Narrative

Morpho sulkowski-aega group (Subgenus Cytheitis, 16 species) is very difficult to understand from a taxonomic viewpoint, as the status of Morpho nymphalis, eugenia and marcus are open to dispute.

Morpho sulkowski-aega group (Subgenus Cytheitis, sixteen species):

SPECIES - - - LOCATION
Morpho sulkowski - Ecuador and North
Morpho eros - Bolivia
Morpho ockendeni - South Peru
Morpho nymphalis - Bolivia
Morpho lympharis - Peru
Morpho stoffeli - Ecuador and south Colombia
Morpho rhodopteron - Venezuela-Colombia border
Morpho schultzei - Venezuela-Colombia border
Morpho portis - East Brazil
Morpho thamyris - Southeast Brazil
Morpho zephyritis - South Peru
Morpho aega - Southeast Brazil
Morpho adonis - Peru to Obidos, Brazil
Morpho uraneis - Peru to Obidos, Brazil
Morpho eugenia - Venezuela and Guyana
Morpho marcus(?) - Venezuela and Guyana

The species in the Morpho sulkowsky subgroup are very difficult to tell apart, and most references call all of them Morpho sulkowsky. All of them are a very unique mother-of-pearl pale, blue color.

Per the Gerardo Lamas list of 2004, the following changes have been made to the taxonomy of this group of Morphos:

Morpho eros, ockendeni, nymphalis, and stoffeli have all become part of the Morpho lympharis complex. (The four subspecies of Morpho lympharis are: lympharis (including ockendeni), descimokoenigi, eros (including nymphalis), and stoffeli.

Morpho schultzei has been reduced to a synonym for Morpho rhodopteron.

Morpho thamyris is now a subspecies of Morpho portis.

Morpho adonis has been renamed to Morpho marcus with three subspecies: marcus, intermedia, and major.

Taxonomy

References