Editing Danainae

{{Short description|Subfamily of butterfly family Nymphalidae}}
{{Redirect-distinguish|Danaidae|Danaïdes}}
{{Automatic_taxobox
| image = Dark Blue Tiger (Tirumala septentrionis), Striped Blue Crow (Euploea mulciber), and Common Tiger (Danaus genutia).jpg
| image_caption = Three milkweed butterflies. Clockwise from left: [[dark blue tiger]] (''Tirumala septentrionis''), [[striped blue crow]] (''Euploea mulciber''), and [[Danaus genutia|common tiger]] (''Danaus genutia'')
| taxon = Danainae
| subdivision_ranks = Tribes
| subdivision =
*[[Danaini]]
*[[Tellervini]]
*[[Ithomiini]]
but see text
| synonyms = *Danaidae
}}
[[File:Methona themisto (borboleta-do-manacá).jpg|thumb|''[[Methona themisto]]'', from the tribe [[Ithomiini]]]]

'''Danainae''' is a [[subfamily]] of the family [[Nymphalidae]], the brush-footed butterflies. It includes the Daniadae, or milkweed butterflies, who lay their [[egg (biology)|eggs]] on various [[milkweed]]s on which their [[larva]]e ([[caterpillars]]) feed, as well as the clearwing butterflies ([[Ithomiini]]), and the [[tellervini]].<ref name="TolWeb"/>

Some 300 species of Danainae exist worldwide. Most of the [[Danaini]] are found in tropical Asia and Africa, while the [[Ithomiini]] are diverse in the Neotropics. [[Tellervini]] are restricted to Australia and the Oriental region. Four species are found in North America: the [[monarch butterfly]] (''Danaus plexippus''), the [[Queen (butterfly)|queen]] (''Danaus gilippus''), the [[Lycorea cleobaea|tropical milkweed butterfly]] (''Lycorea cleobaea''), and the [[Soldier (butterfly)|soldier butterfly]] (or "tropic queen", ''Danaus eresimus''). Of these, the monarch is by far the most famous, being one of the most recognizable butterflies in the Americas.

==Taxonomy==
Milkweed butterflies are now classified as the subfamily Danainae within the family Nymphalidae; however, the previous family name Danaidae is still occasionally used.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ackery |first1=P. R. |last2=Vane-Wright |first2=R. I. |date=1984 |title=Milkweed butterflies, their cladistics and biology: being an account of the natural history of the Danainae, subfamily of the Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae |publisher=British Museum (Natural History), London |page=[https://archive.org/details/milkweedbutterfl0000acke/page/17 17] |isbn=0-565-00893-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/milkweedbutterfl0000acke/page/17 }}</ref> The [[fossil]] milkweed butterfly ''[[Archaeolycorea]]'' is known from the [[Oligocene]] or [[Miocene]] [[Tremembé Formation]] of [[Brazil]]. It provides evidence that the present milkweed butterflies originated more than 20–30 million years ago.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}}

==Characteristics==
[[File:Danaus chrysippus male 2 by kadavoor.jpg|thumb|''[[Danaus chrysippus]]'', male with anal hairs]]
Larvae have thoracic [[tubercles]] and use plants within the family [[Apocynaceae]] that often contain latex-like compounds in the stem as hosts. Adults are [[aposematic]] (brightly colored as a warning signal).<ref name="TolWeb">{{cite web|url=http://www.tolweb.org/Danainae|title=Danainae}}</ref>

==Threats==
Numerous [[wasp]]s and [[tachinid flies]] are [[parasitoids]] of milkweed butterfly caterpillars.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Clarke |first= A.R. |author2=Zalucki, M.P. |year=2001 |title= Taeniogonalos raymenti Carmean & Kimsey (Hymenoptera: Trigonalidae) reared as a hyperparasite of Sturmia convergens (Weidemann) (Diptera: Tachinidae), a primary parasite of Danaus plexippus (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) |journal=Pan-Pacific Entomologist |volume=77 |issue=? |pages=68–70}}</ref>

The extensive modification of landscapes in the United States and [[Canada]], large-scale use of pesticides, and increased deforestation in [[Mexico]] threaten the [[Lepidoptera migration|migratory]] monarch butterfly.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web | title=Monarch Butterfly | publisher=[[National Wildlife Federation]] | url=http://www.nwf.org/Pollinators/Monarch.aspx | access-date=12 February 2015 | archive-date=2 May 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160502003318/http://www.nwf.org/Pollinators/Monarch.aspx | url-status=dead }}</ref>

Loss of native plants, such as [[milkweed]] species, contributes to the declined population of the migratory monarch butterfly.<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Ackery, P. R. & Vane-Wright, R. I. 1984. ''Milkweed butterflies, their cladistics and biology, being an account of the natural history of the Danainae, a subfamily of the Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae''. ix+425 pp.&nbsp;London.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Danainae}}
* [http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/papilionoidea/nymphalidae/danainae/ "Danainae Boisduval, [1833&#93;"] at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms''

{{Taxonbar|from=Q427688}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Milkweed Butterfly}}
[[Category:Danainae| ]]
[[Category:Nymphalidae|-]]
[[Category:Butterfly subfamilies]]