Morpho nestira

Morpho nestira is a very nice butterfly from Neotropic ecozone (South America). The first description was in ??? by Hübner. With a wingspan of 14.0 – 16.0 cm Morpho nestira is a big member of the family NYMPHALIDAE. This butterfly is nearly totally iridescence blue.

Photos for easy identification

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer

These are nice photos of Morpho nestira (male). Morpho nestira is a member of the family NYMPHALIDAE from Neotropic ecozone (South America).

Description

The forewings are brilliant blue. The wing leading edge and the pinion is black. Some structures of underside show through the wing.
The underside is brown and grey and marmorate. There are one small and two big eyes on wing.

The hind wings are brilliant blue. The margin is ridged and black.
The underside is brown and grey and marmorate. There are four eyes on wing.

The body is dark brown.

Sex differences:

Macro photographs

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 06.09.2006, macro photograph of Morpho nestira (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 06.09.2006, macro photograph of Morpho nestira (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 06.09.2006, macro photograph of Morpho nestira (upside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 06.09.2006, macro photograph of Morpho nestira (underside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 06.09.2006, macro photograph of Morpho nestira (underside)

: Photo © by Thomas Neubauer; 06.09.2006, macro photograph of Morpho nestira (underside)

Here you can see some macro photographs of Morpho nestira.

Distribution

Morpho nestira is a butterfly of the Neotropic ecozone (South America). The distribution is restricted to Brazil.

: This world map shows the ecozones in which this butterfly is distributed.

Larval food

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General information

The first description of this butterfly was in ??? by Hübner. There are no subspecies.

The brilliant blue is a characteristic of nearly all members of genus Morpho. The phenomenal microscopic structure of scales excite interference, which erase all wavelength of light except for blue light. Therefore the wings are blue although there are no pigments.

Protection provisions / Red List

CITES: (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora):

-no entry- (as at 14.06.2006)
EU regulation on trading with species of wild Fauna and Flora

-no entry- (as at 19.08.2005)
IUCN Red List of threatened species:

-no entry- (as at 2004) (see: www.redlist.org/)