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)]Doug Taron, "It's all in the structure", Gossamer Tapestry, Retrieved January 25, 2017 rather than iridescence (e.g., Morpho species).
Species Accepted species: Nessaea aglaura Doubleday – common olivewing, northern nessaea or Aglaura olivewing Nessaea ecuadorensis Talbot 1932 Nessaea batesii C. & R. Felder 1860 – Bates olivewing Nessaea magniplaga Röber 1928 Nessaea hewitsonii C. & R. Felder 1859 – Hewitson's olivewing Nessaea obrinus Linnaeus 1758 – obrina olivewing Nessaea faventia Fruhstorfer 1910 Nessaea latifascia Röber 1928 Nessaea romani Bryk 1953 Nessaea regina Salvin 1869 Nessaea thalia Bargmann 1928
Unaccepted species: Nessaea margaretha Krüger 1933 - unavailable name and infrasubspecific name Nessaea ancaeus Linnaeus 1767 - junior subjective synonym Nessaea lesoudieri Le Moult 1933 - junior subjective synonym Nessaea coniuncta Krüger 1933 - unavailable name and infrasubspecific name
Images
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.
External links
Images representing Nessaea at Encyclopedia of Life "Nessaea Hübner, " at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms