Aurora Morpho

Morpho aurora

first update d. 28 november 2024

last update d. 28 november 2024

Morpho aurora han. Murata, Yungas, Bolivia. D. 21 February 2009. Photographer: Lars AndersenMorpho aurora han. Murata, Yungas, Bolivia. D. 21 February 2009. Photographer: Lars AndersenMorpho aurora han. Murata, Yungas, Bolivia. D. 21 February 2009. Photographer: Lars AndersenMorpho aurora han. Murata, Yungas, Bolivia. D. 21 February 2009. Photographer: Lars AndersenMorpho aurora han. Murata, Yungas, Bolivia. D. 21 February 2009. Photographer: Lars AndersenMorpho aurora han. Murata, Yungas, Bolivia. D. 21 February 2009. Photographer: Lars AndersenMorpho aurora han. Murata, Yungas, Bolivia. D. 21 February 2009. Photographer: Lars AndersenMorpho aurora han. Murata, Yungas, Bolivia. D. 21 February 2009. Photographer: Lars AndersenMorpho aurora han. Murata, Yungas, Bolivia. D. 21 February 2009. Photographer: Lars AndersenTwo Swedish women looking after the Aurora Morphos. Murata, Yungas, Bolivia. D. 21 February 2009. Photographer: Lars Andersen

Aurora Morpho, Morpho aurora (Westwood, 1851) male. Murata, Yungas february 9, 2009. Photographer; Lars Andeersen

The spectacular blue Morphos bred in commercial breeding programs, where iridescent wings are used for the manufacture of jewelry and messages in wooden tray and the like. One species (Morpho rhetenor) is very popular in butterfly boxes, they Morphos butterflies are often sold without abdomen, as it is removed because its oily contents would otherwise discolour wings. There is a large export of live Morphos-pupae for use in div. tropic and butterfly houses in the western world.

Morpho aurora. Caranavi, Yungas. d. 10 December 2014. Photographer: Peter MøllmannMorpho aurora. Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia december 2014. Photographer: Peter Møllmann

Aurora Morpho, Morpho aurora (Westwood, 1851) male. Caranavi, Yungas december 10, 2014. Photographer; Peter Møllmann

Aurora Morpho, Morpho aurora (Westwood, 1851) female. Caranavi Highlands, Yungas, Bolivia december 11, 2018. Photographer; Peter Møllmann

Aurora Morpho, Morpho aurora (Westwood, 1851) female. Caranavi Highlands, Yungas, Bolivia december 11, 2018. Photographer; Peter Møllmann

Aurora Morpho, Morpho aurora (Westwood, 1851). Caranavi, Yungas january 3, 2009. Photographer; Peter Møllmann

Aurora Morpho, Morpho aurora (Westwood, 1851) male. Caranavi, Yungas january 3, 2009. Photographer; Peter Møllmann

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Morpho aurora in slow motion

by Peter Møllmann

3th december 2017

Aurora Morpho, Morpho aurora (Westwood, 1851) male.
From the highlands near Caranavi Bolivia
december 3, 2017.
Made with sony experia xz premium. Photographer;
Peter Møllmann

Caranavi d. 3 december 2017 Peter Møllmann;
Today I went to the highlands near Caranavi. Arriving at the location we crossed a smal river and 20+ auroras flew up from their mudpudling.
I saw hundreds of
Aurora Morpho's in a few hours. All very fresh, most common butterfly today, never saw so many. In the slo mo parts my sony xz premium smartphone take 960fps

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Morpho aurora from Rio Tunki Bolivia 240fps

d. 29 march 2020

Rio Tunki 1738 m., Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia february 2020. Photographer; Peter Møllmann

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The blue Morphos (Morphini) is the most famous butterflies from South America, often large up to 20 cm. in wingspan when Morpho hecuba is the largest butterflies in the neotropical continent. There are also Morphos down to 7.5 cm in size of M. sulkowskyi & M. aurora, small species typically found in higher altitudes of the Andes east slopes.

Most species have an iridescent blue color on top. The blue color on the upper side due to refraction of light in the delicate tight scales which lack color pigment scales sits right advanced so they can display the entire color scale in a few moments when the light is broken at the right angle. The underside is often in brown shades, bearing Eyed in various sizes that reveal their family connection to Satyr family (Satyrinae).

There are also white Morphos; (M. epistrophus & M. polyphemus) and Morphos; brown with gray or orange bands on the upper side (M. Hecuba & M. Telemachus).

The origin of Morphinae dates back about 55 MY and occurred in the Brazilian Shield (Mata Atlantica), the oldest part of Sout America that emerged. Considering the length of the evolutionary period, the number of species of Morpho (30) proves quite limited, especially if one considers the immense size of their geographical distribution. This small number contrast with the considerable number of subspecies: at last 220.

The single species Morpho helenor has branched out into 48 subspecies spread from Tamaulipas, Mexico's east coast, Central America, Amazonian basin to northern Argentina. The diversity of subspecies is due, to a large extent, to the fact that Morpho are not migratory?

De blå Morphoer (Morphini), er de mest kendte dagsommerfugle fra Sydamerika, ofte store op til 20 cm. i vingefang, hvor Morpho hecuba er den største dagsommerfugl i den neotropiske verdensdel. Der findes også morphoer helt ned til 7,5 cm i størrelse, hvor M. lympharis & M. aurora er  de små arter som typisk findes i større højder på Andesbjergenes østlige skråninger.

De fleste arter har et iriserende blå farve på oversiden. Den blå farve på oversiden skyldes brydning af lyset i de fine tætsiddende skæl som mangler farve pigment, skællene sidder ret avanceret så de kan vise hele farve-skalaen i nogle få øjeblikke når lyset brydes i den rette vinkel. Undersiden som ofte er i brune nuancer, er forsynet med øjepletter i forskellige størrelser, der afslører deres slægtsforbindelse til randøjerne (satyrinae).

Der findes også hvide morphoer (M. epistrophus, M. polyphemus) og brune morphoer med grå eller orange bånd på oversiden (M. hecuba, M. telemachus).

Oprindelsen af Morphinae går tilbage til omkring for 55 milioner år siden, og fandt sted på den brasilianske kontinentalplade (Mata Atlantica), den ældste del af Sydamerika der er opstået føt pladerne fra vest pressede sig under, og dermed opstod Andesbjergene.

I betragtning af længden af den evolutionære periode, antallet af arter af Morpho (30) som er ret begrænset, især hvis man betragter den enorme størrelse af deres geografiske udbredelse. Men det er tankevækkende det lille antal arter kontrast de mange underarter, ialt 22o underarter.

F.eks. har Morpho helenor hele 48 underarter udbredt fra Tamaulipas, Mexico østkyst, Mellemamerika, Amazonas til Andesbjergene i det centrale Sydamerika til nordlig Argentina.

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In Bolivia, I have seen 13 species of 45 species Morphini genus contained in the neotropiske region: Antirrhea (13) Caerois (2) Morpho (30). Their distribution is from Mexico north to Misiones, Argentina in the south. Link to Morphini genus of Bolivian Butterflies Checklist.

Bolivian Morphini species: Antirrhea (6) Caerois (1) Morpho (17)

  Subgenus Deyrollia (Cassildé & Blandin, 2010):
1 Morpho marcus ssp. intermedia (Schaller, 1785).
  Subgenus Iphimedeia (Fruhstorfer, 1912):
2 Morpho hercules ssp. hercules (Dalman, 1823)
3 Morpho telemachus ssp. telemachus (Linnaeus, 1758).
  Morpho telemachus ssp. exsusarion (Le Moult & Réal, 1962).
4 Morpho theseus ssp. theseus (Deyrolle, 1860).
5 Morpho amphitryon ssp. susarion (Fruhstorfer, 1912).
  Subgenus Laurschwartzia (Blandin, 2007):
6 Morpho hecuba ssp. obidonus (Fruhstorfer, 1905)? Caranavi, 2006: Lars
7 Morpho cisseis ssp. cisseis (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1860).
  Morpho cisseis ssp. phanodemus (Hewitson, 1869).
  Morpho cisseis ssp. cissaistrica (Le Moult & Réal, 1962).
  Morpho cisseis ssp. cabrera (Blandin & Lamas, 2007).
  Morpho cisseis ssp. rondoniensis (Jongerling, 2010).
  Subgenus Megamede (Hübner, 1819):
8 Morpho rhetenor ssp. rhetenor (Cramer, 1775).
  Morpho rhetenor ssp. subtusmurina (Le Moult & Réal, 1962)
  Morpho rhetenor ssp. tello (Blandin, 2007)
  Genus Morpho (Fabricius, 1807):
9 Morpho achilles ssp. achilles (Linnaeus, 1758).
  Morpho achilles ssp. vitrea (A. Butler, 1866).
  Morpho achilles ssp. agamedes (Fruhstorfer, 1912).
  Morpho achilles ssp. patrolus (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1861).
  Morpho achilles ssp. phokylides (Fruhstorfer, 1912).
  Morpho achilles ssp. songo (Weber, 1944).
10 Morpho helenor ssp. helenor (Cramer, 1776).
  Morpho helenor ssp. achillaena (Hübner, 1823).
  Morpho helenor ssp. achillides (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867).
  Morpho helenor ssp. coelestis (A. Butler, 1866).
  Morpho helenor ssp. leontius (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867).
  Morpho helenor ssp. papirius (Hopffer, 1874).
  Morpho helenor ssp. peleides (Kollar, 1850).
  Morpho helenor ssp. pindarus (Fruhstorfer, 1910).
  Morpho helenor ssp. popilius (Hopffer, 1874).
  Morpho helenor ssp. prometa (Blandin & Gareca, 2011).
  Morpho helenor ssp. theodorus (Fruhstorfer, 1907).
  Morpho helenor ssp. rugitaeniatus (Fruhstorfer, 1907).
  Morpho helenor ssp. tucupita (Le Moult, 1925).
11 Morpho deidamia ssp. diomedes (Weber, 1944).
  Morpho deidamia ssp. electra (Röber, 1903).
  Morpho deidamia ssp. grambergi (Weber, 1944).
  Morpho deidamia ssp. neoptolemus (Wood, 1863).
  Morpho deidamia ssp. steinbachi (Le Moult & Réal, 1962).
  Subgenus Grasseia (Le Moult & Réal, 1962):
12 Morpho menelaus ssp. didius (Hopffer, 1874).
  Morpho menelaus ssp. occidentalis (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1862).
  Morpho menelaus ssp. terrestris (A. Butler, 1866).
  Morpho menelaus ssp. zischkei (H. Fischer, 1962).
  Morpho menelaus ssp. godartii (Guérin-Méneville, 1844).
  Morpho menelaus ssp. godartii f. lachaumei (Blandin, 2007). Cites Appendix III. Miljø- og Planlægningsudvalget 2011
  Morpho menelaus ssp. godartii f. titogilberti (Blandin & Gareca, 2011).
  Subgenus Cytheritis (Le Moult & Réal, 1962):
13 Morpho sulkowskyi ssp. sulkowskyi (Kollar, 1850).
  Morpho sulkowskyi ssp. hoppiana (Niepelt, 1923).
  Morpho sulkowskyi ssp. (Kollar, 1850).
14 Morpho aurora ssp. aurora (Westwood, 1851).
  Morpho aurora ssp. auroreola (Fruhstorfer, 1913).
  Morpho aurora ssp. breyeri (Orfila, 1963).
15 Morpho lympharis ssp. lympharis (Butler, 1873).
  Morpho lympharis ssp. eros (Staudinger, 1892).
16 Morpho zephyritis (Butler, 1873).
  Morpho zephyritis ssp. cesarsamensis (Blandin, 2007).
17 Morpho absoloni (E. May, 1924).
   
  Genus Caerois (Hübner, 1822):
18 Caerois chorinaeus chorinaeus (Fabricius, 1775),
  Caerois chorinaeus gerdrudtus (Fabricius, 1773),
   
  Genus Antirrhea (Hübner, 1822):
19 Antirrhea geryon geryon (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1862).
  Antirrhea geryon geryonides (Weymer, 1909).
20 Antirrhea ornata (A. Butler, 1870).
21 Antirrhea phasiana (A. Butler, 1870).
22 Antirrhea philaretes ssp. philaretes (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1862).
  Antirrhea philaretes ssp. avernus (Hopffer, 1874).
23 Antirrhea taygetina taygetina (A. Butler, 1868).
24 Antirrhea watkinsi (Rosenberg & Talbot, 1914).

I Bolivia har jeg set 12 arter af de 45 arter Morphini genus der findes i den neotropiske region: Antirrhea (13), Caerois (2), Morpho (30). Deres udbredelse er fra Mexico i nord til Misiones, Argentina i syd. Link til Morphini genus på Bolivian Butterflies Checklist.

 

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The beautiful blue Morphos males are often seen along rivers and small streams, where they fly searching for ladies and is territorale and chasing other males away. Morphos go to rotten fruit and suck minerals in sandy banks along streams. Females live a more covert lives up the leaves, and are rarely seen. Morphos habitat is the rain-forests of the tropical zone, however individual species such as Morpho sulkowskyi existence from 2000 m.a. up to 2900 m. altitude in fog-forests in the Andes eastern slopes.

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Foodplants for Morpho's

Females lay eggs on misc. legumes, Fabales, one of the largest systems in the plant kingdom with approx. 17,000 species belonging to one family, papilionaceous plants (Fabaceae, Leguminosae). The family consists of three sub-families; caesalpinia, mimose and legumes sub-family. In Families often considered previously as independent families. As the name says, is the fruit a pod. One of the most familiar legumes are Brazilwood. - The tree, which put its name to half the world ... (Leguminosae) - Brazilwood.

The smaller Morpho species from the Andean mountain like the Morpho aurora, M. lympharis and M. zephyrites use Andean bamboo, Chusquea species (Poaceae).

The hairy brown caterpillars that live in colonies are quite toxic, and their hair will irritate the skin when touched. The total life cycle of Morphos butterfly, from egg to death, is approximately 130 to 140 days. The adult (imago) butterflies live about a month's time. They exist in several consecutive generations offset from each other year round, but mostly in the rainy season. In drought time goes on they are often in a diapause. Morphos However, enemies, there is a parasitic fly that lives in the adult butterfly's abdomen, making it to had a strange behavior in its last life. Morphos, whose name was inspired by Morpheus who had dreams god in Greek mythology.

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Morpho aurora in slow motion

by Peter Møllmann

3th december 2017

Aurora Morpho, Morpho aurora (Westwood, 1851) male.
From the highlands near Caranavi Bolivia
december 3, 2017.
Made with sony experia xz premium. Photographer;
Peter Møllmann

Caranavi d. 3 december 2017 Peter Møllmann;
Today I went to the highlands near Caranavi. Arriving at the location we crossed a smal river and 20+ auroras flew up from their mudpudling.
I saw hundreds of
Aurora Morpho's in a few hours. All very fresh, most common butterfly today, never saw so many. In the slo mo parts my sony xz premium smartphone take 960fps

_____________________________

Morpho aurora from Rio Tunki Bolivia 240fps

d. 29 march 2020

Rio Tunki 1738 m., Caranavi, Yungas, Bolivia february 2020. Photographer; Peter Møllmann

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Morpho'erne has also played supporting roles in movies like "Papillon" where Henri "Papillon" Charrière who becomes innocently convicted for the murder of a pimp and sent to a French penal colony in French Guinea, South America. One of the scenes in the movie are from the jungle, where the prisoners are set to capture Morphos. Their scale was again used for banknotes!

Morpho'erne har også spillet biroller i film som "Papillon" hvor Henri "Papillon" Charrieres som bliver uskyldigt dømt for mordet på en alfons og sendt til en fransk straffekoloni i Fransk Guinea, Sydamerika. En af scenerne i filmen er fra junglen, hvor fangerne er sat til at fange morphoerne. Deres skæl blev den gang brugt til pengesedler!

d. 22 marts 2009. Lars Andersen

Challa, Caranavi, Yungas. d. 24 February 2007. Photographer: Lars Andersen

dont use this pictures without permission from: 

photographer © Lars Andersen and © Peter Mollmann

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Morpho helenor. Santa Rosa de Quilo-Quilo, Yungas, Bolivia 28 January 2009.  Fotograf: Lars Andersen

Nature photographers in Denmark = NFD has incurred Year competition d. 2 to 4 October 2009 in Grenaa. In the category of insects won Lars Andersen with a picture of a flying Morphos over waterfalls; Tornesol.

Naturfotograferne i Danmark = NFD har afholdt Årskonkurrencen fra d. 2 til 4 oktober 2009 i Grenå. I kategorien insekter vandt Lars Andersen med et billede af en flyvende morpho over vandfald; Tornesol.

Bolivian Butterflies Checklist

Morphini

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Morphos / Tornesol  

Enero  2008  

sitio 31

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Morpho Butterfly Costa Rica


 

Mariposas de Bolivia

enero 2010

por Peter Møllmann y Lars Andersen


Mariposas de Bolivia

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por  Peter Møllmann y Lars Andersen


Mariposas de Bolivia

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por  Peter Møllmann y Lars Andersen


Mariposas de Bolivia 

enero 2007

por Peter Møllmann y Lars Andersen


Mariposas de Bolivia 

enero  2006

por Peter Møllmann y Lars Andersen

 


 

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