Skipper (butterfly)
| Skipper | |
|---|---|
| Ochlodes sylvanus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Papilionoidea |
| Family: | Latreille, 1809[1] |
| Type species | |
| Hesperia comma Linnaeus, 1758
| |
| Diversity | |
| 12 subfamilies, about 550 genera | |
Skippers are a group of butterflies placed in the family Hesperiidae within the order Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies). They were previously placed in a separate superfamily, Hesperioidea, but have since been placed in the superfamily Papilionoidea (the butterflies).[1] They are named for their quick, darting flight habits. Most have their antenna tips modified into narrow, hook-like projections. Moreover, skippers mostly lack wing-coupling structure available in most moths.[2] More than 3500 species of skippers are recognized, and they occur worldwide, but with the greatest diversity in the Neotropical regions of Central and South America.[3]
- ^ a b "Family HESPERIIDAE Latreille, 1809". Australian Biological Resources Study. Archived from the original on 6 November 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
- ^ "Skipper | lepidopteran family". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
- ^ Ackery et al. (1999)