Heather Mason sends this great shot of the Lesser Purple Emperor, form clytie, from SW France. Seems we only just miss out in the UK - apparently it's fairly widespread over the channel in Normandy.
Personally, I've always been a bit puzzled by those species that exist in two quite different forms side by side - is it geographic, climate related, genetic propensity, or what? I'd be happy to read an explanation if anyone feels inclined to provide one.
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| Apatura ilia, form clytie |
2 comments:
Hi Derek,
Much more work on this exact subject matter published by Nguyen in 1976:
"Les Apatura: polymorphisme et speciation : lépidoptères Nymphalidae":
http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Les_Apatura.html?id=ZRBDAAAAYAAJ&redir_esc=y
Although I own of copy of this document, I am yet to translate it, so unfortunately can not confirm the results of his findings. Yet another item on the long list of things still to do. I hope you can read French? Anybody who can translate it is most welcome to do so, even if this just entails the discussion section.
Mark
Hi Mark
Happy to while away a couple of evenings at it if you can scan a copy.
Derek
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