Nessaea

{{Short description|Genus of brush-footed butterflies}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Nessaea batesii MHNT dos.jpg

| image_caption = Nessaea batesii from French Guiana

| taxon = Nessaea

| authority = Hübner, 1819

| type_species = Papilio ancaeus

| type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1758

| synonyms =

| synonyms_ref =

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision_ref =

| subdivision =

}}

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, [http://gtapestry.blogspot.com/2008/04/its-all-in-structure.html "It's all in the structure"], Gossamer Tapestry, Retrieved January 25, 2017 rather than iridescence (e.g., Morpho species).

Species

Accepted species:{{LepIndex |id=159822 |accessdate=February 9, 2020}}

Unaccepted species:

Images

File:Nessaeanag.jpg|Nessaea aglaura

File:Nessaea batesii MHNT.jpg|Nessaea batesii males

File:Nessaeaof.jpg|Nessaea obrinus female - upperside

File:Nessaeaom.jpg|Nessaea obrinus male - upperside

File:Nessaeaou.jpg|Nessaea obrinus - underside

File:Obrinus olivewing (Nessaea obrinus faventia).JPG|Obrinus olivewing (N. obrinus faventia, male, Brazil

File:Nesaea hewitsonii on my hand.jpg|Nessaea hewitsonii

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.

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