Melitaeini are a group of brush-footed butterflies. Usually classified as a tribe of the Nymphalinae, they are sometimes raised to subfamily status as Melitaeinae. Common names include the highly ambiguous fritillaries (also used for some Heliconiinae), checkerspots, crescents, or crescentspots, and some genus-specific names.
Genera
The 20âÂÂ25 genera of Melitaeini are divided among five subtribes; some species are also listed. The subtribes, in the presumed phylogenetic sequence, are:
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Subtribe Euphydryina
Subtribe Melitaeina
- Melitaea – fritillaries (including Didymaeformis, Mellicta)
Subtribe Chlosynina
- Antillea <small>Higgins, [1959]</small>
- Atlantea <small>Higgins, [1959]</small>
- Chlosyne – checkerspots, patches
- Dymasia <small>Higgins, 1960</small>
- Higginsius <small>Hemming, 1964</small> (tentatively placed here; Gnathotrichina?)
- Microtia <small>Bates, 1864</small>
- Poladryas <small>Bauer, 1975</small>
- Texola <small>Higgins, 1959</small> – checkerspots
- Texola elada – Elada checkerspot
Subtribe Gnathotrichina
Subtribe Phyciodina
- Anthanassa <small>Scudder, 1875</small> – crescents, crescentspots
- Anthanassa ardys – Ardys crescent
- Anthanassa frisia – Cuban crescent, Cuban crescentspot
- Castilia <small>Higgins, 1981</small>
- Dagon <small>Higgins, 1981</small>
- Eresia <small>Boisduval, 1836</small>
- Janatella <small>Higgins, 1981</small>
- Mazia <small>Higgins, 1981</small>
- Ortilia <small>Higgins, 1981</small>
- Phyciodes – crescents, crescentspots
- Phystis <small>Higgins, 1981</small>
- Tegosa <small>Higgins, 1981</small>
- Tegosa anieta
- Telenassa <small>Higgins, 1981</small>
- Tisona <small>Higgins, 1981</small>
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Footnotes
References
- Savela, Markku (2010): Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms – Melitaeini. Version of 30 June 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2011.