The Satyrinae, the satyrines or satyrids, commonly known as the browns, are a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classifica ...

of the Nymphalidae (brush-footed

butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises ...

). They were formerly considered a distinct

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

, Satyridae. This group contains nearly half of the known diversity of brush-footed butterflies. The true number of the Satyrinae

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...

is estimated to exceed 2,400.

Overview

They are generally weak fliers and often shun bright sunlight, preferring moist and semishaded habitats. The

caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sy ...

s feed chiefly on

monocotyledon Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, ( Lilianae '' sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. They constitute one ...

ous plants such as palms,

grass Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns a ...

es, and

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...

s. The Morphinae are sometimes united with this group. The taxonomy and

systematics Biological systematics is the study of the diversification of living forms, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees (synonyms: cladograms, phylogenetic t ...

of the subfamily are under heavy revision. Much of the early pioneering work of L. D. Miller has helped significantly by creating some sort of order. '' Dyndirus'' (Capronnier, 1874) is a satyrid '' incertae sedis''. Other than this

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

, according to the latest studies on the classification of Nymphalidae, all satyrines have been assigned to one of the

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confl ...

s, at least preliminarily.Savela, Markku (2007)
Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms: Satyrinae
Version of 2007-MAY-12. Retrieved 2007-MAY-31.) For detailed lists, see the tribe pages.

References

External links

Satyrinae of the Western Palearctic

Tree of Life: Satyrinae

Insect Life Forms - Satyridae

Butterflies and Moths of North America

Butterflies of America
{{Taxonbar, from=Q612468 - Taxa named by Jean Baptiste Boisduval Butterfly subfamilies

Overview

References

Further reading

External links