Morpho achilles

Morpho achilles
Morpho achilles
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Morpho
Species: M. achilles
Binomial name
Morpho achilles
(Linnaeus, 1758)

The Morpho achilles, common name Blue banded Morpho or Achilles Morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly. Many subspecies have been described.

Contents

Etymology

The genus name Morpho comes from the Greek epithet of Aphrodite, goddess of love. Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character of Homer's Iliad.

Description

In Morpho achilles the dorsal sides of the forewings are black, with two broad vertical bands of brilliant blue. The underside of the hindwings is olive-brownish, with several ocelli formed by blue, yellow, red and red concentric rings. The caterpillars feed on various species of climbing legumes, while the adults mainly feed on rotting fruits or fermenting juice and tree sap.

Distribution

This species can be found over a huge range of countries, particularly in Argentina, Surinam, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Paraguay, and Brazil.

Gallery

  • Ventral view of Morpho achilles

  • Dorsal view of Morpho achilles

  • Museum specimen from Matto Grosso, Brazil

References

  • Le Moult (E.) & Réal (P.), 1962-1963. Les Morpho d'Amérique du Sud et Centrale, Editions du cabinet entomologique E. Le Moult, Paris.

External links


Stub icon This Morphinae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.