www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Got this Adonis a Denbies Hillside today...notice the black dot on one side only.



Appologies for the bad shot, the sun had gone in and 1/80th of a second with a 400mm lens don't mix

Martin.

I'd say just missing scales - it might have got caught on something.

Alexander

I think I agree

Most aberrations are symmetrical on both wings (except in certain examples - such as bilateral gynandromorphs).

Cheers,

- Pete

Does that mean, then, if you scraped away the scales the wing is black underneath?

Martin.

Yes it is black underneath. The pigment which causes this will be a melanin.

I've just finished writing a report about iridescence/photonic structures in butterflies and will probably post a copy online soon if anyone wants to have a read. I'll be expanding it probably in July/August but it serves as an introduction to the subject at the moment.

Alexander

Hi Pete,
I agree - most aberrants are symmetrical. However, I photographed this beauty in Sussex last year. If you look closely, there is a greater degree of fusion between the markings on each forewing - so one wing is ab. suffusa, while the other is closer to ab. reichstettensis.
Neil

Well, you learn something every day, don't you? Great observation - thanks!

Cheers,

- Pete

Martin wrote:Does that mean, then, if you scraped away the scales the wing is black underneath?

If you look closely at the 'black spots' on the undersides of blues you see that they are more like 'holes' in the scaly white surface:



(this is an Osiris blue)

Guy