Coliadinae, the sulphurs or yellows, are a subfamily of butterflies with about 300 described species.

Coliadinae
Mating dainty sulphurs (Nathalis iole)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pieridae
Subfamily: Coliadinae
Swainson, 1827
Tribes
  • Coliadini
  • Euremini
  • Goniopterygini

and see text

Common emigrant (Catopsilia pomona) in Keesara, Rangareddy district, Andhra Pradesh, India

There are 36 species in North America, where they range from Mexico to northern Canada. In most species, males are easily distinguished from females. For example, in the genera Colias and Gonepteryx), males exhibit brilliant UV reflections that the females lack.[1]

Systematics

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The Coliadinae can be arranged in the three traditional tribes and a basal lineage, with one genus of unclear placement. The taxa—including some selected species—are arranged here in the presumed phylogenetic sequence, from the most ancient lineages to the most modern ones:[2][failed verification]

Basal lineage

Euremini

Goniopterygini

Coliadini

Incertae sedis

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Lim & Li (2005)
  2. ^ Brower (2006)

References

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  • Brower, Andrew V.Z. (2006): Tree of Life Web Project - Coliadinae. Version of November 16, 2006. Retrieved August 7, 2008
  • Lim, M.L.M. & Li, D. (2005): Extreme ultraviolet sexual dimorphism in jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 89(3): 397–406. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.2006.00704.x (HTML abstract)