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Table of Contents

Enchanted Learning
ALL ABOUT BUTTERFLIES!

Printables and Activities

What is a Butterfly?

Extremes: Biggest, Smallest, ...

Classification

Butterfly Gardens

CLASSIFICATION OF BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS

Butterflies and moth belong to the order Lepidoptera. Lepidos is Greek for "scales" and ptera means "wing". These scaled wings are different from the wings of any other insects. Lepidoptera is a very large group; there are more types of butterflies and moths than there are of any other type of insects except beetles. It is estimated that there are about 120,000 different species of butterflies and moths (divided in over 135 families).

Kingdom Animalia (animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (arthropods, invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a segmented body, and jointed legs)
Class Insecta (insects, arthropods with 6 legs, 2 antennae, and a 3-part body)
Order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

Suborder Jugatae - primitive Lepidoptera (resembling caddisflies)
Suborder Frenatae - most moths (and most of the lepidoptera)
Suborder Rhopalocera - butterflies and skippers
- Superfamily Hesperioidea
  - Family Hesperiidae - skippers (relatively small, fast-flying species) About 3,000 species worldwide.
    - Megathyminae
    - Coeliadinae
    - Pyrrhopyginae
    - Pyrginae
    - Trapezitinae
    - Heteropterinae
    - Hesperiinae
- Superfamily Papilionoidea - butterflies
  - Family Papilionidae - Swallowtail Butterflies - most species have prominent "tails." About 600 species worldwide.
    - Baroniinae
    - Parnassiinae
    - Papilioninae
  - Family Pieridae - Yellow-White Butterflies. Over 1,000 species worldwide.
    - Pseudopontiinae
    - Dismorphiinae
    - Pierinae
    - Coliadinae
  - Family Lycaenidae - Gossamer-Winged Butterflies (Blues, Hairstreaks and Coppers). The colors and patterns of the sexes frequently differ. Over 5,000 species worldwide.
    - Lipteninae
    - Poritiinae
    - Liphyrinae
    - Miletinae
    - Curetinae
    - Lycaeninae
    - Theclinae
    - Polyommatinae
  - Family Riodinidae - Metalmark Butterflies (sometimes not placed in the Family Lycaenidae). About 1,000 species worldwide.
    - Euselasiinae
    - Riodininae
  - Family Heliconiidae - Tropical butterflies associated with passion vines, like the Zebra longwing
  - Family Libytheidae - Snout Butterflies
  - Family Nymphalidae - Brush-Footed Butterflies. There are about 5,000 species worldwide.
    - Group Nymphalinina
      - Danaidae
      - Ithomiinae
      - Acraeinae
      - Heliconiinae
        Heliconius
        Eueides
        Dryas
        Dryadula
        Philaethria
        Dione
        Agraulis
        Podotricha
        Cethosia - Lacewings
      - Nymphalinae
    - Group Satyrinina
      - Calinaginae
      - Apaturinae
      - Amathusiinae
      - Morphinae
      - Brassolinae
      - Satyrinae

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