A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Morpho helenor
One of the most famous butterfly in Costa Rica, due to its beautiful iridescent blue colored inner wings. Not so fortunately for us, this one was sleeoing so it showed us its external side of the wings which may be less flashy but also very beautiful. Morphos are big butteflies: their wingspan ranges from 7.5–20 cm (3.0–7.9 in).The brilliant blue color in the butterfly's wings is not a mere beauty display!. It is caused by the diffraction of the light from millions of tiny scales on its wings and the buttefly uses this to frighten away predators, by flashing its wings rapidly. (The eye-like designs in the other side of the wings are also thought to be used to confuse and scare predators in these and other butteflies.)
Tropical rain forests in Central America. We have seen them in the Monteverde and Santa Elena reserves too. This one was in the Buttefly Garden of Monteverde.
Spotted on Apr 8, 2014
Submitted on May 3, 2014
5 Comments
I will try to find out which one. But without an open wing shot it is tricky!
I just based the ID in a 2002 plate so most likely you are right. I changed it to helenor, but I have no idea of the subespecies.
I wish! ..but she was too fast when we tried to make her a pic while opening the wings.
Do you have an open wing picture??
http://butterfliesofamerica.com/L/t/Morp...
I am not really sure, if Morpho peleides limpida is still a valid taxon, although INBio still have it there (and therefore also EOL, same reference).
http://darnis.inbio.ac.cr/ubisen/FMPro?-...
Most of the Morpho are now in the species Morpho helenor and there are more than one found in Costa Rica.
I do not challenge your ID and would never dare to challenge the ID of Isidro Chacon, but I am a little sceptic.