Fritillaries - Savoie

[Sylvie_h]

I have identified the butterflies in picture 1 to 5 as Heath Fritillaries but am having second thoughts when browsing through Tolman... especially for no 5 as this specimen was a lot smaller than the Heath fritillary.
Picture no 6 is a puzzle for me, the spots on the upper side hindwing indicate that it is Glanville Fritillary but this needs confirmation as it did not look like a Glanville when I took the picture (I thought this was lesser marbled…). I am looking forward to the experts comments....
For info, the first 4 pictures are of the same specimen.
Thank you again for your help and time.
Sylvie

[Padfield]

The Haute Savoie (like S.W: Switzerland, where I live) is precisely on the overlap between M. athalia, sensu stricto, and M. nevadensis (aka M. athalia celadussa). The two species are known to hybridise here and 'heath fritillaries' can show a huge variety of forms. I can't see anything about your first insect which suggests it is not in this complex. The only other possible candidate would be M. deione, and while I have very little experience of this outside Switzerland (where we have a distinctive subspecies, berisalii) I don't think it is this. If it is, that would explain why I don't think I've seen very many outside Switzerland!! I didn't recognise them! I suppose you also have to consider M. parthenoides, but again, this is very different from any parthenoides I've ever seen. My verdict, as an enthusiastic amateur (not as an expert!) is athalia/nevadensis - possibly a hybrid. I would guess the same for picture 5, not seeing the upperside properly.

The last picture seems to show a normal Glanville fritillary. What precisely made you think in the field it was not one?

Guy

[Sylvie_h]

Thank you Guy for a reply. I am glad to know that I got the identifications right so far.
Believe me I consider you to be an expert compared to me and despite many years of butterflying I am always dubious about my identification when it comes to fritillaries, skippers, blues and ringlets... they are very difficult groups.
To reply to your question, I did not think the last picture was Glanville because I have always seen and associated Glanville with dry habitats, and this one was found in a damp meadow surrounded by marshes....also the black markings are rather faint on this specimen and it is only when I looked in Tolman that I realised that it was probably Glanville.
Sylvie