Southern Gatekeeper (Pyronia cecilia)
2025 photographs highlighted in green. Click on any photograph to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 2375_male_Var_7Jul06 | 35515_male_Var_20Jun14 | 37788_male_Var_18Jun15 | 45186_male_Alpes-Maritimes_29Jun18 |
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| 54036_female_Pyrénées-Orientales_13Jul25 | 35569_male_Var_20Jun14 | 2391_male?_Var_7Jul06 | 54034_female_Pyrénées-Orientales_13Jul25 |
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Cecilia is superficially quite similar to the Gatekeeper (P. tithonus), but there are a number of clear differentiators. The unh are completely different, cecilia being lighter with a clear discal line and no small white ocelli. The female cecilia upperside is extensively orange, especially the uph, and there is no ocellus at the anal angle; the forewings are convex (tithonus is slightly concave) and the upperside margins are whiter. |
In the male, the cecilia uph orange is also more extensive, but the key is that the upf brown androconial patch is transected by the orange veins. Cecilia is generally smaller and rounder, and is generally a butterfly of the hotter regions even though it seems to spend most of its time trying to escape the intense heat by staying in the shade of the undergrowth. |
| ref | sex |
observations |
alt. m |
| 2375 | M |
a typical male, the orange veins clearly transecting the brown area of forewing cell. |
60 |
| 35515 | M | the upperside of 35569. | 20 |
| 37788 | M | a male, that was on damp ground, although it did not appear to be taking salts. | 20 |
| 45186 | M | a male, rather fresh and strongly marked. The orange veins are quite weak across the androconial patch and a close look is required to confirm their presence. | 40 |
| 54036 | F | a fresh female, distinguishable from the male by the solidity of the upf orange patch. 54034 is the uns. | 570 |
| 35569 | M | a male underside, nice and fresh at the start of the flight period. 35515 is the upperside. | 20 |
| 2391 | M |
a male(?), based on the markings and limited hindwing scalloping (c.f. 23491), and the hindwing shape. |
60 |
| 54034 | F |
a crisp female uns. 54036 is the ups. |
570 |
45186_male_Alpes-Maritimes_29Jun18
54036_female_Pyrénées-Orientales_13Jul25
54034_female_Pyrénées-Orientales_13Jul25
