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.