Danainae is 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 botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

of 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 Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species ha ...

, the brush-footed butterflies. The group may be referred to as the Danaids (reflecting their previous rank as a

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

) or milkweed butterflies, as they often lay their eggs on various milkweeds on which their

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e ( caterpillars) feed, though it also encompasses the clearwing butterflies (

Ithomiini Ithomiini is a butterfly tribe in the nymphalid subfamily Danainae. It is sometimes referred to as the tribe of clearwing butterflies or glasswing butterflies. Some authors consider the group to be a subfamily (Ithomiinae). These butterflies ar ...

), and the Tellervini. Some 300 species of Danainae exist worldwide. Most of the Danaini are found in tropical Asia and

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, while the

are diverse in the

Neotropics The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In biogeog ...

. Tellervini are restricted to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

and the Oriental region. Four species are found in North America: the monarch butterfly ('' Danaus plexippus''), the queen ('' Danaus gilippus''), the tropical milkweed butterfly ('' Lycorea halia''), and the soldier butterfly (or "tropic queen", '' Danaus eresimus''). Of these, the monarch is by far the most famous, being one of the most recognizable butterflies in the Americas.

Taxonomy

Milkweed butterflies are now classified as the subfamily Danainae within the family Nymphalidae; however, the previous family name Danaidae is still occasionally used by some sources. The

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserve ...

milkweed butterfly ' is known from the

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch (geology), epoch of the Paleogene Geologic time scale, Period that extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that defin ...

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

from the Tremembé Formation; it provides evidence that the present milkweed butterflies originated more than 20–30 million years ago.

Characteristics

Larvae have thoracic tubercles and use plants within the family

Apocynaceae Apocynaceae (, from '' Apocynum'', Greek for "dog-away") is a family of flowering plants that includes trees, shrubs, herbs, stem succulents, and vines, commonly known as the dogbane family, because some taxa were used as dog poison. Notable mem ...

that often contain latex-like compounds in the stem as hosts. Adults are aposematic (brightly colored as a warning signal).

Threats

Numerous

wasp A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder ...

s and tachinid flies are parasitoids of milkweed butterfly caterpillars. The loss of food plants, such as various milkweed species, extensive use of

insecticide Insecticides are pesticides used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. The major use of insecticides is in agriculture, but they are also used in home and garden settings, i ...

s and modification of landscapes in the United States and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, and increased

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal and destruction of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. Ab ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

threaten the migratory monarch butterfly. File:Danaus chrysippus male 2 by kadavoor.jpg, '' Danaus chrysippus'', male with anal " hairs"; Danaini File:Methona themisto (borboleta-do-manacá).jpg, '' Methona themisto'';

File:Tellervo zoilus 149825542.jpg, ''Tellervo zoilus''; Tellervini

References

External links

"Danainae Boisduval, [1833]"
at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' - Butterfly subfamilies">Nymphalidae">- Butterfly subfamilies {{Butterfly-stub

Taxonomy

Characteristics

Threats

References

Further reading

External links