Large brown male butterfly (Zaretis itys) camouflaged as dead leaf. Amazone rain forest, Amazonia Ecuador. view 70822_Ecuador
Zaretis are among the most convincing dead leaf mimics in the insect world, coloured like dead dry leaves, complete with a fake midrib and leaf mould mottling. they can also have translucent blotches that bear a remarkable resemblance to the nibbled tissue of leaves that have been attacked by leaf beetles or young caterpillars. Zaretis itys is almost as variable in colour and pattern as the leaves which it simulates. The ground colour varies from earthy brown to pale amber or dull orange. The dark mottling can be very heavy in some examples or almost absent in others.
Size: 5100px × 3400px
Location: Amazonia Ecuador South America
Photo credit: © Daniel Valla FRPS / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 70822_ecuador, beautiful, brown, butterfly, camouflage, entomologist, entomology, equateur, exotic, forest, furcula, horizontal, insect, leaf, leave, lepidoptere, marpesia, moth, oechalia, papillon
