Taxonomy

This species has been placed in many different genera since it was originally described by Linnaeus in 1758.2 subspecies are currently valid:

• Hamadryas feronia feronia (Linnaeus, 1758)
• Hamadryas feronia farinulenta (Fruhstorfer, 1916)

Although 5 other ‘forms’ have been described (Jenkins 1983; Lamas 2004):

• Ageronia feronia catablymata (Fruhstorfer, 1916)
• Ageronia feronia bumbrata (Fruhstorfer, 1916)
• Ageronia feronia peruviana (Bryk,1953)
• Ageronia feronia nobilita (Fruhstorfer, 1916)
• Ageronia feronia insularis (Fruhstorfer, 1916)

It is difficult to tell some species of this genus apart in live butterflies because of morphological similarities, including the patterns shown in the wing’s upper side.