Melitaeini

Melitaeini
Melitaeini
Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
(unranked): Rhopalocera
Superfamily: Papilionoidea
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Nymphalinae
Tribe: Melitaeini
Newman, 1870
Genera

Numerous, see text
Synonyms

Melitaeinae

Melitaeini are a group of brush-footed butterflies. Usually classified as a tribe of the Nymphalinae, they are sometimes raised to subfamily status as Melitaeinae. Common names include the highly ambiguous "fritillaries" (also used for some Heliconiinae), checkerspots, crescents, or crescentspots, and some genus-specific names.

Genera

The 20–25 genera of Melitaeini are divided among 5 subtribes; some species are also listed. The subtribes, in the presumed phylogenetic sequence, are:[1]

Subtribe Euphydryina

  • Euphydryas – "fritillaries", "checkerspots"

Subtribe Melitaeina

Subtribe Chlosynina

  • Antillea Higgins, [1959]
  • Atlantea Higgins, [1959]
  • Charidryas Scudder, 1872
  • Chlosyne – "checkerspots", patches
  • Dymasia Higgins, 1960
  • Higginsius Hemming, 1964 (tentatively placed here; Gnathotrichina?)
  • Microtia Bates, 1864
  • Poladryas Bauer, 1975
  • Texola Higgins, 1959 – "checkerspots"

Subtribe Gnathotrichina

  • Gnathotriche C. & R. Felder, 1862

Subtribe Phyciodina

  • Anthanassa Scudder, 1875 – "crescents", "crescentspots"
    • Anthanassa ardys – Ardys Crescent
    • Anthanassa frisia – Cuban Crescent, Cuban Crescentspot
  • Castilia Higgins, 1981
  • Dagon Higgins, 1981
  • Eresia Boisduval, 1836
  • Janatella Higgins, 1981
  • Mazia Higgins, 1981
  • Ortilia Higgins, 1981
  • Phyciodes – "crescents", "crescentspots"
  • Phystis Higgins, 1981
  • Tegosa Higgins, 1981
    • Tegosa claudina
  • Telenassa Higgins, 1981
  • Tisona Higgins, 1981

Footnotes

  1. ^ See references in Savela (2010)

References

  • Savela, Markku (2010): Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms – Melitaeini. Version of 2010-JUN-30. Retrieved 2011-FEB-10.


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