Morpho

Morpho is a genus of butterflies, family Nymphalidae, commonly called morpho butterflies, comprising approximately 29 accepted species and about 147 accepted subspecies, found primarily in South America, Mexico and Central America in tropical habitats from sea level to roughly 1,400 meters elevation. Wingspans vary from about 7.5 centimeters in the smallest species to 20 centimeters in the largest, and many species display iridescent blue and green coloration produced not by pigment but by microscopic scales on the wings that reflect incident light repeatedly at successive layers, creating structural interference effects. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced in many species, with only males typically showing the brilliant iridescent blue while females appear brown and yellow for camouflage; the butterflies are palatable to predators but strong fliers, feeding on fermenting fruit and decomposing organic matter rather than nectar.