Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 12, 2026

Nessaea

Nessaea is a genus of nymphalid butterflies found in the Neotropical realm. Unlike virtually all other butterflies with blue coloration, the blue colors in this genus are due to pigmentation [pterobilin ] rather than iridescence.

Last revised
Jun 12, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
366 w
Citations
4
Source
Nessaea
Nessaea batesii from French Guiana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Tribe: Epicaliini
Genus: Nessaea
Hübner, 1819
Type species
Papilio ancaeus
Species1
Synonyms

Nessaea is a genus of nymphalid butterflies found in the Neotropical realm. Unlike virtually all other butterflies with blue coloration, the blue colors in this genus are due to pigmentation [pterobilin (biliverdin IXγ)]2 rather than iridescence (e.g., Morpho species).

Species

Accepted species:1

Unaccepted species:1

Images

References

References

  • Vane-Wright, R.I. 1979. The coloration, identification and phylogeny of Nessaea butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Entomology, 38: 27–56.
  1. Beccaloni, G.; Scoble, M.; Kitching, I.; Simonsen, T.; Robinson, G.; Pitkin, B.; Hine, A.; Lyal, C., eds. (2003). "​Nessaea​". The Global Lepidoptera Names Index. Natural History Museum. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  2. Doug Taron, "It's all in the structure", Gossamer Tapestry, Retrieved January 25, 2017
External links