| Morpho portis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Morpho |
| Species: | M. portis |
| Binomial name | |
| Morpho portis (Hübner, 1821) | |
Morpho portis is a Neotropical butterfly. It is found in Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Paraguay. Several subspecies and many forms have been described. The larvae feed on Gramineae ( Bambusa and Chusquea meyeriana ).
M. portis is the oldest name for a pretty species, which has generally found its way into collections under the name M. cytheris Godart. M. portis may be regarded as the type of a small group which embraces species with the sexes alike, in contrast to the forms of the adonis group with highly differentiated, multicolored females. The two subspecies can be separated with certainty.
M. p. portis Hübner according to von Bönninghausen is never found in the plains, but only at higher elevations of the Sierra Geral, as at Petrópolis and Novo Friburgo in the state of Rio de Janeiro, where it is by no means common. The upper surface differs from that of the southern branch-race in its unusually delicate light blue color, shot throughout with glossy reflections, and which only distally darkens somewhat towards violet.
M. p. sidera Fruhstorfer denotes a form without apical ocellus on the underside of the hindwing, which bears pale yellow instead of reddish-brown longitudinal bands on an unusually light ground and in addition has the silver bands nearly twice as broad as in normal M. portis.
M. p. thamyris Felder is sufficiently characterized by the broader black border of the forewing and the darker blue gloss of the upper surface, bears beneath somewhat larger and more uniform ocelli, broader and more intensively red-brown longitudinal bands and consequently reduced silver stripes. The female is rather rare, larger than the male, adorned with larger anteterminal and submarginal white crescents and small longitudinal stripes and with the wings more rounded. This elegant Morphid is very local in Sta. Catharina, but common in suitable localities (timber forests overgrown with bamboo and intersected by large rivers), M. p. thamyris flies chiefly in the afternoon from 3 to 4 o'clock, when M. anaxibia is already disappearing into the shade of the woods. The butterflies fly slowly, scarcely 1 to 2 meters above the ground, and are fond of resting with closed wings on bamboo twigs. Also on the high lying country of Lages I met with M. p. thamyris in the damp woods of the valleys and the primeval forests on the Alto Uruguay. Flies principally in March. In Rio Grande according to Mabilde two generations occur, the first flying for 15–20 days in the spring, the second for nearly a month in the autumn.
M. p. psyche Felder of which I have the type before me through the kindness of the directors of the Tring Museum, seems to be due to discoloration. Upper surface darker blue than in M. portis; distal border of the forewing broader, more uniform. Under surface: ocelli as in M. portis, but the silvery longitudinal band suppressed, the wings themselves faded into a lighter brown. Brazil. [1]
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.
Morpho polyphemus, the white morpho or Polyphemus white morpho, is a white butterfly of Mexico and Central America, ranging as far south as Costa Rica. As suggested by its name, this is one of the relatively few Morphos that is white rather than blue. Some authorities include M. luna, which is also white, as a subspecies of M. polyphemus.
Morpho achilles, the Achilles morpho, blue-banded morpho, or banded blue morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly.
Morpho helenor, the Helenor blue morpho or common blue morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly found throughout Central and South America from Mexico to Argentina. It is a species group that may or may not be several species. Many subspecies have been described.
Morpho deidamia, the Deidamia morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly. It is found in Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Suriname, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil. It is a species group, which may be, or may not be several species. Many subspecies have been described.
Morpho aega, the Aega morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly found in Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil.
Morpho aurora, the Aurora morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly found in Bolivia and Peru.
Morpho rhetenor, the Rhetenor blue morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela.
Morpho richardus, or Richard's morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly found only in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Morpho cisseis, the Cisseis morpho, is a large Neotropical butterfly found in the southern and western Amazon in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil. It includes several subspecies, but has itself sometimes been treated as a subspecies of the sunset morpho. Both are highly valued by collectors.
Morpho anaxibia, the Anaxibia morpho, is a species of Neotropical butterfly endemic to Brazil.
Morpho hercules, the Hercules morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly found in Brazil and Paraguay.
Morpho lympharis, the Lympharis morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly found in Peru and Bolivia.
Morpho thamyris, the Thamyris morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly found in Paraguay and Brazil.
Morpho laertes, the White morpho or Epistrophus white morpho, is a Neotropical butterfly found in Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. The white morpho is native to the Atlantic Forest, where they are distributed throughout a landscape of multiple species.
Morpho absoloni is a Neotropical butterfly.
Morpho amphitryon is a Neotropical butterfly.
Morpho telemachus is a Neotropical butterfly.
Morpho uraneis is a Neotropical butterfly. It is found in Brazil and Ecuador.
Arhopala araxes is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It was described by Cajetan Felder and Rudolf Felder in 1865. It is found in the Indomalayan realm.