Aphnaeinae

The Aphnaeinae are a subfamily of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae.

Systematics

Until recently, this taxon used to be considered a tribe (called Aphnaeini) within the subfamily Theclinae.

History

The Aphnaeinae is known as a Afrotropical and Oriental species that comes from a subfamily of 278 described species. What makes them distinct is that they have ants that work mutualistic with this organism for the reason that ants defend the larvae from predators and the larvae give production of high nutrients to the ants.  What makes Aphnaeinae to stand out among the Lycaenidae is “for exhibiting considerable variability in feeding strategies within a single subfamily, especially considering the relatively small size of the group” (Boyle et al., 2015).

Genera

Modern authors recognize 17 genera:

• Aloeides <small>Hübner, [1819]</small>
• Aphnaeus <small>Hübner, [1819]</small>
• Argyraspodes <small>Tite & Dickson, 1973</small>
• Axiocerses <small>Hübner, [1819]</small>
• Cesa <small>Seven, 1997</small>
• Chloroselas <small>Butler, [1886]</small>
• Chrysoritis <small>Butler, [1898]</small>
• Cigaritis <small>Donzel, 1847</small>
• Crudaria <small>Wallengren, 1875</small>
• Erikssonia <small>Trimen, 1891</small>
• Lipaphnaeus <small>Aurivillius, 1916</small>
• Phasis <small>Hübner, [1819]</small>
• Pseudaletis <small>Druce, 1888</small>
• Trimenia <small>Tite & Dickson, 1973</small>
• Tylopaedia <small>Tite & Dickson, 1973</small>
• Vansomerenia <small>Heath, 1997</small>
• Zeritis <small>Boisduval, [1836]</small>

References