The Aphnaeinae are a subfamily of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae.
Systematics Until recently, this taxon used to be considered a tribe (called Aphnaeini) within the subfamily Theclinae.
History The Aphnaeinae is known as a Afrotropical and Oriental species that comes from a subfamily of 278 described species. What makes them distinct is that they have ants that work mutualistic with this organism for the reason that ants defend the larvae from predators and the larvae give production of high nutrients to the ants. What makes Aphnaeinae to stand out among the Lycaenidae is “for exhibiting considerable variability in feeding strategies within a single subfamily, especially considering the relatively small size of the group” (Boyle et al., 2015).
Genera Modern authors recognize 17 genera:, 2015. Phylogeny of the Aphnaeinae: myrmecophilous African butterflies with carnivorous and herbivorous life histories. Systematic entomology 40(1): 169–182. Aloeides Hübner, Aphnaeus Hübner, Argyraspodes Tite & Dickson, 1973 Axiocerses Hübner, Cesa Seven, 1997 Chloroselas Butler, Chrysoritis Butler, Cigaritis Donzel, 1847 Crudaria Wallengren, 1875 Erikssonia Trimen, 1891 Lipaphnaeus Aurivillius, 1916 Phasis Hübner, Pseudaletis Druce, 1888 Trimenia Tite & Dickson, 1973 Tylopaedia Tite & Dickson, 1973 Vansomerenia Heath, 1997 Zeritis Boisduval,
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