The superfamily Papilionoidea (from the genus Papilio, meaning "butterfly") contains all the butterflies except for the skippers, which are classified in superfamily Hesperioidea, and the moth-like Hedyloidea.
A proposed phylogenetic position of the Papilionoidea is as follows:
Rhopalocera |
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Some authors treat this group as a series Papilioniformes within a single superfamily that also includes the skippers. However not all authors agree that all the butterflies constitute a single clade. The skippers are significantly different from the other butterflies. The members of the Papilionoidea may be distinguished by the following combination of characters:
- the body is smaller and less moth-like.
- the wings are larger.
- the antennae are straight and clubbed (rather than hooked as in the skippers).
- the caterpillars do not spin cocoons to pupate in.
- the pupae are angular rather than rounded.
Read more about Papilionoidea: Families of Papilionoidea