Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis, Speyeria atlantis)

Widespread across Canada and the northern and western US. Some individuals may be extremely difficult to ID in the field, particularly in distinguishing from Northwestern Fritillary (Argynnis hesperis). This recent paper discusses identification: Riva, Campbell, Carroll, and Acorn. 2020. Identification “by eye”: integrative character assessment informs regional field identification of greater fritillary butterflies (Nymphalidae: Argynnis). Journal of Insect Conservation (2020) 24:259–267 | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-019-00189-z. Recent publications suggest the genus Speyeria is better treated as a subgenus of Argynnis.
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis hollandi) Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis hollandi) #0981
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis hollandi)
MPG North near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
11 July 2014

Compared to females (see #8874 below) males (left) have thicker black DFW veins, less black DHW borders, and wider VHW pale submarginal bands.


Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis) Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis) #8874
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis hollandi)
MPG North near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2015

#1731
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis hollandi)
MPG North near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
8 Aug 2015

#3953
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis hollandi)
MPG North near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
10 Aug 2014

This female was frenetically crawling through leaf litter to oviposit in several locations. Note that this may well be a Northwestern Fritillary. From this angle, it's difficult to tell for sure.


#1682
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis hollandi)
MPG North near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
8 Aug 2015

A year later I witnessed the same thing very near the previous year's sighting.


Northwestern Fritillary (Argynnis hesperis) Northwestern Fritillary (Argynnis hesperis) #6977
Northwestern Fritillary (Argynnis hesperis)
Near Condon, Missoula Co., MT
11 June 2015

Steve K. and I suggest this is an unusually marked Atlantis Fritillary, however we are not certain.


#7970
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis hollandi), left
Northwestern Fritillary (Argynnis hesperis), right
Near Condon, north of Seeley Lake, Missoula Co., MT
27 June 2015

Nice comparison. Note, compared to the Northwestern Fritillary (right), Atlantis Fritillary shows grayish silver areas between the white spots in the disc, slightly narrower pale submarginal band, and a darker more brown ground color. Both species show blue/gray eyes.


#8836
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis hollandi), left
Northwestern Fritillary (Argynnis hesperis), right
Near Condon, north of Seeley Lake, Missoula Co., MT
2 July 2015

Nice comparison. Note, compared to the Northwestern Fritillary (right), Atlantis Fritillary shows grayish silver areas between the white spots in the disc, slightly narrower pale submarginal band, and a darker more brown ground color. Both species show blue/gray eyes.



Below are Atlantis Fritillaries from eastern North America

Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis)
Lanark Co., Ontario
13 July 2018

Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis) Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis)
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis)
Reserva Faunique Mastigouche, Quebec
5 Aug 2005
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis)
Reserva Faunique Mastigouche, Quebec
5 Aug 2005

Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis) Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis)
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis)
Reserva Faunique Mastigouche, Quebec
5 Aug 2005
Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis)
Reserva Faunique Mastigouche, Quebec
5 Aug 2005

Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis) Atlantis Fritillary (Argynnis atlantis atlantis)
St.-Michel-des-Saints, Quebec
5 Aug 2005

Atlantis Fritillaries in the east show blue-gray eyes, unlike Aphrodite Fritillaries which show yellow-green eyes.



North Carolina Butterflies | North American Butterflies | Jeff's Nature Page


Created on ... May 6, 2007 | Updated ... May 6, 2007 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com