Three from Morocco

[Tony Moore]

Can anyone help with these three from Morocco? All were seen in the vicinity of Olive Groves south of Marrakech. Sorry about the poor quality of the 'Skipper' pic. I only saw two skips during my week, neither with open wings. I think the first 'Blue' may be melanops, it was too far south for alexis, I believe. I fear the other one may be plain old icarus - it had bright blue uppers.

Tony M.

[Padfield]

Hi Tony. I think your skipper is Carcharodus tripolinus (often called tripolina, which must surely be against ICZN rules). The first blue is melanops, as you say, and the last is presumably celina, as icarus is not known to fly in Morocco.

Guy

[Tony Moore]

Once again, many thanks Guy, for your expertise.
My book on Moroccan butterflies (Les Papillons de jour du Maroc) gives celina as a subspecies of icarus. Has it be reassigned as a distinct species in its own right? I hoped the skip might be False Mallow, but my book excludes all Hesperiidae (not thought to be butterflies in France??), although the illustration in Collins of alceae looks good.

Tony M.