Nymphalini is a

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

of nymphalid brush-footed

butterflies Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

. Common names include

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

s, anglewings, commas, and

tortoiseshell Tortoiseshell or tortoise shell is a material produced from the shells of the larger species of tortoise and turtle, mainly the hawksbill sea turtle, which is a critically endangered species according to the IUCN Red List largely because of its ...

s, but none of these is specific to one particular

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

. The name anglewing butterflies is an English translation of a Latin term ''papiliones angulati'',

Denis Denis may refer to: People * Saint Denis of Paris, 3rd-century Christian martyr and first bishop of Paris * Denis the Areopagite, Biblical figure * Denis, Bishop of Győr (13th century), Hungarian prelate * Denis, son of Ampud (died 1236), bar ...

& Schiffermüller">Ignaz Schiffermüller">Schiffermüller/nowiki>, ( 775, 1776. Based on an overall similarity in the angulate wing shape, a collective name: ''Papiliones angulati'' was employed for ''Papilio atalanta'', ''P. antiopa'', ''P. cardui'', ''P. c-album'', ''P. io'', ''P. polychloros'', ''P. urticae'', ''P. xanthomelas'', ''P. vaualbum'', ''P. levana'' and ''P. prorsa''. The term ''papiliones angulati'' is applied as a collective taxon name, which therefore needs no type species as specified in Article 42.3.1 of the

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted Convention (norm), convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific name, scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the I ...

. ''Papiliones angulati'' has thus been re-defined to apply only to a

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

: ''Nymphalis

sensu lato ''Sensu'' is a Latin word meaning "in the sense of". It is used in a number of fields including biology, geology, linguistics, semiotics, and law. Commonly it refers to how strictly or loosely an expression is used in describing any particular co ...

'', and to specifically exclude ''Papilio atalanta''

Vanessa Vanessa may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Vanessa'' (Millais painting), an 1868 painting by Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais * ''Vanessa'', a 1933 novel by Hugh Walpole * ''Vanessa'', a 1952 instrumental song written by Bernie W ...

''], ''P. cardui'' [→ ''Cynthia (butterfly), Cynthia''], ''P. levana'', and ''P. prorsa'' [→ ''

Araschnia ''Araschnia'' is a genus of the family Nymphalidae found in the East Palearctic (temperate Asia). The seasonal polyphenism (difference between spring and summer forms) is very marked. Species In alphabetical order:"''Araschnia'' Hübner, [1819&# ...

'']. This Monophyly, monophyletic group of nymphaline butterflies inhabiting the Northern Hemisphere are characterized by a jagged outline of their wings and the ability to survive the winter months as adults in an obligatory hibernal

diapause In animal dormancy, diapause is the delay in development in response to regular and recurring periods of adverse environmental conditions.Tauber, M.J., Tauber, C.A., Masaki, S. (1986) ''Seasonal Adaptations of Insects''. Oxford University Press It ...

, hiding in various shelters (e.g., crevices, hollows, cavities, even unheated buildings). The signature mark of all butterflies is the cryptic colour and maculation (spots) of the ventral (under) side of their wings, serving to conceal the hibernating butterfly against the substrate on which it rests.

Genera

Listed alphabetically:Nymphalini
Tree of LifeTribe Nymphalini
at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' * ''

Aglais ''Aglais'' is a Holarctic genus of Nymphalidae, brush-footed butterflies, containing the tortoiseshells. This genus is sometimes indicated as a subgenus of ''Nymphalis'' or simply being an unnecessary division from the genus ''Nymphalis'',Evans, ...

'' Dalman, 1816 – tortoiseshells * ''

Antanartia ''Antanartia'', commonly called (African) admirals, is a genus in the family Nymphalidae The Nymphalidae are the largest family of butterflies, with more than 6,000 species distributed throughout most of the world. Belonging to the sup ...

'' Rothschild & Jordan, 1903 – African red admirals * ''

'' Hübner, 1819 * ''Hypanartia'' Hübner, 1821 – mapwings * '' Hypanartia">819&# ...

Genera

References