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Cupido minimus
Very similar to the C. osiris based on the underside alone. It is probably much easier to differentiate them in the field where the blue upperside of the male osiris is clearly apparent. At the upperside, the male has some bluish coloration at the base of its upper wings, but the rest is dull brown as the female. The undersides are a silvery grey with small black dots. The male has also a bluish tint at the base of its wings. The series of four post-discal spots of the underside hindwings is in a straight line in osiris but arched in minimus. The males can vary significantly, as indicated by the comments on the specific individuals below. It is an early season butterfly.
Wet ground at a pine tree forest. Sierra de Guadarrama
Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/500 sec.; f/11; ISO Speed Rating: 400. Exposure Bias: 0 EV. Focal Length: 300.0 mm. No flash fired
2 Comments
Thanks a lot AshleyT, it is a great honor
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!