Morpho achilles Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name:
Achilles Morpho

Synonyms:

Papilio achilles (Linnaeus, 1758)

Natural History:

About 30 species of Morpho  are described in the Neotropics (Lamas, 2004). Morpho achilles  occurs with 8 subspecies (Lamas, 2004). The blue of the wings can be seen throughout the year and shines when crossing a patch of sunlight. Despite ist blue color, easily disappears in the shaded understory  when rests with closed wings. In central Amazonia is less abundant than Morpho helenor – another species very similar and common at central Amazônia. 

Distribution:
Brasil; Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; Guyane française; Perú; Suriname; Trinidad and Tobago; Uruguay; Venezuela

Occurence Period:

Occur throughout all the year

Feeding Adult:

Adults feed on decomposing fruits

Feeding Caterpillars:

Host-plants recorded at Brazil and compiled by Beccaloni et al. (2008):

Bignoniaceae: Unidentified species

Erythroxylaceae: Erythroxylum sp.

Luguminosae-Mimosoideae: Inga spp.; Papilionoideae: Dahlstedtia pinnata, Dalbergia sp., Machaerium oblongifolium, Myrocarpus sp. Platymiscium floribundum, Pterocarpus violaceus.

Musaceae: Unidentified species

Rubiaceae: Genipa americana

Color:
blue, brown, white, black

Habitat:
forest, forest edge

Publications:

Lamas G. (2004):

Atlas of neotropical Lepidoptera - Checklist: Part 4A Hesperioidea - Papilionoidea. Book.: 1-439

Beccaloni G.W, Viloria A.L., Hall S.K., Robinson G.S. (2008):

Catalogue of the hostplants of the Neotropical butterflies. Book., London, S.E.A., Ribes, CYTED, Natural History Museum, IVIC: 1-536