Memphis basilia
| Memphis basilia | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Tribe: | Anaeini |
| Genus: | Memphis |
| Species: | M. basilia |
| Binomial name | |
| Memphis basilia (Stoll, 1780) | |
Memphis basilia is a species of leafwing found in South America.
Subspecies
- Memphis basilia basilia; present in Suriname.
- Memphis basilia bella (Comstock, 1961); present in Colombia.
- Memphis basilia drucei (Staudinger, 1887); present in Peru.
It is also found in Guyana.[1]
Description
Memphis basilia is a butterfly with forewings with a humped costal edge, pointed apex, concave outer edge near the apex, concave inner edge and hind wings each with a tail. The upper side of the male's wings is dark blue with a discreet basal metallic blue suffusion and on the forewings a few blue spots near the apex, the female's is light brown with a mauve basal part (light purple). The underside is bright orange mottled with pearly white and simulates a dead leaf.[2][3]
References
- ^ *Savela, Markku (April 7, 2019). "Memphis Hübner, [1819]". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
- ^ Comstock, W. P.1961. Butterflies of the American Tropics: the genus Anaea. Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae. New York: Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 214pp,30pl.
- ^ D'Abrera, B. 1988. Butterflies of the Neotropical Region, Nymphalidae, Satyridae. Victoria: Hill House. Pp. 680-723.; present in Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama.