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Photo#45265
Fritillary on Thistle - Speyeria cybele - male

Fritillary on Thistle - Speyeria cybele - Male
Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont, USA
July 29, 2004
I only have dorsal views. The lack of a dark border seems to rule out Speyeria atlantis, which leaves S. cybele or S. aphrodite. I don't understand the diagnostics in Peterson's Eastern Butterflies (S. cybele: "Forewing with black scaling on veins"; S. aphrodite: "Forewing with small black spot below cell"). One difference I see in the images is that the black dots on the FW are more circular in S. cybele and more square in S. aphrodite; on that basis, this individual looks like S. cybele to me. Can anyone clarify?
Wider context view.

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Fritillary on Thistle - Speyeria cybele - male Fritillary on Thistle - Speyeria cybele - male

Moved

This is Great Spangled
Aphrodite has 1 or 2 black spots at the base of the FW, below the cell. Dots are in the clear area below the zig-zag lines on FW closest to the body. No dots seen in this specimen. The pale wing margins and bright colours rule out Atlantis.

 
dots
Thanks, Tony. I think I see what you're referring to in this image by Tom Murray -- a little smudge in the open area of the FW near the body.

 
Correct
They are often much larger and more obvious than in Tom Murray's specimen. Also, note brown eyes and very bright orange wings. Some individuals of atlantis also have spots in the same place as aphrodite but wings are darker, especially on the borders, and blue eyes. Thus, no dots = atlantis, dots could be either species.

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