[1] Its wingspan is approximately 12 cm (4.7"), and its dorsal forewings and hindwings are a bright, iridescent blue edged with black, while the ventral surfaces are brown.

[3] Due to its characteristic blue color, Morpho menelaus is considered valuable among collectors and was widely hunted in the 20th century.

[4] This neotropical butterfly is found in Central and South America, including the Cerrado which is a vast tropical savanna in Brazil.

Moreover, the Morpho menelaus struggle to survive in the northern Pacific area of Costa Rica since they can’t tolerate such dry conditions.

Two groups of Morpho butterflies, achilles and hecuba, are distinct in flight behavior and vertical forest distribution.

[4] Flight pattern behavior may also have led to changes in the wing shape to make it more suitable for gliding or flapping.

[1] Within this species, there are no differences between males and females regarding forewing length, aspect ratio and wing centroid measurement which may be indicative of morphological homogeneity.

[4] Despite the many species of the Morpho butterfly displayed in collections, they usually have mismatched or missing abdomens which make it difficult for research.

They are usually pale green or whitish in color, sometimes with a slightly metallic sheen, but not as vibrant as the adult butterfly's iridescent blue wings, and shaped like dew drops.

These caterpillars will enter diapause or suspend development and can delay pupation in order to survive this harsh period and the lack of water.

[5] Adult emergence occurs primarily in the beginning of the wet season, when the climate and air humidity makes food resources plentiful and oviposition advantageous.

The wings of the genus Morpho are noteworthy for their diversity of function, including being hydrophobic, lightweight, sturdy, thermally regulated, and bright blue iridescent.

There has been increasing interest in the bioengineering community into understanding the structural components of the wing which can have potential applications in creating structural-color devices and selective gas-sensors.

[2] Iridescence is the phenomenon when light interacts with a particular surface, and at differing angles of illumination and observation the color begins to gradually change.

[2] The ground and cover scales have an observable "Christmas-tree" structure which is responsible for the diffraction or bending of light pattern of the wings which results in the characteristic iridescence blue color.

Over the past century, there has been an accumulation of these butterflies in both private and museum collections, and they are considered highly valuable among collectors, artists, and designers for their beautiful coloration and are widely hunted or bred for decorative purposes.

[4] Because of the popularity of collecting and rearing Morpho species for sale, there is a wide discrepancy in its taxonomic understanding among collectors.