''Nymphalis'', commonly known as the tortoiseshells or anglewing butterflies, is a

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 ...

of 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 ...

. The genera ''

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, ...

'', ''

Inachis ''Aglais io'', the European peacock, or the peacock butterfly, is a colourful butterfly, found in Europe and temperate Asia as far east as Japan. The peacock butterfly is resident in much of its range, often wintering in buildings or trees. It th ...

'', ''

Polygonia ''Polygonia'' (from Greek language, Greek πολύς - ''polys'', "many" and γωνία - ''gōnia'', "angle") is a genus of butterflies with a conspicuous white mark on the underside of each hindwing, hence the common name comma. They also have ...

'' and '' Kaniska'', were sometimes included as subgenera of ''Nymphalis''"''Nymphalis'' Kluk, 1780"
at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' but they may instead be treated as distinct genera. See also anglewing butterflies. For other butterflies named tortoiseshells, see the genus ''

''. The name ''Nymphalis'', established by

Jan Krzysztof Kluk Jan Krzysztof Kluk (September 13, 1739 – July 2, 1796) was a Polish naturalist agronomist and entomologist. He was the son of Jan Krzysztof Adrian and Marianna Elżbieta. His father, an impoverished nobleman, was a building contractor and ...

in 1780, is the oldest name among the generic names for a relatively small group of butterflies collectively known as anglewing butterflies. In zoological nomenclature, the oldest name has a priority over other names. The collective name anglewing butterflies is derived from a Latinised term ''Papiliones angulati''. This name was probably used for the first time by

Ignaz Schiffermüller Jeremias "Johann" Ignaz Schiffermüller (; 2 November 1727 – 21 June 1806) was an Austrian naturalist and Jesuit teacher who took a special interest in the Lepidoptera. In order to describe the colours of butterflies, he also looked for a syste ...

in 1775–1776. The anglewing butterflies as a group are characterized by a cryptic silhouette and by the colouration and pattern on the ventral side of both wings. This signature mark is an important taxonomic characteristic as well as a significant evolutionary adaptation. During winter months, in latitudes with snow cover, all members of this group hibernate as adult butterflies.Scott, J. A. (1999)
Hibernal diapause of North American Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea.
''Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera'' 18(3):171-200. During hibernation, hidden in various shelters, the butterflies are dormant. The camouflage provided by

crypsis In ecology, crypsis is the ability of an animal or a plant to avoid observation or detection by other animals. It may be part of a predation strategy or an antipredator adaptation. Methods include camouflage, nocturnality, subterranean life ...

is advantageous to hibernating butterflies. Potential predators will have difficulties in seeing the dormant butterflies. With their wings closed, exposing only the ventral cryptically coloured underside, they blend in with their surroundings. Today, the anglewing butterflies are found only in the northern hemisphere.

Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

described the first members of this group in 1758, and it has since become clear that anglewing butterflies evolved from a common ancestor. The most recent studies include Nylin et al., 2001; Wahlberg & Nylin, 2003; Wahlberg et al. 2011, 2009, 2005. The sister group of ''Nymphalis'' is ''

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 ...

''.

Species

Listed alphabetically: *''

Nymphalis antiopa ''Nymphalis antiopa'', known as the mourning cloak in North America and the Camberwell beauty in Britain, is a large butterfly native to Eurasia and North America. The immature form of this species is sometimes known as the spiny elm caterpillar. ...

'' (

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the starting point of modern zoologic ...

) – mourning cloak or Camberwell beauty *'' Nymphalis californica'' ( Boisduval, 1852) – California tortoiseshell *'' Nymphalis cyanomelas'' (

Doubleday Doubleday may refer to: * Doubleday (surname), including a list of people with the name Publishing imprints * Doubleday (publisher), imprint of Knopf Doubleday, a subsidiary of Penguin Random House * Doubleday Canada, imprint of Penguin Random ...

848 __NOTOC__ Year 848 ( DCCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Bordeaux, capital of Aquitaine, falls into the hands of Viking raiders. King Charles the Bald sends a ...

– Mexican tortoiseshell *''

Nymphalis polychloros The large tortoiseshell or blackleg tortoiseshell (''Nymphalis polychloros'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Subspecies Subspecies include: * ''Nymphalis polychloros polychloros'' * ''Nymphalis polychloros erythromelas'' (Austaut, 18 ...

'' (

) – large tortoiseshell or blackleg tortoiseshell *''

Nymphalis vaualbum ''Nymphalis vaualbum'' or ''N. l-album'', the Compton tortoiseshell, or false comma, is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. An assertion that the name ''Nymphalis l-album'' is in fact the correct name over the widely used ''Nympha ...

'' (

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, 1775) – Compton tortoiseshell or false comma *''

Nymphalis xanthomelas ''Nymphalis xanthomelas'', the scarce tortoiseshell, is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in eastern Europe and Asia. This butterfly is also referred as yellow-legged tortoiseshell or large tortoiseshell (however, in Europe, "large tortoise ...

'' ( Esper, 1781) – scarce tortoiseshell or yellow-legged tortoiseshell

Images of species

File:TF Wildpark Johannismuehle 03-14 img08.jpg, Mourning cloak, ''

'' File:Nymphalis californica.jpg, California tortoiseshell, '' Nymphalis californica'' File:Nymphalis polychloros.jpg, Large tortoiseshell, ''

'' File:Compton Tortoiseshell.jpg, Compton tortoiseshell, ''

'' File:Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis xanthomelas) I IMG 7043.jpg, Scarce tortoiseshell, ''

References

{{Authority control Nymphalidae genera Taxa named by Jan Krzysztof Kluk