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Appalachiensis is about 3/4 canadensis. So for example, the black anal margin on the hindwing is much thicker, closer to canadensis than glaucus. But like Chuck said, most of the pertinent characteristics are better seen on the ventral side.

I will throw mine into the mix. Here are some canadensis and glaucus. Aberrant female 2nd row 4th specimen. Aberrant male lacking black anal margin on HW bottom left corner.

Thank you eurytides and chuck for your expertise in answering my question.

Boghaunter1, an aberrant very similar to yours showed up on naturalist a couple of years ago. I believe it was from Nova Scotia, but not sure. And it was photographed but not collected, so it probably ended up in a birds beak or a car grill, sad.

New Brunswick, June 11, 2021.

Thank you very much, mothman55 & eurytides, for that additional Canadian example similar to my aberrant. Indeed, it would have been a great, very rare example, (looked to be in great shape too!), to have been collected & preserved to show the extreme variety possible in P. canadensis. Another, very nearly identical Canadian specimen to mine, was sold on Ebay, by a Quebec collector/dealer about a decade ago; I have the photo, but, unfortunately, can't locate it now...

My particular specimen looks like it is somewhere between ab. "fletcheri & ab. "radianthus"? or is it var. "calverleyi" (as in P. asterius, plate XLI, in Holland's "Butterfly book"??

John K.

Here is an unusual P. canadensis? P. glaucus? that I found on the internet years ago:
John K.

Found yet another older photo of P. troilus... aberrant "radianthus" with similar markings to my P. canadensis...

John K.

Mothman55... here is another similar specimen, to yours, of "fletcheri" from Quebec in 2009; yours is even more extreme with more solid black markings... a real beauty!
John K.

Yet another "fletcheri" (P. rutulus) from Oregon on 01 July 2018 (photo only... not collected),

Yet another "fletcheri" from Utah,
John K.

Totally forgot I had collected this! My own raggy Saskatchewan specimen of "fletcheri",
John K.

Another ab. female P. canadensis from NE Sask.,
John K.

Great photos, makes me want to get out there are find another. June can't come soon enough.

What were the circumstances surrounding the capture of your very special find mothman55 ?

Here is another of those Austin, Ohio specimens
which was wild collected (May 21 thru June 15 2013).
Though, looking typical for a (light phase) female it
had VERY bold blue hindwings with just a "dash" of
extra red present. A large specimen as well....

WOW! Absolutely BEAUTIFUL.... very uncommon fm....Thanks for posting!

John K.

Trehopr1 wrote: Tue Mar 14, 2023 7:47 pm Here is another of those Austin, Ohio specimens
which was wild collected (May 21 thru June 15 2013).
Though, looking typical for a (light phase) female it
had VERY bold blue hindwings with just a "dash" of
extra red present. A large specimen as well....

Any chance you can post a photo of the verso?

Hi Chuck, so sorry but, at the moment I don't have any (verso) pictures of any of the Austin, Ohio specimens. My dealer connection (for specimens) is the present owner of that lot. I'm probably going to visit him sometime in May and it is then that I can get some secondary photos of that butterfly.

The day that I was there (a week ago) I had a lot to survey and organize for him doing my 4-hour stay. He is 79 years old.

I will definitely get photos for you the next time I visit him.

Trehopr1 wrote: Tue Mar 14, 2023 11:52 pm Hi Chuck, so sorry but, at the moment I don't have any (verso) pictures of any of the Austin, Ohio specimens. My dealer connection (for specimens) is the present owner of that lot. I'm probably going to visit him sometime in May and it is then that I can get some secondary photos of that butterfly.

The day that I was there (a week ago) I had a lot to survey and organize for him doing my 4-hour stay. He is 79 years old.

I will definitely get photos for you the next time I visit him.

Say hello to Leroy for me.