The butterfly is easily confused with Junonia evarete, the tropical buckeye, also found in South America.

Not only have the common names mangrove and tropical buckeye been confused, but the two species of butterflies themselves have been sometimes misidentified in past literature.

Recent research and reclassification has determined that these species occur in South America.

[8][9][2] With the reclassification of some Junonia species, the mangrove buckeye Junonia genoveva is confined primarily to South America, and is not found in North America or the Caribbean.

The South American mangrove buckeye, Junonia litoralis, is found along the coast of tropical South America and possibly into Central America.