Niobe Fritillary

Thanks for your expert opinion bayucca! You'll agree that these European fritillaries are a nightmare... that's why I chose to leave this one unidentified till now! I agree with you after having a look a the links you provided, so I'll update the ID. If someone still disagrees the conversation will go on! Hoping to see you soon post some Swiss butterflies on Project Noah!

I think this one is an Argynnis niobe, male. I can see some scent scales, which, however, are not very strong = Niobe. In Adippe these scent scales are much more prominent. Look at the link, there is an excellent overview for separating these extremely tricky butterflies. To my shame I must admit that I do not have a good grasp in my own butterflies as I have with my buggy friends from the neotropics...
http://www.lepiforum.de/cgi-bin/lepiwiki......
http://felixthecatalog.tim.pagesperso-or...
http://www.butterfliesoffrance.com/html/...

Hi Ashish, Melitaea aethera is not found in the area of this spotting It is local to the mountains of N Africa and very local in S Spain and S Portugal. Also recorded locally in Sicily and S Italy. Many fritillaries in this group are very similar, and I think we may not be able to ID this one down to the species on the basis of this dorsal view only...

http://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Eur...

Melitaea aethera

Thanks Saarbrigger! You didn't confuse me: it's those fritillaries which are confusing! ;-) On the contrary I think you brought in the right ID most likely. I agree the body hair is green on this specimen. But without a look at the underwings my understanding is that we can't be 100% sure... I'll let it open for the moment, you never know whether a fritillary specialist might "visit"!

Salut Daniel,

I'm not that kind of specialist. I just tried to explaine what I see as difference on the different pictures. Hope I could help and not to confuse.

Thanks Saarbrigger! Aglaja get its common name from the green hue found on the underside of the hindwings. So the body hair is green as well? Sorry to be picky ;-)

I think you can see a difference of the colour of the hairs of the body.

aglaja: green / dark green
niobe: organge / dark orange

Thanks for you ID suggestions Saarbrigger and Atul! There's an explosion of fritillaries in my area at the moment and they're quite a challenge to ID down to the species. Based on the shape of the outer margin of the forewing - slightly concave in adippe, straight or convex in niobe and aglaja, this is more likely to be niobe or aglaja. Fully separating aglaja from niobe and adippe needs looking at the underside hindwings, and I couldn't get a shot of these... I would appreciate if you know of further criteria!

Thanks Chatanya!

Wow!! Looks like fire on wings!

Argynnis niobe

Thanks Ashish, but Speyeria cybele is not on the list of European fritillaries. I am now looking at Argynnis adippe or Argynnis niobe...

Great spangled.. Speyeria cybele

Thanks again Alice!

Look in the Fritallary family.