38836_male_Hautes-Pyrénées_21Jul15

38849_male_Hautes-Pyrénées_21Jul15

38861_male_Hautes-Pyrénées_21Jul15

38883_male_Hautes-Pyrénées_22Jul15

38785_female_Hautes-Pyrénées_21Jul15

38825_male_Hautes-Pyrénées_21Jul15

38778_female_Hautes-Pyrénées_21Jul15

This is a rather localised species of the high Pyrénées, occurring on both the French and Spanish sides of the border. It is a high altitude species, although T&L quotes its range as being 1500m-2450m, but I rather suspect it generally flies above 2000m. The male is characterised by the deep red of the upf post-discal bands which are poorly contrasted with the dark brown background colour. The female has lighter bands and usually better developed ocelli.

The male unh is rather dull with little contrast across the discal line. The female underside is lighter and the bands are much better contrasted.

However, my experience is based on a visit to two locations where gorgone was reasonably numerous.

ref

sex

observations

alt. m

38836

M

a male, quite close to the T&L illustration.

2070

38849

M

a male, with the post-discal bands on the upf and uph clearly dissected at the veins, especially on the uph. The pupils of the ocelli are very bright.

2070

38861

M

a male, with a rather diffuse upf post-discal band.

2070

38883

M

a male, with what appears to be a non-typical upf post-discal band that is rather well defined and square, with a constriction at s3. The pupils are very bright. However, I think it has be gorgone.

2120

38785

F

a female upperside, one of the few I saw. The ocelli are large and bright and in s2-s5, whereas T&L shows it as having ocelli in s4 and s5 only.

2070

38825

M

a male underside, very dark and dull with little contrast across the discal line, which seems typical for this species.

2070

38778

F

a rather angled shot of a female underside, but at least it shows the greater definition and contrast across the discal line.

2070