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 20–25 genera of Melitaeini are divided among five subtribes; some species are also listed. The subtribes, in the presumed phylogenetic sequence, are:
Subtribe Euphydryina
Euphydryas – fritillaries, checkerspots
Subtribe Melitaeina
Melitaea – fritillaries (including Didymaeformis, Mellicta) Subtribe Chlosynina Antillea Higgins, [1959] Atlantea Higgins, [1959] Chlosyne – checkerspots, patches Dymasia Higgins, 1960 Higginsius Hemming, 1964 (tentatively placed here; Gnathotrichina?) Microtia Bates, 1864 Poladryas Bauer, 1975 Texola Higgins, 1959 – checkerspots Texola elada – Elada checkerspot Subtribe Gnathotrichina Gnathotriche C. & R. Felder, 1862
Subtribe Phyciodina
Anthanassa Scudder, 1875 – crescents, crescentspots
Anthanassa ardys – Ardys crescent
Anthanassa frisia – Cuban crescent, Cuban crescentspot
Castilia Higgins, 1981
Dagon Higgins, 1981
Eresia Boisduval, 1836
Janatella Higgins, 1981
Mazia Higgins, 1981
Ortilia Higgins, 1981
Phyciodes – crescents, crescentspots
Phystis Higgins, 1981
Tegosa Higgins, 1981
Tegosa anieta
Telenassa Higgins, 1981
Tisona Higgins, 1981
Footnotes
References
Savela, Markku (2010): Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms – Melitaeini. Version of 30 June 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2011.