Phylogeny of the genus Morpho Fabricius 1807: insights from two mitochondrial genes (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

Two phylogenies of Morpho butterflies were previously published, founded on morphological data analysis. These phylogenies shared similarities but also several differences. In the present study we used partial sequences of the CO1 and Cyt b mitochondrial genes to infer the phylogenetic relationships between the subgenera. From the ten subgenera previously described, seven are shown to be monophyletic: lphimedeia, Laurschwartzia, lphixibia, Megamede, Grasseia, Balachowskyna and Deyrollia. Although no consensus came out about the deepest relationships between the subgenera, it seems that the clade (Laurschwartzia, lphimedeia) diverged very early from the other Morpho butterflies. The results also consolidated the recent creation of the subgenus Deyrollia for two species previously included into the subgenus Cythefitis. The subgenus Balachowskyna may be included in Cytheritis but the unclear position of M. zephyritis make difficult to affirm it. Morphological and molecular data, considered together, suggest that the Brazilian Pessonia species could be included in the subgenus Morpho.