• Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

• Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

• Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

• Insects (Class Insecta)

• Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera)

• Butterflies (Superfamily Papilionoidea)

• Brush-footed Butterflies (Family Nymphalidae)

• Emperors (Subfamily Apaturinae)

• Genus Doxocopa

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The genus Doxocopa is a group of large, fast-flying Neotropical butterflies within the family Nymphalidae. Distributed from the southern United States and Mexico through Central America and much of South America, Doxocopa species are commonly known as emperors because of their impressive size, powerful flight, and striking appearance. Males of many species display brilliant iridescent bands of blue, turquoise, violet, or metallic silver across otherwise dark wings, while females are typically larger and exhibit patterns of white, orange, or brown. These butterflies inhabit tropical and subtropical forests, woodland edges, and river corridors, often spending much of their time in the forest canopy.