Melitaeini are a group of brush-footed

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 ...

. Usually classified 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 ...

of 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 ...

, they are sometimes raised to

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 ...

status as Melitaeinae. Common names include the highly ambiguous

fritillaries ''Fritillaria'' (fritillaries) is a genus of spring flowering herbaceous bulbous perennial plants in the lily family (Liliaceae). The type species, ''Fritillaria meleagris'', was first described in Europe in 1571, while other species from the ...

(also used for some Heliconiinae), checkerspots, crescents, or crescentspots, and some genus-specific names. Crimson Patch 6

Genera

The 20–25

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 ...

of Melitaeini are divided among five

subtribe Subtribe is a taxonomic category ranking which is below the rank of tribe and above genus. The standard suffix for a subtribe is -ina (in animals) or -inae (in plants Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plant ...

s; some species are also listed. The subtribes, in the presumed phylogenetic sequence, are:See references in Savela (2010)

Subtribe Euphydryina * ''

Euphydryas ''Euphydryas'' is a genus of Nymphalidae 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 ...

'' – fritillaries, checkerspots Subtribe Melitaeina * '' Melitaea'' – fritillaries (including ''Didymaeformis'', ''Mellicta'') Subtribe Chlosynina * '' Antillea'' Higgins,

959 Year 959 ( CMLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * April - May – The Byzantines refuse to pay the yearly tribute. A Hungaria ...

/small> * ''

Atlantea ''Atlantea'' is a genus of butterflies from the Caribbean in the family Nymphalidae The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Pap ...

'' Higgins,

/small> * ''

Chlosyne ''Chlosyne'' is a genus of butterflies from North and South America in the family Nymphalidae. Species Listed alphabetically within groups: Glassberg, J. (2007) ''A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America'', Sunstreak Book ...

'' – checkerspots, patches * '' Dymasia'' Higgins, 1960 * ''

Higginsius ''Higginsius'' is a genus of butterflies from north-eastern South America in the family Nymphalidae The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to th ...

'' Hemming, 1964 (tentatively placed here; Gnathotrichina?) * ''

Microtia Microtia is a congenital deformity where the auricle (external ear) is underdeveloped. A completely undeveloped pinna is referred to as anotia. Because microtia and anotia have the same origin, it can be referred to as microtia-anotia. Microtia ...

'' Bates, 1864 * '' Poladryas'' Bauer, 1975 * '' Texola'' Higgins, 1959 – checkerspots ** ''

Texola elada ''Texola elada'', the Elada checkerspot, is a species of butterfly in the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. It is found from southern Mexico north to central Texas and central Arizona in the United States. The wingspan is . Adults ar ...

'' – Elada checkerspot Subtribe Gnathotrichina * ''

Gnathotriche ''Gnathotriche'' is a genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae found in South America.

'' C. & R. Felder, 1862 Subtribe Phyciodina * '' Anthanassa'' Scudder, 1875 – crescents, crescentspots ** '' Anthanassa ardys'' – Ardys crescent ** ''

Anthanassa frisia ''Anthanassa frisia'', the Cuban crescentspot, Cuban checkerspot or Cuban crescent, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Subspecies ''tulcis'' is known by the common names pale-banded crescent or Tulcis crescent; it is treated as a species b ...

'' – Cuban crescent, Cuban crescentspot * '' Castilia'' Higgins, 1981 * ''

Dagon Dagon ( he, דָּגוֹן, ''Dāgōn'') or Dagan ( sux, 2= dda-gan, ; phn, 𐤃𐤂𐤍, Dāgān) was a god worshipped in ancient Syria across the middle of the Euphrates, with primary temples located in Tuttul and Terqa, though many attes ...

'' Higgins, 1981 * '' Eresia'' Boisduval, 1836 * ''

Janatella ''Janatella'' is a genus of butterflies which range from Central to South America in the family Nymphalidae. The species Janatella has trapezoidal wings that allow them to fly easily and fast. The flying performance of butterflies enabled the rec ...

'' Higgins, 1981 * ''

Mazia ''Mazia'' is a monotypic genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae that contains the species ''Mazia amazonica'' found in South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hem ...

'' Higgins, 1981 * '' Ortilia'' Higgins, 1981 * '' Phyciodes'' – crescents, crescentspots * '' Phystis'' Higgins, 1981 * '' Tegosa'' Higgins, 1981 ** '' Tegosa anieta'' * '' Telenassa'' Higgins, 1981 * '' Tisona'' Higgins, 1981

Footnotes

References

* Savela, Markku (2010): ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' &ndash
Melitaeini
Version of 30 June 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2011. Nymphalinae Butterfly tribes {{Nymphalinae-stub