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 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.
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.
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.
The Morphinae are a subfamily of Nymphalidae butterflies that includes the morphos, the owl butterflies (Caligo), and related lineages. It is either considered a sister group of the Satyrinae, or disassembled and included therein.
The Elymniini is one of the tribes of the subfamily Satyrinae. If the subfamily Satyrinae elevate to family status, this tribe shall be treated as subfamily Elymniinae. Elymniini was formerly a large group, but recently, it is considered to be include only one genus, Elymnias, according to molecular phylogenetic analyses.
The Eritini are a small tribe of the Satyrinae in the Nymphalidae family. This group contains a mere two genera.
The Ragadiini are a small tribe of the Satyrinae in the Nymphalidae family. This group contains three genera.
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.
Torynesis magna, the large widow, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in South Africa in the Eastern Cape from Lootsberg to Burgersdorp as far north as Barkly East and as far south as Uniondale.
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.
Ypthimomorpha is a monotypic butterfly genus from the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae. It contains only one species, Ypthimomorpha itonia, the marsh ringlet or swamp ringlet, which is found in Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, northern and eastern Zimbabwe, western Mozambique and Botswana. The habitat consists of open, moist areas and marshes on forest margins.
Charaxes prettejohni is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Tanzania, from the north-western part of the country to the Geita District.
Protogoniomorpha cytora, the western blue beauty, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. The habitat consists of open spaces in primary forests and mature secondary forests.
Ariadne albifascia, the white-banded castor, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae.The Biblidinae are a subfamily of butterflies with over 350 species worldwide, the vast majority of which are Neotropical. In the Afrotropical region there 30 species, in the genera Byblia, Ariadne, Eurytela, Neptidopsis, Sevenia and Mesoxantha. It is found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic and western Uganda. The habitat consists of forests, especially open degraded habitats.
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.
Bletogona is a butterfly genus from the subfamily Satyrinae in the family Nymphalidae. The genus was erected by Cajetan Felder and his son Rudolf Felder in 1867. This genus is endemic] to Sulawesi.
