Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Diurna. Family: Nymphalidæ, Swains.
Genus. Nymphalis, Latr. God. Papilio (Nymph. Phal.), Drury.
Nymphalis Laure. Alis suprà nigris; fasciâ mediâ anticarum fulvâ interruptâ; posticarum albâ, et a latere cœruleo nitidâ. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc. 6 lin.)
Syn. Papilio (Nymph. Phal.) Laure, Drury, App. vol. 2.
Papilio (Nymph.) Laura, Fabr. Ent. Syst. III. 1. p. 134. No. 415.
Nymphalis Laure, Enc. Méth. ix. p. 376.
Habitat: The Bay of Honduras, Drury.
Upper Side. Antennæ brown. Thorax and abdomen brown. Anterior wings fine ochre brown; having two faint, dark, indented lines running along the external edges. An oblong yellow spot is placed on the anterior margins near the tips. Three others, one being small, are situated near the middle of the wings; beginning at the anterior edges and reaching almost to the posterior, where it becomes white. Posterior wings ochre brown; but when held in a certain position exhibiting a fine purplish blue. A white bar crosses these wings obliquely from the middle of the anterior edges, and meets a little below the body. Two indented black lines are placed on the external edges, running from the upper to the abdominal corners, where are placed two small crescent-like blue spots or lines, one double, the other single.
Under Side. Palpi, breast, and legs white. Anterior wings having some short black irregular lines placed cross-ways, and some brown orange marks near the shoulders. Three small triangular black spots are placed at a little distance from the external edges, near the lower corners; above which is a brownish patch resembling polished metal. Posterior wings entirely of the colour of polished metal, except the external edges which are ash colour; and a white bar running from the middle of the anterior edges to the abdominal corners. All the wings are deeply angulated.
Latreille and Godart question whether this be not the female of Nymphalis Laurentia, of which they had only seen the males.