Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

Clossiana selene

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France, August 2008

French Jura, June 2008

More or less normal colouration, here seen in Norway.

This specimen from the Vosges has particularly dark, thick borders, as did all the small pearl-bordereds in the colony.

This species is very widespread in Europe but not always common. Near me in Switzerland the pearl-bordered fritillary is far more frequent but I have found small pearl-bordered commonly in France. It is distinctive from the upperside and underside, having more silver spots (not just a pearl border and a silver spot in the middle) on the underside and more linear markings on the upperside. The edges of the wings are bounded by complete arches, not floating triangles as in pearl-bordered and the postdiscal spot in space 2 is much closer to the margin than to the dark mark inside it (in pearl-bordered it is about halfway between the two).