Nymphalidae
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| Diversity | ||||||||||||||
| 633 genera 5,698 species |
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| Nymphalis polychloros (Large Tortoiseshell) |
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The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed in all parts of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Many species are brightly coloured and they include popular species such as the emperor, admirals, tortoiseshells and fritillaries. However, the underwings are dull and in some species look remarkably like dead leaves, or are much paler, producing a cryptic effect that helps the butterfly disappear into its surroundings.
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[edit] Classification
In adult butterflies, the first pair of legs are small or reduced, giving the family the other names of four-footed or brush-footed butterflies. The caterpillars are hairy or spiky with projections on the head, and the chrysalids have shiny spots.
The forewing has the submedial vein (vein 1) unbranched and in one subfamily forked near base; medial vein with three branches, veins 2, 3 and 4; veins 5 and 6 arising from the points of junction of the discocellulars; subcostal vein and its continuation beyond apex of cell, vein 7, with never more than four branches, veins 8-11 ; 8 and 9 always arising from vein 7, 10 and also 11 sometimes from vein 7 but more often free, i.e. given off by the subcostal vein before apex of cell. [1]
The hindwing has internal (1a) and precostal veins. The cell in both wings closed or open, often closed in the fore, open in the hind wing. Dorsal margin of hind wing channelled to receive the abdomen in many of the forms.[1]
Antennae always with two grooves on the underside; club variable in shape. Throughout the family the front pair of legs in the male, and with three exceptions (Libythea, Pseudergolis and Calinaga) in the female also, is reduced in size and functionally impotent; in some the atrophy of the fore legs is considerable, e.g. Danainae and Satyrinae In many of the forms of these subfamilies the fore legs are kept pressed against the underside of the thorax, and are in the male often very inconspicuous.[1]
There are four major clades within Nymphalidae, the danaine clade (subfamily Danainae), the satyrine clade (which includes the subfamilies Charaxinae, Satyrinae, Calinaginae and Morphinae), the heliconiine clade (including Heliconiinae and Limenitidinae excluding Biblidini, Cyrestini, Pseudergolini, and Coeini) and the nymphaline clade (including Nymphalinae, Apaturinae, and Coeini, Cyrestini, Pseudergolini, and Biblidini from the Limenitidinae). The danaine clade is the most basal group and the heliconiine and nymphaline are sister groups.[2]
The phylogeny of the Nymphalidae is complex and unclear. The currently recognized subfamilies includes the following:
- Apaturinae (Mostly tropical)
Host plants in the family Ulmaceae. Caterpillars smooth with bifid tails and horns on the head.[3]
- Acraeinae (Mostly African, but some species in Asia)
Host plant in the families Asteraceae, Passifloraceae, Sterculiaceae, Tiliaceae and Urticaceae.
- Biblidinae
- Brassolinae (owls) Neotropical with 70-80 species. Mostly crepuscular.
Host plants in the families Arecaceae, Bromeliaceae, Heliconiaceae, Musaceae, and Poaceae.[3]
- Calinaginae (About 6 species, restricted to the Himalayas. Mimics of the Danainae and restricted to host plants in the family Moraceae.[3]
Tropical, canopy butterflies. Caterpillars often with head spines or projections. Mostly edible species with some Batesian mimics. Host plants in the families Annonaceae, Celastraceae, Convolvulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Flacourtiaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Piperaceae, Poaceae, Rhamnaceae, Rutaceae, Santalaceae and Sapindaceae.[3]
- Cyrestinae
- Danainae (The milkweed butterflies)
Earlier treated as the family Danaidae. Host plant families include Apocynaceae, Asclepidaceae, and Moraceae.
Earlier treated as the family Heliconiidae, colourful tropical butterflies noted for Müllerian mimicry. All species use host plants in the family Passifloraceae.
- Ithomiinae (About 300 Neotropical species)
Most species with long wings, some having transparent wings. Host plants in the families Apocynaceae, Gesneriaceae and Solanaceae.
- Libytheinae (The Snout butterflies)
Earlier treated as the family Libytheidae.
- Limenitidinae
- Morphinae (including Amathusiini,original Amathusiinae)
Include the spectacular neotropical Morphos. Food plants include the Arecaceae, Bignoniaceae, Fabaceae, Menispermaceae, Poaceae and Sapindaceae.
- Nymphalinae ( A large family and sometimes includes the Limenitidinae)
Some species migratory. Caterpillars sometimes covered in spines. Host plants include Acanthaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Convolvulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fagaceae, Flacourtiaceae, Lamiaceae, Loranthaceae, Moraceae, Plantaginaceae, Poaceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae, Salicaceae, Sapindaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Urticaceae and Verbenaceae.[3]
- Satyrinae (The Satyrs and Browns)
Earlier treated as the family Satyridae. Host plants in the families Arecaceae, Araceae, Cyperaceae, Heliconiaceae, Poaceae, and Selaginellaceae.
- Tellervinae About 6-10 species in Australasia. Caterpillars resemble those of the Danainae and feed on Apocynaceae.
[edit] Popular species
- Archdukes, genus Lexias
- California tortoiseshell, Nymphalis californica
- Comma, Polygonia c-album
- Common buckeye, Junonia coenia
- Cracker butterflies, genus Hamadryas
- Crimson Patch, Chlosyne janais
- Marsh Fritillary, Euphydryas aurinia
- Meadow Brown, Maniolis jurtina
- Mourning cloak, Nymphalis antiopa
- Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexipus
- Blue Morpho, Morpho menelaus
- Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui
- Peacock, Inachis io
- Question Mark, Polygonia interrogationis
- Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta
- Small Heath, Coenonympha pamphilus
- Small Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis urticae
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Bingham, C.T. (1905) Fauna of British India. Butterflies. Vol. 1.
- ^ Wahlberg, N., E. Weingartner, and S. Nylin (2003) Towards a better understanding of the higher systematics of Nymphalidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 28:473–484 [1]
- ^ a b c d e DeVries, P. J. in Levin, S. A. (2001) Encyclopedia of Biodiversity. Academic Press.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Nymphalidae thumbnail images and species list, Butterflies of North America web site, United States Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center.
- "Nymphalidae", Nymphalidae Systematics Group, Stockholm University.
- "Family Nymphalidae", Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility (2003).
- Peter Chew, "Danaids and Browns - Family Nymphalidae", Brisbane butterflies web site (2005).
