Marco Polo’s Clouded Yellow

Colias marcopolo is one of the smaller species. Upperside of male pale sulphur yellow, with a not very broad greyish black distal marginal band and an inconspicuous large yellow spot on the hindwing, but without a black middle spot on the forewing. Underside of forewing dirty yellow, with greyish-green distal margin; hindwing darker greyish green, with whitish middle spot. The female is yolk colour above and below, the distal marginal band being broader and having the inner edge diffuse, the forewing bearing yellow submarginal spots. The form with brighter yellow upperside, narrower dark distal margins and a black middle spot on the forewing above and below, is named ab.? nicolopolo.