The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, they are usually medium-sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called brush-footed butterflies or four-footed butterflies, because they are known to stand on only four legs while the other two are curled up; in some species, these forelegs have a brush-like set of hairs, which gives this family its other common name. Many species are brightly coloured and include popular species such as the emperors, monarch butterfly, admirals, tortoiseshells, and fritillaries. However, the under wings 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 butterflies blend into their surroundings.
The superfamily Papilionoidea contains all the butterflies except for the moth-like Hedyloidea.
The Heliconiinae, commonly called heliconians or longwings, are a subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies. They can be divided into 45–50 genera and were sometimes treated as a separate family Heliconiidae within the Papilionoidea. The colouration is predominantly reddish and black, and though of varying wing shape, the forewings are always elongated tipwards, hence the common name.
The Satyrinae, the satyrines or satyrids, commonly known as the browns, are a subfamily of the Nymphalidae. They were formerly considered a distinct family, Satyridae. This group contains nearly half of the known diversity of brush-footed butterflies. The true number of the Satyrinae species is estimated to exceed 2,400.
Mycalesis oculus, the red-disc bushbrown, is a satyrine butterfly found in southern India. It is similar in markings to Mycalesis adolphei but distinguished by the reddish band around the large apical spots on the upper forewings.
Redonda is a butterfly genus from the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae. The genus was erected by Michael Jan Adams and George Igor Bernard in 1981. It is endemic to the Cordillera de Merida páramo in Mérida, Venezuela. There are 10 known species, which are separated in distinct mountain ranges. Most species show some degree of sexual dimorphism in wing size, in the most extreme cases females show some degree of wing deformation which might point to incipient brachyptery.
Calisto is a butterfly genus from the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae. The genus was erected by Jacob Hübner in 1823. Members of the genus occur on the Caribbean islands only. Of the 44 species that are currently thought to exist, eleven occur on Cuba, one on Puerto Rico, one on Anegada Island, one on Jamaica, two on the Bahamas and twenty-eight on Hispaniola.
The Satyrini is one of the tribes of the subfamily Satyrinae. It includes about 2200 species and is therefore the largest tribe in the subfamily which comprises 2500 species.
Heteropsis adolphei, the red-eye bushbrown, is a species of satyrine butterfly found in southern India. The species name is after Adolphe Delessert who collected the first specimens based on which the species was described.
Cyrestinae is the name of a small subfamily of nymphalid brush-footed butterflies. It is considered to include only three genera – Marpesia, Chersonesia, and Cyrestis – distributed in the tropics.
The butterfly subtribe Euptychiina is a diverse group within the tribe Satyrini, occurring throughout Central and South America, in addition to a few species known from North America. Euptychiina is a predominantly lowland group, with the exception of one Asian taxon Palaeonympha opalinaButler, 1871 and the Andean genus ForsterinariaGray, 1973. The taxon was erected by Lee Denmar Miller.
Brassolini is a tribe usually placed in the brush-footed butterfly subfamily Morphinae, which is often included in the Satyrinae as a tribe Morphini. If this is accepted, the Brassolini become the sister tribe of the Morphini among the Satyrinae. Formerly, they were treated as an independent family Brassolidae or subfamily Brassolinae. Many members of this tribe are called owl butterflies.
Pronophilina is a Neotropical subtribe of butterflies of the subfamily Satyrinae. They are a species-rich group with highest diversity in the tropical and subtropical mountains, especially the Andes. Before 1970, they were poorly studied, but recent interest has resulted in high rates of species description from previously unexplored mountain ranges. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on their biology and ecology. Their relationship to other groups of Satyrine butterflies and their complex patterns of speciation within and among mountain ranges have led to several biogeographic discussions.
Taygetina peribaea is a species of butterfly in the subfamily Satyrinae. It is found in the Neotropical realm.
Pseudergolinae is a small subfamily of nymphalid brush-footed butterflies. It is considered to include only seven species in four genera distributed mainly in the Oriental region.
Argyrophorus is a butterfly genus from the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae. It is distributed between Chile, Argentina and Perú. The systematic and circumscription of the genus is disputed.
Hyantis is a monotypic nymphalid butterfly genus. Its sole species is Hyantis hodeva, which is found in New Guinea. It is uncertain which tribe this butterfly should be placed within.
Ninguta is a monotypic Palearctic butterfly genus in the family Nymphalidae. The genus contains the single species Ninguta schrenckii found in the Russian Far East, Japan, Korea and eastern China.
Heteropsis davisoni, the Palni bushbrown, is a species of satyrine butterfly found in southern India. Some authors consider this as a subspecies of Heteropsis mamerta or Mycalesis malsara or Mycalesis lepcha.
Ptychandra is a butterfly genus in the subfamily Satyrinae within the family Nymphalidae. Ptychandra was first described by Cajetan Felder and Rudolf Felder in 1861. The genus comprises eight species, seven found in the Philippines with an additional species found on the island of Borneo. It is remarkable for the fact that it is one of a few genera to have undergone evolutionary radiation in the Philippine archipelago, with most other species being migrants from the Asian mainland.
