♂ Gatekeeper taken today.
On the upper side of the hindwings the eyespot is elongated and split without a black surrounding ring. ab. postalbipuncta?
Gatekeeper ab
- Padfield
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Re: Gatekeeper ab
Hi Stevie. There isn't normally an eyespot there on the hindwing. I would interpret the pale patches as discolouration for some unknown reason, congenital or otherwise.
Guy
Guy
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Re: Gatekeeper ab
Thanks Guy. I was referring to the upper hindwing spots as per my photo here or am I overthinking it
- Padfield
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Re: Gatekeeper ab
I would say it is your second picture that is more exceptional - within the range of normal variation, but very much at the spotty end of the spectrum. These spots have nothing to do with the discolouration in your first picture, which is in a structurally quite different part of the wing.
I'm not an expert on aberrations and someone else might have a different opinion.
Guy
I'm not an expert on aberrations and someone else might have a different opinion.
Guy
Guy's Butterflies: https://www.guypadfield.com
The Butterflies of Villars-Gryon : https://www.guypadfield.com/villarsgryonbook.html
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- Pete Eeles
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Re: Gatekeeper ab
And I can't find a named aberration for a complete lack of spots on the hindwings: https://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/aberrat ... s=tithonus
The asymmetric pale areas may be pathological, thought to be due to damage while in the pupal stage that prevents the laying down of pigments.
Cheers,
- Pete
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Re: Gatekeeper ab
Many thanks both. This web site is a brilliant learning curve
- Vince Massimo
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Re: Gatekeeper ab
Hi Stevie,
I believe the lack of spots on the hindwings is ab. postice-inocellata.
As the others have said, yours may also have a pathological element in the mix.
I should point out that I'm not an expert in these matters, but just happened to have this old image which I somehow managed to label at the time.
Vince
I believe the lack of spots on the hindwings is ab. postice-inocellata.
As the others have said, yours may also have a pathological element in the mix.
I should point out that I'm not an expert in these matters, but just happened to have this old image which I somehow managed to label at the time.
Vince