A southern range extension for <i>Morpho amathonte</i> Deyrolle, 1860 (Nymphalidae, Morphinae) in western Ecuador and the description of a new subspecies.

Abstract

We report here a record of Morpho amathonte from La Troncal, Cañar, in western Ecuador, representing the southernmost known locality for the species in the country. The Cañar specimens are phenotypically different to those from north-western Ecuador, which are known as Morpho amathonte ecuadorensis Le Moult and Réal, 1962. We therefore describe a new subspecies, Morpho amathonte canyarensis ssp. nov., for the Cañar population.