Subfamily Limenitidinae - Admirals, Sisters

In the Old World there is an impressive list of Common Names for various other genera, including:

Sailors, Glidders, Clippers, Barons, Counts, Archdukes, Foresters, Guineafowl, etc.

based on:

There are about 45 genera in 3 or 4 tribes included in this subfamily. The number quoted can vary upward some, or dramatically downward depending upon interpretations of generic and tribal limits by various authors.

This subfamily has been used at times as a dumping ground for a wide assortment of mostly tropical butterflies, most of which are not particularly closely related to Limenitis and its close kin (most are included more properly the Biblidinae, Cyrestinae, and Nymphalinae). The Limenitidinae is actually a relatively small subfamily of butterflies, widespread through the world, but best represented in Asia and Africa. The subfamily is very closely related to the Heliconiinae and should perhaps be placed within it (as evidenced by the structure of the adults and larvae, and by molecular studies). The Limenitidinae is represented in the Americas by two genera (Limenitis and Adelpha).