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Mediterranean and Common
Tiger Blues
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Atlas Mts,
Morocco, June, July 2005 |
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Anti Atlas,
Morocco, March 2001 |
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Anti Atlas,
Morocco, March 2001 |
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Anti Atlas,
Morocco, March 2001
Different
angle show more of a violet sheen. |
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There are two species of Tarucus
in Morocco (a possible third species seems to be extremely rare or
absent). These are T. rosaceus and T. theophrastus, the Mediterranean
and Common Tiger Blues. They are both exceedingly similar to the point
that most experts will not claim to be able to distinguish them with
certainty in the field. There may be some mileage in the degree of
continuity in the underside post discal line (broken at veins in T.
theophrastus) and with certain upperside violet reflections but
these aren't always considered definitive. It may be possible to be
almost certain but I hesitate to make that identification.
It appears though that theophrastus
occurs in southern Spain where rosaceus is absent and that in
north Africa theophrastus flies as high as 2600m but rosaceus
is limited to below 1400m. These photographs were taken at 1400m in the
Anti Atlas mountains of Morocco. The underside post discal line appears
broken. These facts together suggest theophrastus but…… |
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