There are two forms in France, the nominate form hippothoe, which is found in the Pyrénées at a range of 400-1800m and in lowland areas in the east of France, the male showing the purple colouration that gives it its name (just about visible on 05_23-32), and eurydame, the Alpine subspecies, which has an altitude range of 1200-2500m.

The two subspecies do not overlap geographically, although Lafranchis says that intermediate forms (as some are on this page) occur where the ranges of the two subspecies meet.

Eurydame lacks the purple flush of the male hippothoe and often occurs with the Scarce Copper (L. virgaureae) where the males of eurydame and virgaureae look quite similar and need a close look to identify them.

The female uppersides of hippothoe and eurydame are very different, as indicated by 38617 and 41777. The female hippothoe has the classic copper pattern, and eurydame is almost completely brown with only a discoidal spot and a smaller cell spot visible.

observations

a freshly emerged male, with the beautiful fiery red-orange intact. The thorax body hairs appear to have purple tinge to me, but maybe I am just looking for any hint of purple.

an old photograph of a male hippothoe nominate form, showing the slight purple flush at the base of the uph.

a male eurydame underside, quite typical in my experience, with a slight unf orange flush.

a male eurydame, a very appealingly clean underside with only the faintest of an orange flush on the forewing.

a female, which I know for certain as I saw the upperside. Also the slight rounding of the hindwing at the anal angle (c.f. 21747) is further evidence. The heavy black spots suggest hippothoe but the colouring suggests eurydame. I suspect this may be an intermediate form (a hybrid) occurring at the border of the ranges of these two subspecies. Breathtakingly beautiful in its simplicity.