Pyrenees Brassy Ringlet (erebia rondoui)
2008 photos highlighted green. Click on any photo to go to an enlarged picture, or simply scroll down the page.
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| 05_26-29_male_Vall d'Aran, Spain_26Jul05 | 05_26-27_male_Vall d'Aran, Spain_26Jul05 | 05_25-05_female_Vall d'Aran, Spain_26Jul05 |
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| 05_26-34_female_Vall d'Aran, Spain_26Jul05 |
This was a first for me in 2005. I believe that these are all rondoui which until recently was regarded as the form of the Spanish Brassy Ringlet (E. hispania). Tristan Lafranchis, in his latest book on identifying European species, divided hispania into two distinct species, hispania occurring in the Sierra Nevada in southern Spain, and rondoui being described as the "Pyrenees Brassy Ringlet" confined to the Pyrenees, and I have followed this classification. These individuals were all seen at Port de la Bonaigua, just on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees, which is at 2072m. It is quite easy to identify as the upf twin ocelli differentiate it from all other smallish erebia in that locality. The twin upf ocelli are fused, although not as closely fused in these photos as in the illustrations in T&L.
05_26-29: a male, I believe, even though the upf red post-discal band extends down to s1 which an indicator of the female, as is the stronger uph ocelli, according to T&L. I think the underside is 05_26-27 below. Alt 2072m.
05_26-27: a male, based on the lighter colour and markings, making the unh almost completely unmarked. Alt 2072m.
05_25-05: a female, from the body size and because the upf post-discal band extends into the discal area. Alt 2072m.
05_26-34: a female, the underside being slightly browner and having a clear discal line, at least in the upper part of the unh. Alt 2072m.
05_26-29_male_Vall d'Aran, Spain_26Jul05
05_26-27_male_Vall d'Aran, Spain_26Jul05
05_25-05_female_Vall d'Aran, Spain_26Jul05
05_26-34_female_Vall d'Aran, Spain_26Jul05
