The Acraeini tribe is a small family of tropical butterflies that is currently classified within the subfamily Heliconiinae of the family Nymphalidae (tetrapod butterflies—with reduced first pair of legs). It is found in sub-Saharan Africa, extending into Yemen and Saudi Arabia; tropical Asia from southern China, through India to Indonesia and Vietnam; and Oceania, with one species found in Australia and certain Pacific islands (Samoa, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia), and Central and South America. This website focuses solely on African species (including those of the Arabian Peninsula), which constitute the largest group (246 species as of March 20, 2026).

Through this site, the author aims to raise awareness of this often-overlooked family of butterflies (known as “spotted butterflies” in English-speaking countries), whose species are not always easily distinguishable at first glance. To facilitate identification for those interested in this group, the site features numerous photographs for each described species (as many as possible, since some species are known only from type specimens). The main section of the site (Description) lists all the names given by describers from 1758 (10th edition of Linnaeus’s “Systema Naturae”) to the present day. Each description is associated with a species and a subspecies, many of which are simply variants, aberrations, or synonyms.

To limit your search to descriptions of a specific species or subspecies, author, or year, simply type the name you’re looking for into the filter field at the top of each column (and click the “filter” button). Similarly, typing “per” in the filter field of the “Description” column displays all descriptions beginning with “per”: percussa, perenna, etc. Typing “Linnaeus” in the “Authors” filter field displays the list of Linnaeus’s descriptions.
For each description, clicking the “View” link provides access to detailed data, and the “Virtual Collection” link allows you to view the original description (when it has been located and digitized—the site is currently under development in this regard), a general distribution map of Africa based on the author’s field records, museum data, and, as far as possible, the literature, as well as a series of photographs of collection specimens, front and back.

By surveying parks, forest reserves, and primary mountain forests across all African countries—with the assistance of forestry and environmental protection agencies, and often as part of protected area development projects—the author studies the biology and distribution of these species. Knowledge of the form of chrysalises, caterpillars, egg-laying sites, host plants, and habitats used helps confirm the status of the described species and refine their classification. Studying museum specimens does not always allow for a definitive determination of whether a form represents a species, a subspecies, or a mere variant; field studies provide a clearer picture of the species’ actual status. The “Biology” link provides access to photographs taken by the author in the field.