Memphis moruus

Memphis moruus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Tribe:	Anaeini
Genus:	Memphis
Species:	M. moruus
Binomial name
Memphis moruus (Fabricius, 1775) [1]
Synonyms
Memphis moruus (Fabricius, 1775) Papilio moruus Fabricius, 1775 Anaea morvus sic

Memphis moruus is a species of leafwing found in South America.

Subspecies

• Memphis moruus moruus; present in Brazil and French Guiana.
• Memphis moruus boisduvali ^[2]
• Memphis moruus leonila (Comstock, 1961); present in Ecuador.
• Memphis moruus morpheus (Staudinger, [1886]) ^[3] present in Brazil.
• Memphis moruus phila (Druce, 1877) ^[4] present in Colombia and Ecuador.
• Memphis moruus stheno (Prittwitz, 1865) ^[5] present in Brazil. ^{[6] [7]}

Description

Memphis moruus has forewings with a pointed apex and a concave outer edge, and hindwings with a tail. The upper part is metallic blue with a lighter basal part and a darker navy blue to brown distal part. The underside is light brown and simulates a dead leaf. ^[8]

Biology

The host plants of its caterpillar are Nectandra (Lauraceae) for Memphis moruus boisduvali.

References

1. Fabricius, J.C. 1775. Systema entomologiae, sistens insectorum classes, ordines, genera, species, adiectis synonymis, locis, descriptionibus, observationibus. Libraria Kortii, Flensburgi et Lipsiae. xvi+ 832 pp.
2. Comstock, W. P. 1961. Butterflies of the American Tropics: the genus Anaea. Lepidop tera, Nymphalidae. New York: Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 214pp, 30pl.
3. Staudinger, O, 1886 Exotische schmetterlinge Fürth, V.G. Löwensohn, 1888-1892
4. Druce, H. 1877 A revision of the lepidopterous genus PaphiaProc. zool. Soc. Lond. 1877 (3) : 632-652, pl. 61-64
5. Prittwitz, Otto von 1865 Beitrag zur Fauna des Coreovado Stettin Ent. Ztg 26 (4-6): 123-143, (10-12): 307-325
6. • Savela, Markku (April 7, 2019). "Memphis Hübner, [1819]". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
7. D'Abrera, B. 1988. Butterflies of the Neotropical Region, Nymphalidae, Satyridae. Victoria: Hill House. Pp. 680-723.; present in Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama.
8. Julius Rober ANAEA in Seitz.A. Band 5: Abt. 2, Die exotischen Großschmetterlinge, Die Großschmetterlinge des amerikanischen Faunengebietes, 1907 580 et seq.