The morpho butterflies comprise many species of Neotropical butterfly under the genus Morpho. This genus includes more than 29 accepted species and 147 accepted subspecies, found mostly in South America, Mexico, and Central America. Morpho wingspans range from 7.5 cm (3.0 in) for M. rhodopteron to 20 cm (7.9 in) for M. hecuba, the imposing sunset morpho. The name morpho, meaning "changed" or "modified", is also an epithet. Blue morphos are severely threatened by the deforestation of tropical forests and habitat fragmentation. Humans provide a direct threat to this spectacular creature because their beauty attracts artists and collectors from all over the globe who wish to capture and display them. Aside from humans, birds like the jacamar and flycatcher are the adult butterfly’s natural predators.
The Hepialidae are a family of insects in the lepidopteran order. Moths of this family are often referred to as swift moths or ghost moths.
The Chiapas Highlands, also known as the Central Highlands of Chiapas or Chiapas Plateau, is a geographic, sociocultural and administrative region located in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico.
The red warbler is a small passerine bird of the New World warbler family Parulidae endemic to the highlands of Mexico, north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. It is closely related to, and forms a superspecies with, the pink-headed warbler of southern Mexico and Guatemala. There are three subspecies, found in disjunct populations, which differ in the color of their ear patch and in the brightness and tone of their body plumage. The adult is bright red, with a white or gray ear patch, depending on the subspecies; young birds are pinkish-brown, with a whitish ear patch and two pale wingbars.
The pink-headed warbler is a small passerine bird found in the southwestern highlands of Guatemala and the central and southeastern highlands of the Mexican state of Chiapas. The adult is primarily red, with a silvery-pink head and chest. It is a fairly common to common resident of humid to semi-humid pine-oak, pine-evergreen and evergreen forest and edge, at altitudes ranging from 1,800–3,500 m (5,900–11,500 ft) above sea level.
Papilio ulysses, the Ulysses butterfly, is a large swallowtail butterfly, in the subgenus Achillides, of Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Its size varies depending on subspecies, but the wingspan is about 10.5 cm (4.1 in) in Queensland.
Ornithoptera croesus, the Wallace's golden birdwing, is a species of birdwing butterfly found in northern Maluku in Indonesia.
Iophanus is a monotypic butterfly genus in the family Lycaenidae described by Max Wilhelm Karl Draudt in 1920. The single species of this genus, Iophanus pyrrhias, the Guatemalan copper, was described by Frederick DuCane Godman and Osbert Salvin in 1887. It is found in Guatemala, the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, and apparently in a few other areas of the Neotropical realm.
Papilio dardanus, the African swallowtail, mocker swallowtail or flying handkerchief, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. The species is broadly distributed throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The British entomologist E. B. Poulton described it as "the most interesting butterfly in the world".
Cyllopsis gemma, the gemmed satyr, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico.
Parides erithalion, the variable cattleheart, is a North and South American butterfly in the family Papilionidae. The species was first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1836.
Eurema daira, the fairy yellow, barred yellow or barred sulphur, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. The species was first described by Jean-Baptiste Godart in 1819. It is found from Argentina north to the southern United States. Strays can be found up to southern Arizona, South Dakota, southern Texas and even Washington, D.C.
Oeneis nevadensis is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is commonly known as the great Arctic, Nevada Arctic, great grayling, Felder's Arctic, or Pacific Arctic. It is native to northwestern North America.
Parides anchises, the Anchises cattleheart, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae native to the Americas. It is common and not threatened. The larvae feed on Aristolochia species including: A. brazilsis, A. bukuti, A. colombiana, A. cymbifera, A. fimbriata, A. inflata, A. macroura, A. odora, A. ringens, and A. triangularis.
Cyllopsis is a genus of satyrid butterflies found in the Neotropical realm. The genus was erected by Rudolf Felder in 1869.
Homodotis megaspilata, also known as the small hooked-tip looper moth, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found throughout the country. It is regarded as being common species. The preferred habitat of this species is native forest, scrub, coastal areas and domestic gardens. Larvae feed on the dead leaves of Geniostoma ligustrifolium and likely other native plants. Once mature the larvae will pupate on the ground forming a silken cocoon protected by hiding inside two leaves of its host plant. Adults are nocturnal and are on the wing from October to April. They are attracted to light. In appearance the adults of this species are extremely variable but can be distinguished from similar species as all variations have forewings with blunt hook shaped tips.
Scoparia ustimacula, also known as the black-marked brown Scoparia moth, is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Cajetan Felder, Rudolf Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875. It is endemic to New Zealand and can be found in the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species inhabits dense native forest at altitudes from sea level to approximately 1000 m. Although little is known of the life history of this species, larvae have been observed feeding on Hydrocotyle species. Adults are on the wing year round but are more commonly observed from September to March. Adults are nocturnal, are attracted to light and have been collected by beating scrub.
Arhopala eridanus is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It was described by Cajetan Felder in 1860. It is found in the Indomalayan realm.
Ptychandra is a butterfly genus in the subfamily Satyrinae within the family Nymphalidae. Ptychandra was first described by Cajetan Felder and Rudolf Felder in 1861. The genus comprises eight species, seven found in the Philippines with an additional species found on the island of Borneo. It is remarkable for the fact that it is one of a few genera to have undergone evolutionary radiation in the Philippine archipelago, with most other species being migrants from the Asian mainland.
Ischalis nelsonaria, also known as the angled fern looper, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described in 1875. This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. I. nelsonaria inhabits native forest. The larval host of this species is Zealandia pustulata. Larvae have also been raised on Blechnum novae-zelandiae. Adult moths of this species are variable in appearance and are nocturnal. They have been observed on the wing throughout the year but are most frequently observed in February and March. They have been observed feeding on the flowers of Metrosideros diffusa.
