The Nymphalidae are the largest
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
of
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 ...
, 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 have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called brush-footed butterflies or four-footed butterflies, because they are known to stand on only four legs while the other two are curled up; in some species, these forelegs have a brush-like set of hairs, which gives this family its other common name. Many species are brightly coloured and include popular species such as the
emperors
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
,
monarch butterfly
The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (''Danaus plexippus'') is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. It ...
,
admirals
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, ...
,
tortoiseshells, and
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 ...
. However, the under wings are, in contrast, often dull and in some species look remarkably like dead leaves, or are much paler, producing a
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
...
effect that helps the butterflies blend into their surroundings.
Nomenclature
Rafinesque introduced the name Nymphalia as a subfamily name in diurnal Lepidoptera. Rafinesque did not include ''
Nymphalis'' among the listed genera, but ''Nymphalis'' was unequivocally implied in the formation of the name (Code Article 11.7.1.1). The attribution of the Nymphalidae to Rafinesque has now been widely adopted.
Classification
In the adult butterflies, the first pair of legs is small or reduced, giving the family the other names of four-footed or brush-footed butterflies. The
caterpillar
Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths).
As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...
s are hairy or spiky with projections on the head, and the
chrysalids have shiny spots.
The
forewing
Insect wings are adult outgrowths of the insect exoskeleton that enable insects to fly. They are found on the second and third thoracic segments (the mesothorax and metathorax), and the two pairs are often referred to as the forewings and hindwin ...
s have the submedial vein (vein 1) unbranched and in one subfamily forked near the base; the medial vein has three branches, veins 2, 3, and 4; veins 5 and 6 arise from the points of junction of the discocellulars; the subcostal vein and its continuation beyond the apex of cell, vein 7, has never more than four branches, veins 8–11; 8 and 9 always arise from vein 7, 10, and 11 sometimes from vein 7 but more often free, i.e., given off by the subcostal vein before apex of the cell.
The
hindwing
Insect wings are adult outgrowths of the insect exoskeleton that enable insects to fly. They are found on the second and third thoracic segments (the mesothorax and metathorax), and the two pairs are often referred to as the forewings and hindwi ...
s have internal (1a) and precostal veins. The cell in both wings is closed or open, often closed in the fore, open in the hindwing. The dorsal margin of the hindwing is channelled to receive the abdomen in many of the forms.
The
antennae always have two grooves on the underside; the club is variable in shape. Throughout the family, the front pair of legs in the male, and with three exceptions (''
Libythea
''Libythea'' is a widespread genus of nymphalid butterflies
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured ...
'', ''
Pseudergolis
''Pseudergolis'' is a butterfly genus from the family Nymphalidae found in Southeast Asia. Some authorities place it in the subfamily Cyrestinae
Cyrestinae is the name of a small subfamily of nymphalid brush-footed butterflies. It is cons ...
'', and ''
Calinaga
''Calinaga'' is the sole genus of the monotypic nymphalid butterfly subfamily Calinaginae. Its species occur in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The evolutionary history of ''Calinaga'' remains a mystery until today. Recent research indicated that ...
'') in the female also, is reduced in size and functionally impotent; in some, the
atrophy
Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body. Causes of atrophy include mutations (which can destroy the gene to build up the organ), poor nourishment, poor circulation, loss of hormonal support, loss of nerve supply t ...
of the forelegs is considerable, e.g., the
Danainae and
Satyrinae
The Satyrinae, the satyrines or satyrids, commonly known as the browns, are a subfamily of the Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies). They were formerly considered a distinct family, Satyridae. This group contains nearly half of the known divers ...
. In many of the forms of these subfamilies, the forelegs are kept pressed against the underside of the
thorax
The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the cre ...
, and are in the male often very inconspicuous.
Systematics and phylogeny
The
phylogeny
A phylogenetic tree (also phylogeny or evolutionary tree Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.) is a branching diagram or a tree showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological spec ...
of the Nymphalidae is complex. Several
taxa are of unclear position, reflecting the fact that some
subfamilies
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 ...
were formerly well-recognized as distinct families due to insufficient study.
The five main
clade
A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...
s within the family are:
The libytheine clade (
basal
Basal or basilar is a term meaning ''base'', ''bottom'', or ''minimum''.
Science
* Basal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location for features associated with the base of an organism or structure
* Basal (medicine), a minimal level that is nec ...
)
*
Libytheinae
The Libytheinae are a nymphalid subfamily known as snout butterflies, containing two valid genera and about ten species: six in '' Libythea'' and four in ''Libytheana''. The common name refers to the thick labial palps (pedipalps) that look like ...
(
snout butterflies, earlier treated as the distinct family Libytheidae)
The danaine clade (
basal
Basal or basilar is a term meaning ''base'', ''bottom'', or ''minimum''.
Science
* Basal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location for features associated with the base of an organism or structure
* Basal (medicine), a minimal level that is nec ...
)
*
Danainae (milkweed butterflies, earlier treated as the distinct family Danaidae)
: Host plant families include
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 Members of the ...
,
Asclepiadoideae (subfamily of
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 Members of the ...
), and
Moraceae.
:*
Ithomiini (about 300
Neotropical species, sometimes considered a subfamily
Ithomiinae
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 are ...
)
:: Most species have long wings, and some have transparent wings. Host plants are in the families
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 Members of the ...
,
Gesneriaceae
Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World (almost all Didymocarpoideae) and the New World (most Gesnerioideae), with ...
, and
Solanaceae
The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and orn ...
.
:*
Tellervini (about 6–10 species in
Australasia
Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecologica ...
, sometimes considered a subfamily
Tellervinae
Tellervini is a tribe of danaid butterflies with only the one genus ''Tellervo'', with six widely distributed species found in the Australasian realm and the Indomalayan realm (also called the ''Oriental region''). The taxon is apparently monoph ...
)
:: Caterpillars resemble those of the Danainae and feed on Apocynaceae.
The satyrine clade
*
Calinaginae
''Calinaga'' is the sole genus of the monotypic nymphalid butterfly subfamily Calinaginae. Its species occur in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The evolutionary history of ''Calinaga'' remains a mystery until today. Recent research indicated that ...
(about six species, restricted to the
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
)
: Mimics of the
Danainae, they are restricted to host plants in the family
Moraceae.
*
Charaxinae
: Tropical
canopy butterflies, the caterpillars often have head spines or projections. Mostly edible species, have some
Batesian mimics
Batesian mimicry is a form of mimicry where a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species directed at a predator of them both. It is named after the English naturalist Henry Walter Bates, after his work on Bu ...
. Host plants are in the families
Annonaceae,
Celastraceae,
Convolvulaceae,
Euphorbiaceae,
,
Flacourtiaceae,
Lauraceae
Lauraceae, or the laurels, is a plant family that includes the true laurel and its closest relatives. This family comprises about 2850 known species in about 45 genera worldwide (Christenhusz & Byng 2016 ). They are dicotyledons, and occur ma ...
,
Myrtaceae
Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All speci ...
,
Piperaceae
The Piperaceae (), also known as the pepper family, are a large family of flowering plants. The group contains roughly 3,600 currently accepted species in 5 genera. The vast majority of species can be found within the two main genera: ''Piper'' ( ...
,
Poaceae
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...
,
Rhamnaceae
The Rhamnaceae are a large family of flowering plants, mostly trees, shrubs, and some vines, commonly called the buckthorn family. Rhamnaceae is included in the order Rosales.
The family contains about 55 genera and 950 species. The Rhamnaceae h ...
,
Rutaceae,
Santalaceae, and
Sapindaceae
The Sapindaceae are a family of flowering plants in the order Sapindales known as the soapberry family. It contains 138 genera and 1858 accepted species. Examples include horse chestnut, maples, ackee and lychee.
The Sapindaceae occur in tempera ...
.
*
Morphinae (including
Amathusiini
Amathusiini is a tribe of the nymphalid butterfly subfamily Morphinae. They are large butterflies. They are sometimes treated as a distinct subfamily Amathusiinae or family Amathusiidae.
Genera and selected species
* ''Aemona''
** '' Aemona ama ...
, sometimes considered a subfamily
Amathusiinae
Amathusiini is a tribe of the nymphalid butterfly subfamily Morphinae. They are large butterflies. They are sometimes treated as a distinct subfamily Amathusiinae or family Amathusiidae.
Genera and selected species
* ''Aemona''
** '' Aemona ama ...
)
: Include the spectacular neotropical ''
Morpho
The morpho butterflies comprise many species of Neotropical butterfly under the genus ''Morpho''. This genus includes more than 29 accepted species and 147 accepted subspecies, found mostly in South America, Mexico, and Central America. ''Morph ...
'', its food plants include the
Arecaceae
The Arecaceae is a family of perennial flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree-like form are called palm trees ...
,
Bignoniaceae, Fabaceae,
Menispermaceae, Poaceae, and Sapindaceae.
:*
Brassolini
Brassolini is a tribe usually placed in the brush-footed butterfly subfamily Morphinae, which is often included in the Satyrinae as a tribe Morphini. If this is accepted, the Brassolini become the sister tribe of the Morphini among the Satyrina ...
(owls, neotropical with 70–80 species, mostly
crepuscular
In zoology, a crepuscular animal is one that is active primarily during the twilight period, being matutinal, vespertine, or both. This is distinguished from diurnal and nocturnal behavior, where an animal is active during the hours of daylig ...
, sometimes considered a subfamily
Brassolinae
Brassolini is a tribe usually placed in the brush-footed butterfly subfamily Morphinae, which is often included in the Satyrinae as a tribe Morphini. If this is accepted, the Brassolini become the sister tribe of the Morphini among the Satyrina ...
)
:: Host plants in the families Arecaceae,
Bromeliaceae
The Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) are a family of monocot
Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, (Lilianae ''sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain o ...
,
Heliconiaceae,
Musaceae
Musaceae is a family of flowering plants composed of three genera with about 91 known species, placed in the order Zingiberales. The family is native to the tropics of Africa and Asia. The plants have a large herbaceous growth habit with leaves ...
, and Poaceae.
*
Satyrinae
The Satyrinae, the satyrines or satyrids, commonly known as the browns, are a subfamily of the Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies). They were formerly considered a distinct family, Satyridae. This group contains nearly half of the known divers ...
(satyrs and browns, earlier treated as distinct family Satyridae)
: Host plants are in the families Arecaceae,
Araceae,
Cyperaceae
The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' w ...
, Heliconiaceae, Poaceae, and
Selaginellaceae.
The heliconiine clade (
sister group
In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree.
Definition
The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram:
Taxon A and t ...
of the nymphaline clade, excludes former
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 ...
s
Biblidini
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 subfam ...
and
Cyrestini, and tribes Pseudergolini and Coeini)
*
Heliconiinae (earlier treated as distinct family Heliconiidae)
: Colourful tropical butterflies, they are noted for
Müllerian mimicry. All species use host plants in the family
Passifloraceae
The Passifloraceae are a family of flowering plants, containing about 750 species classified in around 27 genera.
They include trees, shrubs, lianas, and climbing plants, and are mostly found in tropical regions. The family takes its name from t ...
.
:*
Acraeini (mostly African, but some species in Asia, sometimes considered a family
Acraeinae
The Acraeini are a tribe of butterflies of the subfamily Heliconiinae in the family Nymphalidae.
Genera
The recognized genera are: Tree of Life
* ''Abananote'' Potts, 1943
* ''Acraea'' Fabricius, 1807 – acraeas
* ''Actinote'' Hübner, 81 ...
)
:: Host plants are in the families
Asteraceae
The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...
, Passifloraceae,
Sterculiaceae,
Tiliaceae
Tiliaceae () is a family of flowering plants. It is not a part of the APG, APG II and APG III classifications, being sunk in Malvaceae mostly as the subfamilies Tilioideae, Brownlowioideae and Grewioideae, but has an extensive historical record o ...
, and
Urticaceae.
*
Limenitidinae
The nymphaline clade (
sister group
In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree.
Definition
The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram:
Taxon A and t ...
of the heliconiine clade, also includes tribes
and
Pseudergolini)
*
Apaturinae (mostly tropical)
: Host plants are in the family
Ulmaceae. Caterpillars are smooth with bifid tails and horns on the head.
*
Biblidinae (formerly in
Limenitidinae)
*
Cyrestinae
Cyrestinae is the name of a small subfamily of nymphalid brush-footed butterflies. It is considered to include only three genera – ''Marpesia'', ''Chersonesia'', and ''Cyrestis'' – distributed in the tropics.N. Wahlberg , J. Leneveu , U. ...
(formerly in Limenitidinae)
*
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 ...
(a large subfamily that sometimes includes the Limenitidinae and
Biblidinae)
: Some species
migrate
Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration
* Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another
** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...
. Caterpillars are sometimes covered in spines. Host plants include Acanthaceae,
Caprifoliaceae
The Caprifoliaceae or honeysuckle family is a clade of dicotyledonous flowering plants consisting of about 860 species, in 33, to 42 genera, with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution. Centres of diversity are found in eastern North America and ea ...
,
Convolvulaceae,
Euphorbiaceae, Fagaceae,
Flacourtiaceae, Lamiaceae,
Loranthaceae
Loranthaceae, commonly known as the showy mistletoes, is a family of flowering plants. It consists of about 75 genera and 1,000 species of woody plants, many of them hemiparasites. The three terrestrial species are ''Nuytsia floribunda'' (the W ...
, Moraceae,
Plantaginaceae
Plantaginaceae, the plantain family, is a large, diverse family of flowering plants in the order Lamiales that includes common flowers such as snapdragon and foxglove. It is unrelated to the banana-like fruit also called "plantain." In older cl ...
, Poaceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae,
Salicaceae,
Sapindaceae
The Sapindaceae are a family of flowering plants in the order Sapindales known as the soapberry family. It contains 138 genera and 1858 accepted species. Examples include horse chestnut, maples, ackee and lychee.
The Sapindaceae occur in tempera ...
,
Scrophulariaceae, Urticaceae, and
Verbenaceae
The Verbenaceae ( ), the verbena family or vervain family, is a family of mainly tropical flowering plants. It contains trees, shrubs, and herbs notable for heads, spikes, or clusters of small flowers, many of which have an aromatic smell.
The ...
.
Example species from this family
*
Archdukes, genus ''Lexias''
*
California tortoiseshell
The California tortoiseshell (''Nymphalis californica'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
The wings of the California tortoiseshell have ragged edges. The upper sides of the wings are orange with black spots and a wide black margin. The ...
, ''Nymphalis californica''
*
Comma
The comma is a punctuation mark that appears in several variants in different languages. It has the same shape as an apostrophe or single closing quotation mark () in many typefaces, but it differs from them in being placed on the baseline ...
, ''Polygonia c-album''
*
Common buckeye, ''Junonia coenia''
*
Common snout butterfly
The American snout or common snout butterfly (''Libytheana carinenta'') is a member of the subfamily Libytheinae in the brush-footed butterfly family (biology), family, Nymphalidae. This species is found in both North and South America. The larv ...
, ''Libytheana carinenta''
* Cracker butterflies, genus ''
Hamadryas''
*
Crimson patch
''Chlosyne janais'', the crimson patch or janais patch, is a common New World butterfly found from Colombia north through Central America and Mexico to southern Texas, with occasional sightings in southeastern Mexico and northern Texas. The dors ...
, ''Chlosyne janais''
*
Edith's checkerspot
Edith's checkerspot (''Euphydryas editha'') is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is a resident species of western North America and among the subspecies, entomologists have long been intrigued by their many phenotypic variation ...
, ''Euphydryas editha''
*
Grayling (butterfly)
The grayling or rock grayling (''Hipparchia semele'') is a species in the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae. Although found all over Europe, the grayling mostly inhabits coastal areas, with inland populations declining significantly in re ...
, ''Hipparchia semele''
*
Hackberry emperor
''Asterocampa celtis'', the hackberry emperor, is a North American butterfly that belongs to the brushfooted butterfly family, Nymphalidae. It gets its name from the hackberry tree (''Celtis occidentalis'' and others in the genus ''Celtis'') upon ...
, ''Asterocampa celtis''
*
Lorquin's admiral
Lorquin's admiral (''Limenitis lorquini'') is a butterfly in the Nymphalinae subfamily. The butterfly is named after Pierre Joseph Michel Lorquin, a French naturalist who came to California from France during the Gold Rush, and made important dis ...
, ''Limenitis lorquini''
*
Marsh fritillary, ''Euphydryas aurinia''
*
Meadow brown, ''Maniola jurtina''
*
Mourning cloak, ''Nymphalis antiopa''
*
Monarch butterfly
The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (''Danaus plexippus'') is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. It ...
, ''Danaus plexippus''
*
Blue morpho, ''Morpho menelaus''
*
Painted lady, ''Vanessa cardui''
*
Peacock
Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera ''Pavo (genus), Pavo'' and ''Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female pea ...
, ''Aglais io''
*
Plain tiger
''Danaus chrysippus'', also known as the plain tiger, African queen, or African monarch, is a medium-sized butterfly widespread in Asia, Australia and Africa. It belongs to the Danainae subfamily of the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae. ...
, ''Danaus chrysippus''
*
Question mark
The question mark (also known as interrogation point, query, or eroteme in journalism) is a punctuation mark that indicates an interrogative clause or phrase in many languages.
History
In the fifth century, Syriac Bible manuscripts used ques ...
, ''Polygonia interrogationis''
*
Red admiral, ''Vanessa atalanta''
*
Small heath, ''Coenonympha pamphilus''
*
Small tortoiseshell
The small tortoiseshell (''Aglais urticae'') is a colourful Eurasian butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Adults feed on nectar and may hibernate over winter; in warmer climates they may have two broods in a season. While the dorsal surface of th ...
, ''Nymphalis urticae''
*
Gatekeeper, ''Pyronia tithonus''
*
Small pearl-bordered fritillary
''Boloria selene'', known in Europe as the small pearl-bordered fritillary and in North America as the silver-bordered fritillary, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found across Europe, Asia and North America, and feeds ...
, ''Boloria selene''
*
Andromeda satyr
''Cithaerias andromeda'', the Andromeda satyr, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found from Suriname, French Guiana, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. Differentiation between subspecies and their corresponding sex is ...
, ''Cithaerias andromeda''
Morphology
The trait for which these butterflies are most known is the use of only four legs; the reason their forelegs have become vestigial is not yet completely clear. Some suggest the forelegs are used to amplify the sense of smell, because some species possess a brush-like set of soft hair called
seta
In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for "bristle") are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms.
Animal setae
Protostomes
Annelid setae are stiff bristles present on the body. Th ...
e, which has led researchers to believe the forelegs are used to improve signaling and communication between the species, while standing in the other four. This ability proves useful in terms of reproduction and the overall health of the species, and it is the leading theory so far.
See also
*
List of fritillaries (butterflies)
This is a list of butterfly species in diverse genera with the common name wikt:fritillary, fritillary. The term refers to the chequered markings on the wings, usually black on orange, and derives from the Latin ''fritillus'' (meaning dice-box - or ...
References
Further reading
* Glassberg, Jeffrey ''Butterflies through Binoculars, The West'' (2001)
* Guppy, Crispin S. and Shepard, Jon H. ''Butterflies of British Columbia'' (2001)
* James, David G. and Nunnallee, David ''Life Histories of Cascadia Butterflies'' (2011)
* Pelham, Jonathan ''Catalogue of the Butterflies of the United States and Canada'' (2008)
* Pyle, Robert Michael ''The Butterflies of Cascadia'' (2002)
External links
* Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility (2003)
Family NymphalidaeNymphalidae"Family Nymphalidae". ''Insecta.pro''.
* Peter Chew
Brisbane butterflies web site (2005).
*
Tree of Life Web ProjectNymphalidae
{{Authority control
Butterfly families
Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque
Papilionoidea