Very Unusual Colias croceus aberrations.

[nomad]

While, I was checking the BMNH data portal to see if all the British collections are on line yet ( they are not, just a small percentage) I came across this image containing some of the strangest Colias croceus specimens I have ever seen.  I cannot make out all the information labels underneath the specimens but bobw could tell as more, he may have even arranged this drawer.

The BMNH online image, is used here for educational purposes only.

[nomihoudai]

Lol at the 'for educational purposes only', that's not how copyright works, but... Geoff Martin told me that these pictures are public domain, so you can do with them whatever you want and show them wherever you want.

No clue about the butterflies, but seems to be the same scale deformity that is possible in genus Lycaena.

[nomad]

Geoff Martin has mentioned to me, that as long as I use the BMNH images for educational non profit, non published use, you can use them but they remain the BMNH copyright. Otherwise you have to get express permission to do so.

[wollastoni]

Thanks for sharing those splendid abs, Peter !

I see that Oberthur described this ab.

I would be interested to know where they come from.
Look like a breeding experiment as they are all A1.

[bobw]

All of these specimens appear to have been databased so they must be in the British collection and I'm only recurating the world Colias. I have never looked at any of the British collection as I don't have the time and they don't particularly interest me since I got rid of my British collection 30 years ago. I have occasionally seen this albino form in one or two other Colias species, I seem to remember that Verhulst figured a similar aberration of C. eogene.

Bob

[nomad]

They are indeed from the British collections. This is the unusual ab schirberi Oberthur 1923.

[timmsyrj]

Wow, many thanks Peter, I've just spent a good couple of hours browsing through the pages of specimen photo's, and only a few species, machaon brittanicus, M.arion, A.paphia, B.euphrosyne, A.iris and L.dispar, some amazing Abb's on there, looks like I'll be very busy checking through the other British specimens over the next week or two.

Rich

[nomad]

It's a great resource Rich and according to Geoff Martin all the British specimens will be shown there.

[timmsyrj]

There are a few tropical specimens on there also, not many yet though, I searched Ornithoptera and found a few croesus croesus specimens but the machaon brittanicus Abb's will take some beating.

Rich

[nomad]

I agree Rich, that our Swallowtail has produced some pretty spectacular aberrations.