Morpho theseus

In 1913, Hans Fruhstorfer wrote: "Morpho theseus apparently replaces hercules in Central America and the Andean region. It is less constant than hercules, inclining to geographical and probably also to climatic variation, has somewhat narrower wings than hercules and is distinguished from all other Morphids by the long, pointed teeth of the hindwing."^[2] Note: Morpho amphitryon, which was considered a race of Morpho theseus by Fruhstorfer, also has the "pointed teeth" or scalloping.

Ground colour brown inclining to olive green, base only quite faintly suffused with whitish. Cell black brown at the extremity and with an inconspicuous whitish spot before the apex. Forewing with only two distinct rows of yellowish patches.^[2]

Many subspecies have been described including

• Morpho theseus theseus Columbia
• Morpho theseus aquarius Butler, 1872 ^[3] Butler, 1872 Costa Rica and Columbia.
• Morpho theseus juturna Butler, 1870 ^[4] Columbia, Ecuador and northern Peru
• Morpho theseus justitiae Salvin & Godman, 1868 ^[5] Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala
• Morpho theseus oaxacensis Le Moult & Réal, 1962 ^[6] Mexico
• Morpho theseus pacificus Krüger, 1925 ^[7] Columbia and Ecuador
• Morpho theseus perlmani ^[8] Venezuela
• Morpho theseus schweizeri (Maza, 1987) ^[9] Mexico.
• Morpho theseus triangulifera Le Moult & Réal, 1962 ^[10] Ecuador
• Morpho theseus yaritanus Fruhstorfer, 1913 ^[11] Venezuela

Theseus was a legendary king of Athens.

• 
  both sides
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  underside
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  plate from Seitz Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde