Comparison of Butterflies and Moths - Taxonomy

Taxonomy

Rhopalocera and Heterocera are non-standard divisions in the taxonomy of Lepidopterans, used in an attempt to formalize the popular distinction between butterflies and moths.

This nomenclature is not scientifically accepted because while the butterflies form a monophyletic group, the moths, which comprise the rest of the Lepidoptera, do not.

Many attempts have been made to group the superfamilies of the Lepidoptera into natural groups, most of which fail because one of the two groups is not monophyletic: Microlepidotera and Macrolepidoptera, Heterocera and Rhopalocera, Jugatae and Frenatae, Monotrysia and Ditrysia.

Although the rules for distinguishing these groups are not completely hard and fast, one very good guiding principle is that butterflies have thin antennae and (with one exception) have small balls or clubs at the end of their antennae. Moth antennae can be quite varied in appearance, but in particular lack the club end. The divisions are named by this principle: "club-antennae" (Rhopalocera) or "varied-antennae" (Heterocera).

The following families of Lepidoptera are usually considered as butterflies:

• 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 contain the following 13 subfamilies:
  • the snout butterflies or Libytheinae (formerly the family Libytheidae).
  • the Danaids or Danainae (formerly the family Danaidae).
  • the Tellervinae.
  • the glasswings or Ithomiinae.
  • the Calinaginae.
  • the morphos and owls or Morphinae (including the owls as tribe Brassolini).
  • the Browns or Satyrinae (formerly the family Satyridae).
  • the Charaxinae (preponas and leaf butterflies).
  • the Biblidinae.
  • the Apaturinae.
  • the nymphs or Nymphalinae.
  • the Limenitidinae (especially the adelphas) (formerly the family Limenitididae).
  • the tropical longwings or Heliconiinae.

The family Hesperiidae, or the Skippers, often considered as butterflies, have significant morphological differences from butterflies and moths.

The other families of the Lepidoptera are considered to be moths.