Thyridinae Herrich-Schäffer 1846

Thyridinae 1055 * R Thyris maculata Harris, 1839 T: Covell (1984) L: None C: UASM M Jun – L Jun m – G Section 2. Butterflies The butterflies have received considerable attention because of their conspicuous nature. As a result, they are relatively well known, and a vast literature is available for technical and popular audiences. In North America, very few species remain undescribed. However, uncertainty remains about the status of many taxa; some subspecies may prove to be valid species, and there is considerable debate about the status and composition of several genera. As a result, the accepted scientific names of the taxa listed here vary from one publication to another. Th e higher classification used here is based on Pelham (2008), which is expected to become the standard classification for the forseeable future. The butterflies comprise three superfamilies, the Hesperioidea, the Papilionoidea, and the Hedyloidea, which are phylogenetically embedded within the moths. Approximately 17 500 species are known worldwide; this group is particularly diverse in the tropics. Th e superfamily Hedyloidea occurs only in Central and South America. About 800 species of butterflies are known in North America north of Mexico; 175 species are reported from AB. The butterflies of AB have been treated by Bird et al. (1995) and Layberry et al. (1998). A large number of the taxa listed here were also covered in detail by Guppy and Shepard (2001). Th ese references are not listed in the taxonomy sections for the families or the individual species; all three of them are relevant to almost every species listed, and should be consulted in addition to the other references cited. Hesperioidea