Leptidea juvernica, the Cryptic wood white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.
Taxonomy A 2011 study using karyotype analysis and analysis of mitochondrial nuclear DNA markers concluded that the complex of cryptic species that includes Leptidea sinapis and Leptidea reali also included a third, new species Leptidea juvernica.
Distribution L. juvernica ranges from Ireland and France in the west to Kazakhstan in the east. The population in Ireland was formerly thought to be Leptidea reali, but is now known to be L. juvernica.
Appearance It has been noted that specimens of L. juvernica from Ireland, originally thought to be L. sinapis, had a noticeably stronger green tinge.
Gallery
References
External links
Butterfly Conservation Ireland Summary of the sinapis cryptic species complex.