57.007 Thymelicus acteon (Lulworth Skipper)
ws: m24-27mm, f25-28mm; mid-may to early Sep, mainly Jun-Jul; tor-grass (Brachypodium pinnatum); restricted to the Dorset coast.
Thymelicus acteon (Lulworth Skipper) §4 female
ID: Very similar to T.lineola (Essex Skipper) and T.sylvestris (Small Skipper). Differs in being a darker more olive colour and in the female having a gold semicircle of blocks on the forewing.
Dissection
Note the paired structures attached to the female proboscis. I can find no reference to these and have not seen them in any other Lepidopteran, including other Thymelicus species. I would think they are clubbed maxillary palps that have migrated so that they have an attachment to the proboscis - but it seems unlikely that they would only be present in female T.acteon
Note the paired structures attached to the female proboscis. I can find no reference to these and have not seen them in any other Lepidopteran, including other Thymelicus species. I would think they are clubbed maxillary palps that have migrated so that they have an attachment to the proboscis - but it seems unlikely that they would only be present in female T.acteon
Male genitalia
Female genitalia
§1 Lulworth Cove, Dorset; 19/06/2015; female
§2 Lulworth Cove, Dorset; 19/06/2015; female
§3 Lulworth Cove, Dorset; 19/06/2015; male
§4 Durlston CP, Dorset; 23/06/2015; female; fw 12.3mm
§5 Ballard Down, Dorset; 04/07/2016; male; fw 12.5mm
All images © Chris Lewis
§2 Lulworth Cove, Dorset; 19/06/2015; female
§3 Lulworth Cove, Dorset; 19/06/2015; male
§4 Durlston CP, Dorset; 23/06/2015; female; fw 12.3mm
§5 Ballard Down, Dorset; 04/07/2016; male; fw 12.5mm
All images © Chris Lewis
Page published 07/07/2015 (§1-4) | Dissection images of §4 added 04/03/2016 | §5 added 22/11/2016
