Batting 40% on New Field Guide Errors

[Paul A. Opler]

>To: Norbert.Kondla at gems3.gov.bc.ca
>From: paulevi at webaccess.net (Paul A. Opler)
>Subject: Re: FWD: New Field Guide Errors
>
>Hi Norbert:
>
>I am willing to discuss any errors of omission or comission in the new
western butterfly guide, but it would be best if you send them to my home
e-mail paulevi at webaccess.net
>
>On your suggested transpositions of Colias canadensis and hecla, and
atlantis and hesperis you are incorrect. There may have been some problems
in color reproduction of the plate, but the specimens were correctly
portrayed. The Canadian material was correctly identified and was provided
by CNC. The ventral view of atlantis was froma slide of mine taken in West
Virginian and the ventral view of hesperis is of an unsilvered indivudal
from the Front Range of Colorado. Parapatric atlantis is always silvered.
>
>The painting of occidental chrysomelas was from a specimen from the
University of Colorado and was correctly identified. I agree that
chrysomelas usually has a black border but this specimen didn't.
>
>You are correct that the amyntula painting was based on a comyntas. That
was my error. When I discovered it it was too late so I had the artist put
in only one orange spot. Along the Colorado Front Range amyntula and
comyntas are very close and the more pointed forewing feature does not hold
true.
>
>If P. angelika and P. oleracea have variably colored hindwings, I will make
the correction in the next edition.
>
>I wish you had e-mailed me first so we could have straightened out your
correct assumption versus your incorrect suppositions.
>
>Best wishes,
>
>Paul Opler
>>
>>More errors (from Leps-L)
>>--------------------------------------
>>Date: 6/3/99 3:51 PM
>>From: Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX
>>Have been browsing through the new Peterson Western Field Guide and
>>noticed
>>a few interesting things:
>>*       Plate 11, the figured dorsal male C. hecla and C. canadensis appear
>>to be transposed. The figure labelled hecla is a normal looking
>>canadensis
>>and the figure labelled Canada sulphur is more like hecla but
>>unfortunately
>>is missing the wide black border which is one of the best ways to
>>separate
>>the two species.  Note also that the ventral hindwing of canadensis is
>>not
>>normally yellow or white below; it is normally green.
>>*       Plate 24, the ventral views of S. hesperis and S. atlantis are
>>transposed. That which is labelled Atlantis Fritlllary is hesperis and
>>vice
>>versa.
>>*       Plate 10, the figured male of chrysomelas appears to be anything but
>>that. Chrysomelas has quite wide dark borders and even most females have
>>this too.  Based on border configuration, fore wing shape and length of
>>the
>>DHW dark wisp, this looks a whole lot like a C. philodice - and before
>>any
>>easterners make the assertion that philodice must have ventral spots and
>>double spot rings on the ventral, check the original descriptions of
>>philodice eriphyle and vitabunda - or better yet bring your tourist
>>dollars
>>to the northwest and see them in real life :-) :-)
>>*       Plate 19, the ventral views of comyntas and amyntula both appear to
>>be comyntas. Certainly in this area the 'one orange spot' character is
>>not
>>as reliable as it appears to be in the east. Out this way it is best to
>>go
>>with amyntula having an obviously more pointy fore wing and very little
>>in
>>the way of ventral spotting.
>>Note that neither P. oleracea nor P. angelika always has yellow ventral
>>hindwings.  Haven't done any counting but seems to me that they have been
>>white about as often as yellow.
>>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>Norbert Kondla  P.Biol., RPBio.
>>Forest Ecosystem Specialist, Ministry of Environment
>>845 Columbia Avenue, Castlegar, British Columbia V1N 1H3
>>Phone 250-365-8610
>>Mailto:Norbert.Kondla at gems3.gov.bc.ca
>>http://www.env.gov.bc.ca
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>