The white morpho is native to the Atlantic Forest, where they are distributed throughout a landscape of multiple species.

In 1913, Hans Fruhstorfer wrote in Die Gross-Schmetterlinge der Erde: Group Morpho F. (= Leonte Hbn.).

Uncus and its lateral clasps relatively slender, valve distally spined.Morpho laertes is the best known of a small group of species that differ from all their allies by its chalky, milky, or silvery white ground-colour.

M. laertes may be easily distinguished by the connected chain of narrow, oblong, ocellated median spots on the underside of the hindwing, which have mostly only indistinct white pupils and washed-out yellowish bordering.

The upper surface resembles the figured underside, except that the forewing continues narrowly margined with black to about the middle of the median area.