground colour remains. Leeds postobscura had the fulvous of the hindwings almost, or entirely absent. The latter part of this has already been named semi-obscura by Hosp. Only the first therefore can stand.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Forewings normal. Hindwings completely dark brown. Hosp gives the correct spelling at the end of his text.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upperside of the forewings with the nervures between the androconial band and the outer margin, of the same dark colour as the margins.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Forewing with the apical eyespot absent, or only showing the white centre with a slight shading. The figure in Frohawk's Brit.Butts.pl.38 f.20 is cited by Leeds as having no forewing spot but this is a pathological monstrosity with defective scaling, the only reason for the absence of the eyespot. I have never seen tithonus without a trace of the apical eye and rather doubt if Leeds had [Goodson & Read].
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Fore and hindwings with no black spots, or with the forewing merely showing a white pupil with slight shading.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The apical eyespot of the forewing upperside and sometimes on the underside has only one white pupil instead of the normal two.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the upperside of the forewing the apical eyespot, usually with two white pupils, is disintegrated, so that the lower half, small and almost separated and with no white pupil, leaves only the upper spot pupilled.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The apical spot of the forewing drawn in at its middle, forming a figure of eight or completely cut into two separate spots very close together. The figure shows the spots pupilled with white but they certainly do not appear separated or particularly drawn in at the middle.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The apical spot of the forewing large, often tailing downwards but not divided into two definite, or into an 8-shaped spot.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The apical spot of the forewing small.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
The apical spot of the forewing exceedingly small and practically blind.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Forewings with an elongated blackish spot or streak above the apical eyespot, or with the apical spot itself elongated sideways. These are two quite different forms and should not be included under the same name.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Forewings with an extra small black spot, higher than the subapical, not at the side of it. It is quite ridiculous to name such a form; it is covered by antipluripuncta if Leeds had not separated it [Goodson & Read].
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Forewings with an additional spot at the side of the apical eyespot, or additional spot or spots in areas not associated with the postmedian (excessa) row.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the upperside of the hindwings the eyespot is without a white centre.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the upperside of the hindwings the eyespot is not surrounded by a black ring.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= postobsoletissima Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.&.N.Hist.Soc.(1948-49)1950.p.95.
On the upperside of the hindwings the anal spot is absent.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upperside of the hindwings showing two ocelli instead of the normal one, both pupilled with white to a noticeable degree.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upperside of hindwings with three additional spots above the anal spot. Forewings may or may not have additional spots.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upperside of hindwings with four additional spots (five with the anal spot). Forewings not mentioned.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upperside of hindwings with one or more additional spots, which can be equal or unequal on the different wings. Forewings normal.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upperside of hindwings with extra black spots on one side but normal on the other, or any other wing devoid of additional spotting.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upper or underside with a wing on one side with additional spotting but the opposite wing, or any other wing, devoid of additional spotting.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upperside of fore and hindwings with at least one forewing and one hindwing additionally spotted but not all wings.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= antiexcessa Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.&.N.Hist.Soc.(1948-49)1950.p.92.
On the upperside of the forewings there are one, two, three or even four extra spots, usually small and blind, sometimes large and ocellated.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= quadripuncta (Hosp)Vorbrodt & Muller-Rutz.Mitt.Schweiz.Ent.Ges.1917.12.p.442.
Two extra black spots on each forewing without white centres. The figure shows only the one anal spot on the hindwing.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the upper and underside of the forewings two extra white pupilled spots below the double-pupilled apical eyespot. These are large with prominent black surrounds to the white pupils.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Upper and underside of forewings with two, or very rarely three, large additional spots, sometimes very large. The spots may not be of equal size and sometimes are devoid of white pupils.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Underside of the hindwings with some of the postmedian spots fairly well elongated, sometimes with further white dribbling continuing outwards from them.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Underside of the forewings with two extra white-pupilled spots beneath the double-pupilled apical spot. Hindwings with a postmedian row of six large white-centred spots, the second from the top being exceptionally elongated into an elliptical streak.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Underside with six white points on the hindwings. The type [typical form] has only two.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Leeds says the underside of the hindwings show only one, two or three white points instead of the typical four, five or six. This is incorrect, Linnaeus states two spots; the form must therefore only apply to one or three points.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the underside all white spots or pupils are absent. The large black apical spot of the forewings, normally containing two white pupils, is blind. On the hindwings the usual white spots are absent, there being three blackish suffused spots in their place. The apical eyespot of the forewings is also blind on the upperside.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
On the underside of the forewings there is a dark line basad [toward the base] of the apical eyespot, extending from the costa almost to the inner margin.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Underside of the hindwings of a unicolorous dark brown, without the normal light area.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Underside of hindwings with the basal and other brownish parts outstandingly darker, some almost chocolate or coffee coloured.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Forewings with a paler, bleached, thinner, or defectively scaled patch, always commencing at the apex. Pathological form, which should never have been named [Goodson & Read].
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Pale, bleached, greasy, thinly scaled, or lighter in colour than the other wings. At least one wing must be entirely or almost entirely effected. An unnecessary name, certainly not a genetic form [Goodson & Read].
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Portions of a wing or wings with a pale or bleached patch or streaks. A pathological form which does not deserve a name [Goodson & Read].
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
An unusual patch or streak of darker or bright scaling on a wing or wings.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
A wing or wings on the one side, different in colour from those of the opposite side. This does not include faded or bleached examples but must be well scaled.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
= minor Leeds.Proc.S.Lond.Ent.&.N.Hist.Soc.(1948-49)1950.p.95.
Small specimens. Leeds says below 36mm.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
Large specimens, over 41mm.
Natural History Museum
britishbutterflyaberrations.co.uk (all aberrations)
