Family Nymphalidae - Brush-footed Butterflies

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited

Wasp and Butterfly on Labrador tundra - Vanessa atalanta

Pale-banded Crescent - Anthanassa tulcis

Dapper Monarch Butterfly - Danaus plexippus

Show images of: caterpillars · adults · both

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Superfamily Papilionoidea (Butterflies and Skippers)

Family Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)

Explanation of Names

The nomenclature and arrangement of subfamilies and tribes used here, largely follows that of Wahlberg. While the names of genera and species primarily follow the Pelham Catalog.

Numbers

Worldwide about 6000 spp. in 544 genera

209 species in North America

Identification

You have to look closely at some members of this family to distinguish the six legs common to all insects. The adult butterfly's front pair of legs is modified into two small "brushes", and only four legs are used for walking around.

Print References

(1) Opler/Malikul, 'Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies'

(2) Pelham, Jonathan P., 2008, 'Catalogue of the Butterflies of the United States and Canada'

Internet References

Nymphalidae Systematics Group. Checklist of North American Nymphalidae Species

Wahlberg, Niklas. The higher classification of Nymphalidae

Pelham, Jonathan P., 2012. A Catalogue of the Butterflies of the United States and Canada

Works Cited

1.	A Field Guide to Eastern Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) Paul A. Opler, Vichai Malikul, Roger Tory Peterson. 1992. Houghton Mifflin Company.

2.	A Catalogue of the Butterflies of the United States and Canada Jonathan P. Pelham. 2008. The Lepidoptera Research Foundation, Inc.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 16 February, 2004 - 12:32pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Beatriz Moisset, Nick Block, David Ferguson
Last updated 9 November, 2017 - 6:44pm

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