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 five subtribes; some species are also listed. The subtribes, in the presumed phylogenetic sequence, are:^[1]

Subtribe Euphydryina

Euphydryas – fritillaries, checkerspots

Subtribe Melitaeina

Melitaea – fritillaries (including Didymaeformis, Mellicta)

Subtribe Chlosynina

Antillea Higgins, [1959]
Atlantea Higgins, [1959]
Chlosyne – checkerspots, patches
Dymasia Higgins, 1960
Higginsius Hemming, 1964 (tentatively placed here; Gnathotrichina?)
Microtia Bates, 1864
Poladryas Bauer, 1975
Texola Higgins, 1959 – checkerspots
- Texola elada – Elada checkerspot

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 anieta
Telenassa Higgins, 1981
Tisona Higgins, 1981

Footnotes

↑ See references in Savela (2010)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Melitaeini.

Savela, Markku (2010): Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms – Melitaeini. Version of 30 June 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2011.

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