Up to eight subspecies are recognized in Europe:
M. a. athalia – from the Atlantic coast to the Bosphorus (Turkey) (altitude 0–2200 m), excluding the ranges of the following subspecies
M. a. norvegica Aurivillius 1888 – Fennoscandia (altitude 0–800 m)
M. a. celadussa Frühstorfer 1910 – northern Iberia and the Sierra Nevada, southern France, southern Switzerland, Italy (including Sicily) (altitude 0–2600 m)
The transitional zone between subspecies athalia and celadussa is broad—up to 150 km in places
M. a. dictynnoides (Hormuzaki 1898) – south-west Europe?

M. a. lucifuga (Fruhstorfer 1917) – south-east Europe
M. a. reticulata Higgins 1955 – Altai
M. a. baikalensis (Bremer 1961) – southern Siberia to Amur?

M. a. hyperborea Dubatolov 1997 – Magadan, Kamchatka
Many forms and subspecies of M. a. athalia have been described, but are best regarded as "ecological variants" and intermediates in clinal variation.
Bulgaria has f. boris Frühstorfer, with heavier marginal borders, alongside the typical nominate form.

In central Sweden and Finland, M. a. norvegica f. lachares Frühstorfer has finer black markings; transitional forms between f. lachares and typical M. a. norvegica occur in southern Sweden.

In Portugal and north-west Spain, M. a. celadussa f. biedermanni Querci is larger than typical M. a. celadussa, with finer black lines in the outer half of the wing, but a thicker discal line; transitional forms occur in central west Spain.
In Sierra Nevada, f. nevadensis Verity is golden yellow with fine black markings (it is also univoltine, whereas typical M. a. celadussa is bivoltine at low altitude).
In "southern" Europe, f. tenuicola Verity occurs in late broods—it is small and its black markings reduced.
Up to eight subspecies are recognized in Europe:
M. a. athalia – from the Atlantic coast to the Bosphorus (Turkey) (altitude 0–2200 m), excluding the ranges of the following subspecies
M. a. norvegica Aurivillius 1888 – Fennoscandia (altitude 0–800 m)
M. a. celadussa Frühstorfer 1910 – northern Iberia and the Sierra Nevada, southern France, southern Switzerland, Italy (including Sicily) (altitude 0–2600 m)
The transitional zone between subspecies athalia and celadussa is broad—up to 150 km in places
M. a. dictynnoides (Hormuzaki 1898) – south-west Europe?
M. a. lucifuga (Fruhstorfer 1917) – south-east Europe
M. a. reticulata Higgins 1955 – Altai
M. a. baikalensis (Bremer 1961) – southern Siberia to Amur?
M. a. hyperborea Dubatolov 1997 – Magadan, Kamchatka
Many forms and subspecies of M. a. athalia have been described, but are best regarded as "ecological variants" and intermediates in clinal variation. Bulgaria has f. boris Frühstorfer, with heavier marginal borders, alongside the typical nominate form.
In central Sweden and Finland, M. a. norvegica f. lachares Frühstorfer has finer black markings; transitional forms between f. lachares and typical M. a. norvegica occur in southern Sweden.
In Portugal and north-west Spain, M. a. celadussa f. biedermanni Querci is larger than typical M. a. celadussa, with finer black lines in the outer half of the wing, but a thicker discal line; transitional forms occur in central west Spain. In Sierra Nevada, f. nevadensis Verity is golden yellow with fine black markings (it is also univoltine, whereas typical M. a. celadussa is bivoltine at low altitude). In "southern" Europe, f. tenuicola Verity occurs in late broods—it is small and its black markings reduced.
Heath fritillary