| 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.
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]
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Subtribe Euphydryina
Subtribe Melitaeina
Subtribe Chlosynina
Subtribe Gnathotrichina
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Subtribe Phyciodina
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