The superfamily Papilionoidea (from the word "papilion", meaning "butterfly") contains all the butterflies except for the skippers, which are classified in superfamily Hesperioidea.

Some authors treat this group as a series Papilioniformes within a single superfamily that also includes the skippers. However not all authors agree that all the butterflies constitute a single monophyletic clade. The skippers are significantly different from the other butterflies. The members of the Papilionoidea may be distinguished by the following combination of characters :-

• the body is smaller and less moth-like.
• the wings are larger.
• the antennae are straight and clubbed (rather than hooked as in the skippers).
• the caterpillars do not spin cocoons to pupate in.
• the pupae are angular rather than rounded.

For more information on butterflies, that is, the organisms proper, please see the article 'Butterfly'.

Families of Papilionoidea

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The families of Papilionoidea are :-

• Swallowtails and Birdwings, Papilionidae
• Whites or Yellow-Whites, Pieridae
• Blues and Coppers or Gossamer-Winged Butterflies, Lycaenidae
• Metalmark butterflies, Riodinidae
• Brush-footed butterflies, Nymphalidae which now contain the following :-
  • the Browns (formerly the family Satyridae).
  • the Danaids (formerly the family Danaidae).
  • the Heliconids (formerly the family Heliconidae).
  • the Amathusiids (formerly the family Amathusiidae).
  • the Snout butterflies (formerly the family Libytheidae).
  • other subfamilies traditionally part of family Nymphalidae.

See also

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• Lepidoptera
• Butterflies
• Hesperioidea

Butterflies | Lepidoptera | Tagfalter | Papilionoidea | Dagsommerfugler