Memphis verticordia
Memphis verticordia is a species of leafwing brush-footed butterfly found in the Caribbean, specifically the island of Hispanola. However, allied forms from other Caribbean islands have been treated as additional subspecies by several authors.
Description
Memphis verticordia is an apparently unmistakable butterfly in Haiti & the Dominican Republic, being found in a few localities only in the southwest part of the island of Hispaniola. Their forewings have a humped costal edge and hindwings with a pointed tail. The outer margins of the forewings and hindwings are inconspicuously scalloped. The upper side is orange to brown depending on the subspecies, with the apex on the forewings and the brown submarginal area decorated with large yellow spots. The reverse side is mottled with brown and pearly white and simulates a dead leaf. Following Godman and Salvin, the Hispanolan verticordia was said to differ from dominicana chiefly by the absence of the yellow spots near the inner angle of the forewings. Due to their strong similarity, later authors considered them both forms the same species, alongside others.The lineage can include:
- Memphis verticordia verticordia – Haiti, Dominican Republic
- Memphis verticordia bahamae – BahamasMemphis verticordia danieliana – Cayman Islands
- Memphis verticordia dominicana – Dominica
- Memphis verticordia echemus – Cuba.
- Memphis verticordia luciana – Saint Lucia and Martinique
- Memphis verticordia mayaguanae – Bahamas