''Nymphalis'', commonly known as the tortoiseshells or anglewing butterflies, is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

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 ...

. The genera ''

Aglais ''Aglais'' is a Holarctic genus of brush-footed butterflies, containing the tortoiseshells. This genus is sometimes indicated as a subgenus of ''Nymphalis ''Nymphalis'', commonly known as the tortoiseshells or anglewing butterflies, is a ge ...

'', '' Inachis'', ''

Polygonia ''Polygonia'' (from Greek language, Greek πολύς - ''polys'', "many" and γωνία - ''gōnia'', "angle") is a genus of butterflies with a conspicuous white mark on the underside of each hindwing, hence the common name comma. They also have ...

'' and '' Kaniska'', were sometimes included as subgenera of ''Nymphalis''"''Nymphalis'' Kluk, 1780"
at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' but they may instead be treated as distinct genera. See also anglewing butterflies. For other butterflies named tortoiseshells, see the genus ''

''. The name ''Nymphalis'', established by

Jan Krzysztof Kluk Jan Krzysztof Kluk (September 13, 1739 – July 2, 1796) was a Polish naturalist agronomist and entomologist. He was the son of Jan Krzysztof Adrian and Marianna Elżbieta. His father, an impoverished nobleman, was a building contractor and ...

in 1780, is the oldest name among the generic names for a relatively small group of butterflies collectively known as anglewing butterflies. In zoological nomenclature, the oldest name has a priority over other names. The collective name anglewing butterflies is derived from a Latinised term ''Papiliones angulati''. This name was probably used for the first time by

Ignaz Schiffermüller Ignaz Schiffermüller (born 2 October 1727 in Hellmonsödt; died 21 June 1806 in Linz) was an Austrian naturalist mainly interested in Lepidoptera. Schiffermüller was a teacher at the Theresianum College in Vienna. His collection was presented ...

in 1775–1776. The anglewing butterflies as a group are characterized by a cryptic silhouette and by the colouration and pattern on the ventral side of both wings. This signature mark is an important taxonomic characteristic as well as a significant evolutionary adaptation. During winter months, in latitudes with snow cover, all members of this group hibernate as adult butterflies.Scott, J. A. (1999)
Hibernal diapause of North American Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea.
''Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera'' 18(3):171-200. During hibernation, hidden in various shelters, the butterflies are dormant. The camouflage provided by

crypsis In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal or a plant to avoid observation or detection by other animals. It may be a predation strategy or an antipredator adaptation. Methods include camouflage, nocturnality, subterranean lifestyle and ...

is advantageous to hibernating butterflies. Potential predators will have difficulties in seeing the dormant butterflies. With their wings closed, exposing only the ventral cryptically coloured underside, they blend in with their surroundings. Today, the anglewing butterflies are found only in the northern hemisphere.

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

described the first members of this group in 1758, and it has since become clear that anglewing butterflies evolved from a common ancestor. The most recent studies include Nylin et al., 2001; Wahlberg & Nylin, 2003; Wahlberg et al. 2011, 2009, 2005. The sister group of ''Nymphalis'' is ''

Vanessa Vanessa may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Vanessa'' (Millais painting), an 1868 painting by Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais * ''Vanessa'', a 1933 novel by Hugh Walpole * ''Vanessa'', a 1952 instrumental song written by Bernie ...

''.

Species

Listed alphabetically: *''

Nymphalis antiopa ''Nymphalis antiopa'', known as the mourning cloak in North America and the Camberwell beauty in Britain, is a large butterfly native to Eurasia and North America. The immature form of this species is sometimes known as the spiny elm caterpillar ...

'' (

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

) – mourning cloak or Camberwell beauty *''

Nymphalis californica The California tortoiseshell (''Nymphalis californica'') is a butterfly 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 su ...

'' ( Boisduval, 1852) – California tortoiseshell *''

Nymphalis cyanomelas ''Nymphalis cyanomelas'', the Mexican tortoiseshell, is a butterfly species in the family Nymphalidae. It resides from southern Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion ...

'' ( Doubleday,

848 __NOTOC__ Year 848 (Roman numerals, DCCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Bordeaux, capital of Aquitaine, falls into the hand ...

– Mexican tortoiseshell *''

Nymphalis polychloros The large tortoiseshell or blackleg tortoiseshell (''Nymphalis polychloros'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Subspecies Subspecies include: * ''Nymphalis polychloros polychloros'' * ''Nymphalis polychloros erythromelas'' (Austaut, 1 ...

'' (

) – large tortoiseshell or blackleg tortoiseshell *''

Nymphalis vaualbum ''Nymphalis vaualbum'' or ''N. l-album'', the Compton tortoiseshell, or false comma, is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. An assertion that the name ''Nymphalis l-album'' is in fact the correct name over the widely used ''Nympha ...

'' ( Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) – Compton tortoiseshell or false comma *''

Nymphalis xanthomelas ''Nymphalis xanthomelas'', the scarce tortoiseshell, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in eastern Europe and Asia. This butterfly is also referred as yellow-legged tortoiseshell or large tortoiseshell (however, in Europe, "large tortois ...

'' ( Esper, 1781) – scarce tortoiseshell or yellow-legged tortoiseshell

Images of species

File:TF Wildpark Johannismuehle 03-14 img08.jpg, Mourning cloak, ''

'' File:Nymphalis californica.jpg, California tortoiseshell, ''

'' File:Nymphalis polychloros.jpg, Large tortoiseshell, ''

'' File:Compton Tortoiseshell.jpg, Compton tortoiseshell, ''

'' File:Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis xanthomelas) I IMG 7043.jpg, Scarce tortoiseshell, ''

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q32440 Butterfly genera Taxa named by Jan Krzysztof Kluk