Order LEPIDOPTERA.
Suborder PAPILIONINA.
Family NYMPHALIDÆ.
Imago Fore wing: submedian, or vein 1, simple, in one subfamily forked near base; median vein with three branches, veins 2, 3 and 4; veins 5 and 6 arising from the points of junction of the discocellulars; subcostal vein and its continuation beyond apex of cell, vein 7, but more often free, i.e. given off by the subcostal vein before apex of cell. Hind wing: internal (1 a) and precostal veins present. Cell in both wings closed or open, often closed in the fore, open in the hind wing. Dorsal margin of hind wing channelled to receive the abdomen in many of the forms. Antennæ always with two grooves on the underside; club variable in shape. Throughout the family the front pair of legs in the ♂, and with three exceptions[1] in the ♀ also, is reduced in size and functionally impotent; in some the atrophy of the fore legs is considerable, e.g. Danainæ and Satyrinæ. In many of the forms of these subfamilies the fore legs are kept pressed against the underside of the thorax, and are in the male often very inconspicuous.
The Indian forms belonging to the Nymphalidæ can be conveniently be arranged under six subfamilies, a key to which is given below.
Key to the Indian Subfamilies of the Nymphalidæ.
| A. | Discoidal cell in both fore and hind wing closed. |
| a. | Vein 1 in fore wing forked at base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
Danainæ. |
- ↑ Libythea, Pseudergolis, and Calinaga.
