21997_female_Hautes-Alpes_12Jul10

A relatively small and not particularly common Erebia, although at one site in the Hautes-Alpes they are fairly abundant locally every year. It is generally found at high altitudes, Lafranchis giving the usual lower limit as 1400m, although whenever I have seen it, it has been in the region of 2000m and above. It is distinguishable from many of its close relatives by the red post-discal band, usually complete on all four wing surfaces, all red spots without ocelli, even minute pinpricks.

The subspecies phartina (no, I'm not making it up, this really is the scientific name) is darker and with the upf and uph red post-discal bands reduced to discrete red marks, and occurs above 1800m across the full distribution range. 35933 is a good example of phartina.

ref

sex

observations

alt. m

22041

M

a male, with a red upf post-discal band that is largely continuous, compared to 30524's series of discrete red spots.

1990

22046

M

a male, the red upf post-discal band being almost vestigial. I believe that this is the subspecies phartina, even though it was flying in company with the nominate form.

1990

35933

M

a fresh dark male with a very limited post-discal band, of the subspecies phartina.

1990

36413

M

a male with virtually no post-discal markings whatsoever. An extreme example of the subspecies phartina.

2090

36433

M

a male with a separated post-discal band of rather bullet-shaped segments, not a cohesive band at all.

2090

30524

M

a fresh male, posing obligingly in the early sun.

1990

21997

F

a female, clearly from what is visible of the body shape.

1990

30535

F

an underside shot showing the extent of the bleeding of the unf red post-discal band into the discal region.

1990