Taenaris

Taenaris
Taenaris artemis
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Tribe: Amathusiini
Genus: Taenaris
Hübner, 1819
Type species
Papilio urania
Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
  • Hiades Guérin-Ménéville, 1838
  • Hyades Boisduval, 1832
  • Tenaris Hübner, 1819
  • Drusilla Swainson, 1820
  • Morphotenaris Fruhstorfer, 1893
  • Elymniotenaris Fruhstorfer, 1911

Taenaris is a genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Amathusiinae, that distributed throughout Australasia with a majority of species being located on the island of New Guinea. They are commonly known as the owl butterflies.

Taenaris are showy medium to large butterflies with predominantly white wings often featuring extensive patches of black, gray, or tan coloration. They are best known for their rounded hindwings which feature well developed eyespots, most of which are yellow in color with blue-black "pupils". Due to their larval diet consisting of toxic cycasin-rich foodplants, many members of genus are involved within Müllerian mimicry complexes.