Lycaenidae

Lycaenidae
	Peablue; Lampides boeticus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Hexapoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Papilionoidea
(unranked):	Rhopalocera
Family:	Lycaenidae

The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide.^[1] They are also called gossamer-winged butterflies.

The family includes many beautiful species. Some, like the Palos Verdes blue, are critically endangered. The Lycaenids were favourites of the Russian novelist and lepidopterist Vladimir Nabokov.

Lycaenidae Media

Brown hairstreak (Thecla betulae)
Loxura atymnus, Yamfly, is a species of Lycaenidae found in Asia.

References

↑ Fiedler, K. 1996. Host-plant relationships of lycaenid butterflies: large-scale patterns, interactions with plant chemistry, and mutualism with ants. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 80(1):259-267 doi:10.1007/BF00194770 [1]^{[dead link]}

[1] Fiedler, K. 1996. Host-plant relationships of lycaenid butterflies: large-scale patterns, interactions with plant chemistry, and mutualism with ants. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 80(1):259-267 doi:10.1007/BF00194770 [1]^{[dead link]}

[1]

Lycaenidae

Peablue Lampides boeticus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Hexapoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Papilionoidea
(unranked):	Rhopalocera
Family:	Lycaenidae