Overview
Photos
Taxonomy
The Series Papilioniformes is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Family (6): Libytheidae · Lycaenidae · Nymphalidae · Papilionidae · Pieridae · Riodinidae
Families
Libytheidae
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies. They constitute about 40% of the known butterfly species. [more]
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colorful wings flat when resting. They are also called brush-footed butterflies or four-footed butterflies. Many species are brightly colored and include popular species such as the emperor, admirals, tortoiseshells and fritillaries. However, the underwings are in contrast often 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. [more]
Papilionidae
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful which form the family Papilionidae. There are at least 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica. The family includes the largest butterflies in the world, the birdwing butterflies of Australia (genus Ornithoptera). [more]
Pieridae
The Pieridae are a large of butterflies with about 76 genera containing approximately 1,100 species, mostly from tropical Africa and Asia. Most pierid butterflies are white, yellow or orange in coloration, often with black spots. The pigments that give the distinct coloring to these butterflies are derived from waste products in the body and are a characteristic of this family. [more]
Riodinidae
The Riodinidae (or metalmarks) are a of butterflies. The common name "metalmarks" refers to the small metallic-looking spots commonly found on their wings. There are approximately 1,000 species of metalmark butterflies in the world. Although mostly neotropical in distribution, the family is represented both in the New World and the Old World. [more]
At least 365 species and subspecies belong to the Family Riodinidae.
More info about the Family Riodinidae may be found here.
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