This species was traditionally considered to be a member of the genus Antanartia but was recently found to be a member of the V. atalanta species group.[3]
Subspecies
Vanessa abyssinica abyssinica — Ethiopia
Vanessa abyssinica jacksoni Howarth, 1966 — highlands of Kenya, northern Tanzania
Vanessa abyssinica vansomereni Howarth, 1966 — western Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo: east to Kivu and Ituri