Grey Count (Tanaecia lepidea) at Samsing, Duars, West Bengal W IMG 6109

Limenitis camilla Schwaebisch Hall-Wackershofen 20070716 7

The Limenitidinae are a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

that includes the admirals and relatives. The

common names In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

of many

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

and

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

reference

military rank Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in a ...

s or – namely the

Adoliadini The Limenitidinae are a subfamily of butterflies that includes the admirals and relatives. The common names of many species and genera reference military ranks or – namely the Adoliadini – titles of nobility (e.g., count, duke, earl, ...

–

titles of nobility Traditional rank amongst European royalty, peers, and nobility is rooted in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Although they vary over time and among geographic regions (for example, one region's prince might be equal to another's grand duke), ...

(e.g.,

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...

, and

marquis A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...

), in reference to these butterflies' large size, bold patterns, and dashing flight. In particular, the light stripe running lengthwise across the wings of many

Limenitidini Limenitidini is a tribe of brush-footed butterflies of the subfamily Limenitidinae. Genera In alphabetical order: – sisters * ''Athyma'' Westwood, 850/small> – sergeants * '' Auzakia'' Moore, 898/small> * '' Cymothoe'' Hübner, 819/small> ...

has reminded earlier authors of

officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

' (e.g.

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore'' * Air commodore, a ...

)

shoulder mark A shoulder mark, also called rank slide, or slip-on, is a flat cloth sleeve worn on the shoulder strap of a uniform. It may bear rank or other insignia. A shoulder mark should not be confused with a ''shoulder board'' (which is an elaborate sho ...

s and

epaulet Epaulette (; also spelled epaulet) is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations. Flexible metal epaulettes (usually made from brass) are referred to as ''shoulder scales'' ...

s. In flight, many of these butterflies have the habit of flapping their wings, so the (usually) bright upperside and the

cryptic Cryptic may refer to: In science: * Cryptic species complex, a group of species that are very difficult to distinguish from one another * Crypsis, the ability of animals to blend in to avoid observation * Cryptic era, earliest period of the Earth ...

underside alternate for the observer, then gliding for prolonged distances, with the motionless wings held outstretched. The common names of some Limenitidinae – "

aeroplane An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spectr ...

s", "

clipper A clipper was a type of mid-19th-century merchant sailing vessel, designed for speed. Clippers were generally narrow for their length, small by later 19th century standards, could carry limited bulk freight, and had a large total sail area. "C ...

s", or " gliders" – refer to this flight pattern.

Systematics

The

Biblidinae Biblidinae is a subfamily of nymphalid butterflies that includes the tropical brushfoots. This subfamily was sometimes merged within the Limenitidinae, but they are now recognized as quite distinct lineages. In older literature, this subfami ...

are sometimes merged here. The present subfamily is also sometimes included as a

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

Limenitidini in the

Nymphalinae The Nymphalinae are a subfamily of brush-footed butterflies (family Nymphalidae). Sometimes, the subfamilies Limenitidinae, and Biblidinae are included here as subordinate tribe(s), while the tribe Melitaeini is occasionally regarded as a distinc ...

. But in fact, their closest living relatives seem to be the

Heliconiinae The Heliconiinae, commonly called heliconians or longwings, are a subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies (family Nymphalidae). They can be divided into 45–50 genera and were sometimes treated as a separate family Heliconiidae within the P ...

.Wahlberg & Brower (2007a,b) The Limenitidinae are traditionally divided into four

tribes The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to conflic ...

, of which the

Parthenini The Limenitidinae are a subfamily of butterflies that includes the admirals and relatives. The common names of many species and genera reference military ranks or – namely the Adoliadini – titles of nobility (e.g., count, duke, earl, an ...

are the most basal lineage and the others form a close-knit and more

apomorph In phylogenetics, an apomorphy (or derived trait) is a novel character or character state that has evolved from its ancestral form (or plesiomorphy). A synapomorphy is an apomorphy shared by two or more taxa and is therefore hypothesized to have ...

ic radiation. While this basic layout is likely to be fairly correct, a few genera cannot be easily assigned to the three "modern" tribes and seem to be somewhat intermediate. In particular, the delimitation of the

versus the

Neptini The Limenitidinae are a subfamily of butterflies that includes the admirals and relatives. The common names of many species and genera reference military ranks or – namely the Adoliadini – titles of nobility (e.g., count, duke, earl, an ...

is in need of more study.Wahlberg & Brower (2007a), and see references in Savela (2008)

Genera and selected species

The genera of Limenitidinae, sorted per tribe in the presumed

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...

sequence and with some

also listed, are: Tribe

Reuter, 1896 * ''

Bhagadatta Bhagadatta ( sa, भगदत्त) was the son of Narakasura, and the king of Pragjyotisha. Bhagadatta was born from a limb of the asura called Bāṣkala. He was a renowned warrior, and was known to be a great friend of Indra. When Arjuna emba ...

'' Moore,

898 __NOTOC__ Year 898 ( DCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * January 1 – King Odo I (or Eudes) dies at La Fère (Northern France) af ...

/small> * '' Parthenos'' – clippers Tribe

Doubleday, 1845 * ''

Abrota In Greek mythology, Abrota (Ancient Greek: ) or Habrotê, was the daughter of eponymous King Onchestus of the Boeotian city of Onchestos and sister of Megareus. Nisos, the king of Megara in the time of his reign married her and the supposed mo ...

'' Moore, 1857 * ''

Bassarona ''Bassarona'' is a genus of brush-footed butterflies found in India and Southeast Asia. Selected species * '' Bassarona byakko'' (Uehara & Yoshida, 1995) * '' Bassarona dunya'' (Doubleday, 848 – great marquis * ''Bassarona durga ''Bassaro ...

'' Moore,

897 __NOTOC__ Year 897 ( DCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – King Lambert II travels to Rome with his mother, Queen Ageltr ...

/small> – marquises,

dukes Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranked ...

** ''

Bassarona durga ''Bassarona durga'', the blue duke,nymphalid butterfly found in the Himalayas. Range It is found in Sikkim, Abor Hills and Nagaland. in 2022 an indian state sikkim has declared it as a state butterfly on the occasion of world environment day. ...

'' – blue duke ** ''

Bassarona iva ''Bassarona iva'', the grand duke,nymphalid The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-siz ...

'' – grand duke ** '' Bassarona recta'' – redtail marquis ** '' Bassarona teuta'' – banded marquis * '' Dophla'' Moore,

880 __NOTOC__ Year 880 ( DCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Battle of Cephalonia: A Byzantine fleet, under Admiral Nasar, is sent ...

/small> – dukes ** '' Dophla evelina'' – redspot duke * ''

Euthalia ''Euthalia'' (from Ancient Greek: Euthalia Ευθαλια "flower", "bloom") is a genus of brush-footed butterflies. They are commonly called barons or (like some relatives in ''Bassarona'' and '' Dophla'') dukes. Species Listed alphabetically: ...

'' – barons, dukes * '' Euthaliopsis'' Neervoort van de Poll, 1896 * '' Lexias'' – archdukes * '' Neurosigma'' Butler, 1868 * ''

Tanaecia ''Tanaecia'' is a genus of butterflies of the family Nymphalidae. Species The genus includes the following species:869]"">"''Tanaecia'' Butler,

''_Butler,_[1869.html" ;"title="869]"at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' *''Tanaecia amisa'' Gro ...

Systematics

Genera and selected species

Footnotes

References

External links