Butterflies of Brazil

Brazil — capital of world biodiversity

No other country on Earth comes close to Brazil in the number of butterfly species. More than 3,500 species of day-flying butterflies are recorded on its territory — for comparison, Russia has about 200. This is the consequence of a unique combination of three of the world's largest biomes: tropical Amazonia, the Cerrado (tropical savanna), and the Atlantic Forest.

Three biomes — three butterfly worlds

Amazonia

The Amazon basin covering 5.5 million km² is the world's largest tropical forest. Here live about 2,000 species of day-flying butterflies, including all the most iconic ones: morphos (Morpho spp.) with metallic-blue wings, Agrias (Agrias spp.) with incredible colour combinations of blue, red, and green, and Archaeoprepona (Archaeoprepona spp.) with mirror-like iridescence.

Numerous are Heliconius (over 40 species of the genus Heliconius) and ithomiines — clearwing nymphalids forming the world's largest mimicry complexes.

Atlantic Forest

The Mata Atlântica — a strip of montane and coastal forests along the eastern coast. Historically the more densely settled region; today about 12% of the original Atlantic Forest area remains, yet hundreds of endemic butterfly species found nowhere else in the world are described from here. The states of Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, and Santa Catarina are particularly rich in endemics.

Cerrado

The Brazilian savanna — the Cerrado — occupies the central plateau. Despite being visually less spectacular than Amazonia, the Cerrado hosts more than 1,000 butterfly species including many endemic sulphurs, whites, and blues. The Cerrado is rapidly degrading under agricultural pressure.

Iconic species

Morpho rhetenor — the largest of Brazil's morphos with a wingspan up to 140 mm and dazzling blue coloration; it inhabits humid forests of the country's northwest.

Agrias claudina — a nymphalid with a red-blue-green pattern; it keeps in the tree crowns at 15–30 m height, almost inaccessible to the observer.

Owl butterfly (Caligo memnon) — common on banana plantations throughout tropical Brazil.

Glasswing butterfly (Greta oto and related species) — several clearwing species in the Atlantic Forest.

Best observation sites

Manaus and Jaú National Park (Amazonas state) — base for excursions into primary Amazonia. Puddling aggregations on river banks include dozens of species simultaneously.

Itatiaia (Rio state) — national park on the boundary of the Atlantic Forest and highlands. One of the best sites for observation in southeastern Brazil.

Cerrado of Minas Gerais — for blues and sulphur enthusiasts interested in savanna fauna.

Observation season

Brazil lies in the tropical belt, so butterflies fly year-round. Peak diversity falls in the rainy season (November–April) — when lush vegetation provides abundant host plants and nectar. The dry season (May–October) is better for moving along forest trails, but species diversity is slightly lower.

In southern Brazil (Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul) the climate is subtropical: in winter (June–August) some species disappear.

Nature conservation

Destruction of Amazonia and degradation of the Cerrado are the main threats to Brazil's entomofauna. Several endemic Atlantic Forest species are listed in national and international Red Lists. Brazil has an extensive network of national parks and ecological reserves, but illegal logging continues.

Interesting facts

• More than 60 species of the genus Heliconius are described from Brazil — half the world's Heliconius diversity.
• The world's largest butterfly gardens operate near Foz do Iguaçu: eco-tourists observe living morphos in natural conditions.
• About 30% of Atlantic Forest species have been described by science only in the last 30 years — the fauna is still not fully studied.