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 Heliconiinae, commonly called heliconians or longwings, are a subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies. They can be divided into 45–50 genera and were sometimes treated as a separate family Heliconiidae within the Papilionoidea. The colouration is predominantly reddish and black, and though of varying wing shape, the forewings are always elongated tipwards, hence the common name.
Riodinidae is the family of metalmark butterflies. The common name "metalmarks" refers to the small, metallic-looking spots commonly found on their wings. The 1,532 species are placed in 146 genera. Although mostly Neotropical in distribution, the family is also represented both in the Nearctic, Palearctic, Australasian (Dicallaneura), Afrotropic, and Indomalayan realms.
The Satyrini is one of the tribes of the subfamily Satyrinae. It includes about 2200 species and is therefore the largest tribe in the subfamily which comprises 2500 species.
Biblidinae is a subfamily of nymphalid butterflies that includes the tropical brushfoots. This subfamily was sometimes merged within the Limenitidinae, but they are now recognized as quite distinct lineages. In older literature, this subfamily is sometimes called Eurytelinae.
The Morphinae are a subfamily of Nymphalidae butterflies that includes the morphos, the owl butterflies (Caligo), and related lineages. It is either considered a sister group of the Satyrinae, or disassembled and included therein.
Cyrestinae is the name of a small subfamily of nymphalid brush-footed butterflies. It is considered to include only three genera – Marpesia, Chersonesia, and Cyrestis – distributed in the tropics.
The Elymniini is one of the tribes of the subfamily Satyrinae. If the subfamily Satyrinae elevate to family status, this tribe shall be treated as subfamily Elymniinae. Elymniini was formerly a large group, but recently, it is considered to be include only one genus, Elymnias, according to molecular phylogenetic analyses.
The butterfly subtribe Euptychiina is a diverse group within the tribe Satyrini, occurring throughout Central and South America, in addition to a few species known from North America. Euptychiina is a predominantly lowland group, with the exception of one Asian taxon Palaeonympha opalinaButler, 1871 and the Andean genus ForsterinariaGray, 1973. The taxon was erected by Lee Denmar Miller.
Junonia evarete, the tropical buckeye or South American tropical buckeye, is a South American butterfly of the nymphalid (Nymphalidae) family. It has characteristic eye spots on the wings, which have a wingspan between 4.5 and 6.5 cm. This butterfly is easily confused with Junonia genoveva, the mangrove buckeye. Not only have the common names mangrove and tropical buckeye been confused, but the butterflies themselves have been sometimes misidentified in past literature because the two species have many variations, subspecies and seasonal forms, which makes them difficult to identify or differentiate. Phylogenetic studies demonstrate the separation of evarete and genoveva, but evidence suggests that subspecies and perhaps more species await their descriptions within this group.
Brassolini is a tribe usually placed in the brush-footed butterfly subfamily Morphinae, which is often included in the Satyrinae as a tribe Morphini. If this is accepted, the Brassolini become the sister tribe of the Morphini among the Satyrinae. Formerly, they were treated as an independent family Brassolidae or subfamily Brassolinae. Many members of this tribe are called owl butterflies.
Pronophilina is a Neotropical subtribe of butterflies of the subfamily Satyrinae. They are a species-rich group with highest diversity in the tropical and subtropical mountains, especially the Andes. Before 1970, they were poorly studied, but recent interest has resulted in high rates of species description from previously unexplored mountain ranges. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on their biology and ecology. Their relationship to other groups of Satyrine butterflies and their complex patterns of speciation within and among mountain ranges have led to several biogeographic discussions.
Taygetis is a genus of satyrid butterflies found in the Neotropical realm.
Taygetina peribaea is a species of butterfly in the subfamily Satyrinae. It is found in the Neotropical realm.
Guaianaza is a monotypic butterfly genus of the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae. Guaianaza is considered a synonym of the genus Forsterinaria Gray, 1973. Its single species, Guaianaza pronophila, is found in the Neotropical realm.
Taygetina is a monotypic butterfly genus of the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae. The species in Coeruleotaygetis have been included in Taygetina. Its one species, Taygetina banghaasi, is found in the Neotropical realm.
Hyantis is a monotypic nymphalid butterfly genus. Its sole species is Hyantis hodeva, which is found in New Guinea. It is uncertain which tribe this butterfly should be placed within.
Carla Maria Penz is a butterfly comparative morphologist and systematist, and the Doris Zemurray Stone Chair in Biodiversity at the University of New Orleans. Her research also focuses on natural history and behavior, mostly of neotropical butterflies.
Pierella nereis is a butterfly species from the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae. It was first described by Dru Drury in 1782 from Brazil.
Nemeobiinae is a subfamily of Riodinidae, the metalmark family. The subfamily's members consist entirely of Old World members of the Riodinid family. Recent revisions to the subfamily have begun to include members located within the New World as well, however, the subfamily continues to encompass the entirety of the Old World Riodinids.
