Mariposa azul (Spanish) Morpho paleides Class: Insecta Order ...

Mariposa azul (Spanish)
Morpho paleides
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Genus: Morpho
Distribution
Central and South America,
and parts of Mexico
Habitat
Tropical rainforests
Food
As a caterpillar it chews on
a variety of leaves. As an
adult it feeds primarily on
rotting fruit and sap.
Reproduction
Male butterflies release
pheromones to attract
females. She lays her
fertilized eggs and flies off.
Eggs hatch after nine days
into caterpillars.
Development
The entire life cycle is 115
days, most of which is
spent as caterpillars. They
live to reproduce.
In this genus there are approximately 80 species, many of which
are partly or mostly blue in colour. Morpho paleides occurs in Latin
America from Mexico to Columbia, Paraguay and Trinidad.
Adults spend most of their time on the forest floor and in the
lower shrubs and trees of the understory.
Diet changes with each stage of the lifecycle. The caterpillars
chew on many plants, showing a preference for those in the pea
family. Like all butterflies adults drink their food. They have a
mouthpart called a proboscis used as a drinking straw to sip on
the juice of rotting fruit and sap. They taste food with sensors
on their legs before drinking it.
When looking for mates, blue morpho males fly through all
layers of the forest, releasing pheromones from their wings as an
attractant to as many females as possible. When ova positioning
the females are selective in choosing plants, they appear to have
preferences.
Eggs hatch into larvae, or caterpillars. At this stage they are
reddish-brown with bright patches of lime green. Caterpillars
after a period of time wrap themselves into chrysalises, the
pupae stage. When pupation ends they transform into mature
butterflies. This process is known as metamorphosis, a truly
spectacular transformation.

Characteristics
There are over fifty species
of Blue Morphos. The only
difference being wing size
and colour. They appear an
iridescent blue on the upper
side with spotted
underwings, in brown,
bronze and white.
Adaptations
The iridescent lamellae are
only present on the dorsal
side of the wings, leaving
the ventral side less
colourful. Crypsis is put
into effect when the wings
are folded.
They are solar powered,
using the sun to warm
themselves.
Butterflies taste-smell the
air with their antennae.
Status/Threats
In the wild they are
threatened by deforestation
of tropical forests and
habitat fragmentation.
Sightings at Caño Palma
In and around the
compound, and on the
trails. Along the canal,
usually in flight.
Morpho paleides has a wingspan of around 13 to 20 cm. The
scales on the wing tops are not pigmented blue. All butterflies
have tiny overlapping scales covering the wings. On the morpho
these scales have tiny ridges that reflect blue light, causing them
to appear a brilliant iridescent blue. The ventral side though
drabber is decorated with several ocelli or eyespots.
The males’ wings are broader and appear brighter in colour.
Blue morphos, like other butterflies, have two antennas, two
fore wings and two hind wings.
When these butterflies are in flight the contrasting colours of the
wings flash from bright blue to brown making them look like
they are appearing and disappearing. When at rest with their
wings folded and the blue hidden they are well camouflaged,
blending in with their surroundings. They remain hidden from
enemies. If discovered the ocelli look like eyes, and help to scare
off predators. Their own eyes are composed of thousands of
tiny lenses that allow them to see in all directions. They see more
colours than humans do. The eyes are thought to be highly
sensitive to UV light making them able to see each other from
great distances.
As caterpillars they are very vulnerable. They have a variety of
natural predators including birds and other large insects.
Humans provide a direct threat by catching and killing them to
provide collectors and admirers from around the world with
display items. Nowadays there are large butterfly farms
producing them for commercial distribution.
Three species of blue morpho are seen around the station area
and on the trails. They are often spotted in sunny clearings
warming themselves. The main way they are seen is travelling
through the forest or along the canal. Their characteristic flight
makes them appear to be floating and easy to catch. This is very
misleading as they can be quite evasive.
References
http;//www.rainforest-alliance.org/resources/forest-facts/species-profiles/morpho_butterfly
http://ww.earthsbirthday.org/explore/kids/factsbluemorpho.htm
http://www.broward.cc.fl.us/~ssimpson/BlueMorpho.htm
http://www.amersol.edu.pe/ms/7th/7block/jungle_research/caeds/caed28.html
Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation
www.coterc.org