Sunset Morpho | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Nymphalidae |
Tribe: | Morphini |
Genus: | Morpho |
Species: | M. hecuba |
Binomial name | |
Morpho hecuba Linnaeus, 1771 |
The Sunset Morpho (Morpho hecuba) is the largest species in the genus morpho with a wingspan than can reach 20 centimetres (7.9 in), but is usually from 13–15 centimetres (5.1–5.9 in). It is a tropical butterfly only found in the northern Amazon Basin and the Guianas. It has several subspecies and has sometimes also included M. cisseis as a subspecies.