Range
Mexico southwards. A rare stray to AZ.
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Usual range incl. Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and nw, Costa Rica. Can be found on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
rare stray into se. Arizona (Cochise and Santa Cruz Counties)?
Habitat
variable from tropical wet forests to tropical dry environments (incl. scrub)
Season
variable but usually March-October
Food
Inga spp. (Fabaceae)
Paullinia pinnata (Sapindaceae)
Remarks
Several subspecies and/or forms
"Morpho luna Group"
Morpho polyphemus ssp. luna (syn. M. luna)
Morpho polyphemus ssp. luna (var. niveina)
Morpho polyphemus ssp. luna (var. albina)
East coast: Yucatan of Mexico, south into Guatemala, Belize and Honduras
"Morpho polyphemus Group"
Morpho polyphemus ssp. polyphemus
Morpho polyphemus var. psukhe
Morpho polyphemus var. selene
Morpho polyphemus var. catarina (catalina)
Usually associated with western slope forests and coastal habitats. Some populations identified as "polyphemus" may extend east into Vera Cruz.
For details on the "M. polyphemus Group", refer to the the following:
White Morpho, Morpho polyphemus (Butterflies of America)
See Also
Morpho polyphemus
(= Pessonia polyphemus)
(= Bessonia polyphemus)
Similar species
Pearly Morpho, Morpho epistrophus group
Morpho argentinus
Morpho catenarius/catenaria
Morpho titei
Morpho laertes
NOTE: Only one species in this Neotropical group has been recorded in the US (as a stray); however, several species are popular attractions in butterfly houses. This Genus and the taxonomic arrangement within it is incomplete. Many internet and published references contain erroneous id's and distributions. Currently, this site is perhaps the best on-line resource (there may be a couple id errors ... based on the original identifications within museum holdings and not those of the persons constructing and overseeing this site).
Print References
Most comprehensive resources on this Genus are as follows:
Patrick Blandin
The genus Morpho, Lepidoptera Nymphalidae
Author Patrick Blandin
Publisher Sciences Nat, 1993
ISBN 0285724657, 9780285724655
Length 56 pages
1) Title The genus Morpho: The sub-genera Iphimedeia and Schwartzia, Volume 1
ISBN 285724357X, 9782857243571
Length 42 pages
2)The Genus Morpho: The subgenera Iphixibia, Cytheritis, Balachowskyna and Cypritis, Volume 2
3)The genus Morpho: Addenda to Part 1 and Part 2 & The Subgenera Pessonia, Grasseia, and Morpho, Volume 3
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E. Le Moult, P. Réal
1) Les Morpho d'Amérique du Sud et Centrale: historique, morphologie, systématique, Volumes 1-2
Internet References
White Morpho, Morpho polyphemus (wiki)
White Morpho, Morpho polyphemus (Butterflies of America)
