Definitions for "Nymphalidae"
A natural family of large beautifully colored butterflies, called also the brush-footed butterflies; formerly called Nymphales.
The Nymphalidae family is one of the largest with over several thousand species represented all over the world. The smallest species have a 25mm wingspan while the largest in this family having a wingspan of up to 130mm. The extensive range of brilliant colours, wing shapes and patterns that can be found in this family are impressive. Their eggs come in a variety of shapes but generally they are wider than they are higher. The surface is generally ribbed and sometimes is extended into points.
Nymphalidae is a huge family of butterflies, containing over 5,000 species divided into many subfamilies (including Satyridae, Danaidae, Heliconiidae, and Libytheidae). Butterflies in this family have an under-developed pair of front legs. In the males, there is often a tufted scale sac on these front legs, giving these butterflies the nickname "brush-footed butterflies." This family includes emperors, monarchs, admirals, fritillaries, morphos, and others. Zoom Butterfly Butterfly Glossary X-Z Click on an underlined word for more information on that subject. If the butterfly term you are looking for is not in the dictionary, please e-mail us. Enchanted Learning® Over 20,000 Web Pages. Sample Pages for Prospective Subscribers