Gossamer-winged Butterflies of Zihuatanejo

FAMILY LYCAENIDAE

GOSSAMER-WINGED BUTTERFLIES - SUBFAMILIES

• Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

• Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

• Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

• Insects (Class Insecta)

• Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

• Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera)

• Butterflies (Superfamily Papilionoidea)

• Gossamer-winged Butterflies (Family Lycaenidae)

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Family Lycaenidae, commonly known as the gossamer-winged butterflies, is the second-largest family of butterflies within the superfamily Papilionoidea, comprising more than 6,000 species worldwide. Members of this family are generally small, delicate butterflies characterized by brightly coloured wings that often display iridescent shades of blue, copper, purple, or metallic green. The family includes the blues, coppers, hairstreaks, and harvesters.