Speyeria atlantis

(Edwards, 1862)

Atlantis fritillary

Species Guides

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Speyeria atlantis, the Atlantis fritillary, is a North American in the Nymphalidae. It ranges from Newfoundland and Labrador across northern Canada to British Columbia, and south through the northern United States to Colorado and West Virginia. The is listed as endangered in Connecticut and shows sensitivity to climate warming trends. Research demonstrates that rely primarily on visual senses to navigate to suitable patches across fragmented landscapes.

Atlantis Fritillaries, mating by D. Gordon E. Robertson. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.Speyeria atlantis P1470797a by xpda. Used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license.Atlantis Fritillary by D. Gordon E. Robertson. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Speyeria atlantis: //spɛˈɪəriə ətˈlæntɪs//

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Identification

Distinguished from similar Speyeria by the combination of dark orange upperside with black markings and light brown underside with silvery-white spots. Differs from Speyeria aphrodite (Aphrodite fritillary), S. cybele (great spangled fritillary), and S. hesperis (northwestern fritillary) in specific wing pattern details, though precise field identification may require close examination.

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Appearance

Wingspan 50–64 mm. Upperside dark orange with multiple rows of black markings and black wing margins. Underside light brown with numerous silvery-white spots.

Habitat

Occurs in northern forested and meadow . Research studies have documented use of mixed woodland and shoreline meadow habitats on islands, which provide resources for mate location, resting, roosting, feeding, and escape.

Distribution

North America: from the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador west to northern British Columbia, and south through the northern United States to Colorado and West Virginia. Northern limit extends to James Bay.

Diet

Larvae feed on Viola (violets). nectar on common milkweed, mint, mountain laurel, crown vetch, burdock, boneset, ox- daisy, spiraea, and virgin's bower.

Host Associations

  • Viola - larval plantPreferred larval plants; larvae hosted by violets

Life Cycle

Females lay on or near violet plants. Larvae feed on violet leaves, then hibernate through winter among fallen leaves. Development resumes in spring, with emerging in summer.

Behavior

Strong, fast flier that consistently avoids open water during movements. Relies primarily on visual senses rather than olfaction for detecting and navigating to patches. Navigation success decreases with increasing distance from habitat; experimental releases showed 50% success at 40 and 30 meters, 16.7% at 50 meters, and 0% at 60 meters over open water.

Ecological Role

of various flowering plants. Serves as a model organism for studying metapopulation dynamics, processes, and connectivity in fragmented landscapes. Contributes to understanding of movement and visual-based habitat detection.

Human Relevance

Subject of ecological research on climate sensitivity and navigation. Listed as endangered in Connecticut. Potential for climate change impacts on northern .

Similar Taxa

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Climate Sensitivity

trajectories show declines in response to climate warming trends, indicating thermal sensitivity that may affect future distribution and abundance.

Visual Navigation Research

Experimental studies using flash-induced blindness demonstrated 30.1 times lower navigation success compared to unflashed individuals, confirming primary reliance on vision for detection. No specific perceptual range threshold was identified; targeting ability functions as a continuum of probabilities across distances.

Subspecies Diversity

Numerous recognized (at least 22 named), including S. a. atlantis, S. a. canadensis, S. a. chitone, S. a. beani, S. a. electa, and S. a. irene, reflecting substantial geographic variation across the broad range.

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Sources and further reading