Families

The taxonomy tree of the animal kingdom consists of many branches. One of the main branches of that tree is a group of multicellular organisms. The Lepidoptera is a group of insects, including the butterflies, which is a side branch of that main branch. The branches of this tree run from the order (exit ~ cera) by the sub-order (exit ~ eura) and then the superfamily (exit ~ idea) to the family (exit ~ idae).

Each family has several subfamilies (ending ~ inae) which can have multiple tribes (ending ~ ini), sometimes also a subtribe (ending ~ina), and each tribe has 1 or more genera, sometimes subgenera, so that you arrive at the final species. Sometimes, there are no tribes, and the genera fall directly under the subfamily. The classification of subfamilies and tribes is not always consistent. My starting point is the database of the US government’s National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).

The families and subfamilies are described per category (butterflies, macro-moths, and micro-moths). The link refers to the related page for each (sub)family where a species was spotted and described.

Butterflies
FamilySubfamily
Hesperiidae (Skippers)Coeliadinae (Policemen)
Eudaminae (Dicot Skippers)
Hesperiinae (Grass Skippers)
Heteropterinae (Skipperlings)
Malazinae
Megathyminae (Giant Skippers)
Pyrginae (Spread-wing Skippers)
Pyrrhopyginae (Firetips)
Trapezitinae (Australian Skippers)
Lycaenidae (Gossamer-wings)Aphaneinae
Curetinae
Lycaeninae (Coppers)
Miletinae (Harvesters)
Polyommatinae(Blues)
Poritiinae
Theclinae(Hairstreak Butterflies)
Nymphalidae (Brushfoots)Apaturinae (Emperor Butterflies)
Biblidinae (Tropical Brushfoots)
Calinaginae
Charaxinae (Leafwings)
Cyrestinae (Daggerwings)
Danainae (Milkweed Butterflies)
Heliconiinae (Longwings, Fritillaries & Silverspots)
Libytheinae (Snout Butterflies)
Limenitidinae (Admirals)
Nymphalinae (Tortoiseshells, Admirals & Commas)
Satyrinae (Graylings, Ringlets, Brown & Heaths)
Papilionidae (Swallowtail Butterflies)Baroniinae
Papilioninae (Swallowtails)
Parnassiinae (Apollo Butterflies)
Pieridae (White, Yellow & Sulphur Butterflies)Coliadinae (Sulphurs & Yellows)
Dismorphiinae (Mimic Sulphurs)
Pierinae (Whites)
Pseudopontiinae
Riodinidae (Metalmark Butterflies)Nemeobiinae
Riodininae

Macro-moths
FamilieOnderfamilie
Aididae
Anomoeotidae
Anomosetidae
Anthalidae (Australian Lappet Moths)Anthelinae
Munychryiinae
Apatelodidae (American Silkworm Moths)Apatelodinae
Bombycidae (Silkworm Moths)Bombycinae
Epiinae
Oberthuerinae
BrachodidaeBrachodinae
Phycodinae
Brahmacidae (Brahmin Moths)
Carthaeidae (Australian Silkworm Moths)
Cossidae (Carpenter Moths)Chilecomadiinae
Cossinae
Cossulinae
Hypoptinae
Mehariinae
Metarbelinae
Zeuzerinae
Cyclotornidae
Dalceridae
Doidae (Doid Moths)
Drepanidae (Hook-tip Moths)Cyclidiinae
Drepaninae
Oretinae
Thyatirinae
Dudgeoneidae
Endromidae (Glory Moths)
Epicopeiidae (Oriental Swallowtail Moths)
Epipyropidae
Erebidae (Erebid Moths)Aganainae
Anobinae
Arctiinae (Tiger Moths)
Boletobiinae (Beautiful Hooktips)
Calpinae
Erebinae (Red Underwings)
Eulepidotinae
Herminiinae (Fan-foot Moths)
Hypeninae (Snout Moths)
Hypenodinae
Hypocalinae
Scolecocampinae
Scoliopteryginae (Herald Moths)
Toxocampinae (Blackneck Moths)
Eupterotidae (Giant Lappet Moths)Eupterotinae
Janinae
Panacelinae
Striphnopteryginae
Euteliidae (Euteliid Moths)Euteliinae
Stictopterinae
Geometridae (Geometer Moths)Alsophilinae (Alsophiline Moths)
Archiearinae
Desmobathrinae
Ennominae (Ennomines)
Geometrinae (Geometrines)
Larentiinae (Larentiines)
Oenochrominae
Orthostixinae
Sterrhinae (Sterrhines)
Hepialidae (Ghost Moths)
Heterogynidae (Mediterranean Burnet Moths)
Himantopteridae (Long-tailed Burnet Moths)
Lacturidae (Tropical Burnet Moths)
Lasiocampidae (Lappet Moths)Chionopsychinae
Gastropachinae
Lasiocampinae
Macromphaliinae
Pinarinae
Poecilocampinae
Lemoniidae (Autumn Silkworm Moths)
Limacodidae (Slug Caterpillar Moths)
Lymantriidae (Tussock Moths)
Megalopygidae (Flannel Moths)
Micronoctuidae
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)Acontiinae
Acronictinae
Aediinae
Agaristinae
Amphipyrinae
Bagisarinae
Bryophilinae
Catocalinae
Cocytiinae
Condicinae
Cuculliinae
Dilobinae
Eriopinae
Eublemminae
Eustrotiinae
Hadeninae
Heliothinae
Ipimorphinae
Metopiinae
Noctuinae
Oncocnemidinae
Ophiderinae
Pantheinae
Phytometrinae
Plusiinae
Psaphidinae
Stiriinae
Strepsimaninae
Thiacidinae
Xyleninae
Nolidae (Tuft Moths)Bleninae
Chloephorinae
Collomeninae
Eariadinae
Eligminae
Nolinae
Risobinae
Westermanniinae
Notodontidae (Prominent Moths)Biretinae
Ceirinae
Cerurinae
Dicranurinae
Dioptinae
Dudusinae
Hemiceratinae
Heterocampinae
Notodontinae
Nystaleinae
Phalerinae
Platychasmatinae
Ptilodontinae
Pygaerinae
Rifargiriinae
Stauropinae
Thaumetopoeinae
Oenosandridae
Palaeosetidae
Pantheidae
Phiditiidae
Prototheoridae
Pseudobistonidae
Saturniidae (Emperor Moths)Agliinae
Arsenurinae
Bunaeinae
Ceratocampinae
Cercophaninae
Hemileucinae
Oxyteninae (Tropical American Silkworm Moths)
Salassinae
Saturniinae
Sematuridae (American Swallowtail Moths)
Sessiidae (Clearwing Moths)Sesiinae
Tinthiinae
Somabrachyidae (Mediterranean Flannel Moths)
Sphingidae (Hawkmoths)Macroglossinae
Smerenthinae
Sphinginae (Small-eyed Sphinx Moth)
Thyrididae (Picture-winged Leaf Moths)Siculodinae
Striglininae
Thyridinae
Uraniidae (Swallowtail Moths)Auzeinae
Epipleminae
Microniinae
Uraniinae
Zygaenidae (Burnets)Callizygaeninae
Chalcosiinae
Phaudinae
Procridinae
Zygaeninae

Micro-moths
FamilySubfamily
Acanthopteroctetidae (Archaic Sun Moths)
Acrolophidae
Adelidae (Fairy Moths)
Agonoxinidea (Palm Moths)Agonoxeninae
Alucitidae (Many-plume Moths)
AmphisbatidaeAmphisbatinae
Argyresthiidae (Shiny-head Standing Moths)
Arrhenophanidae
Attevidae
Autostichidae (Autostichid Moths)Autostichinae
Deocloninae
Holcopogoninae
Symmocinae
Batrachedridae (Batrachedrid Moths)Batrachedrinae
Bedelliidae (Bedelliid Moths)
Blastobasidae (Scavenger Moths)
Bucculatricidae
Carposinidae (Fruitworm Moths)
Castniidae (Castniid Moths)Castniinae
Synemoninae
Cecidosidae (Gall Moths)
Choreutidae (Choreuitid Moths)Brenthiinae
Choreutinae
Millierinae
Coleophoridae (Casebearer Moths)
Copromorphidae (Tropical Fruitworm Moths)
Cosmopterigidae (Cosmet Moths)Antequerinae
Chrysopeleiinae
Cosmopteriginae
Scaeosophinae
Crambidae (Grass Moths)Acentropinae
Crambinae
Cybalomiinae
Evergestinae
Glaphyriinae
Heliothelinae
Linostinae
Midilinae
Musotiminae
Noordinae
Odontiinae
Pyraustinae
Schoenobiinae
Scopariinae
Spilomelinae
Wurthiinae
Crinopterygidae
Deoclonidae
Depressariidae (Flat-bodies)Depressariinae
Deuterogoniidae
Douglasiidae
Dryadaulidae
Elechistidae (Grass Miner Moths)Aelanthinae
Elachistinae
Ethmiinae
Parametriotinae
Stenomatinae
Epermeniidae (Epermeniid Moths)
Epimarptidae
Eriocottidae
Eriocraniidae (Eriocraniid Moths)
Galacticidae (Galacticid Moths)
Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)Anancampsinae
Anomologinae
Apatetrine
Brachmiinae
Chelariinae
Dichromeridinae
Gelechiinae
Physoptilinae
Thiotrichinae
Glyphidoceridae (Glyphidocerid Moths)
Glyphipterigidae (Sedge Moths)
Gracillariidae (Leaf Blotch Miner Moths)Acrocercopinae
Gracillariinae
Lithocolletinae
Marmarinae
Oecophyllembiinae
Ornixolinae
Parornichinae
Phyllocnistinae
Heliodinidae (Heliodinid Moths)
Heliozelidae
Hyblaeidae
Incurvariidae (Leafcutter Moths)
Lecithoceridae (Long-horned Moths)Ceuthomadarinae
Lecithocerinae
Oditinae
Torodorinae
Lyonetiidae (Lyonetiid Moths)
Lypusidae (Curved-horn Moths)
Meessiidae
Momphidae (Mompha Moths)
Nepticulidae (Minute Leaf Miner Moths)Nepticulinae
Pectinivalvinae
Oecophoridae (Concealer Moths)Chimabachinae
Hypertrophinae
Oecophorinae
Opostegidae (White Cap-eye Moths)
Peleopodidae (Peleopodid Moths)
Plutellidae (Diamondback Moths)
Praydidae (Praydid Moths)
Prodoxidae (Yucca Moths)
Psychidae (Bagworm Moths)Arrhenophaninae
Epichnopteriginae
Lypusinae
Metisinae
Naryciinae
Oiketicinae
Placodominae
Pseudarbelinae
Psychinae
Scoriodytinae
Taleporiinae
Typhoniinae
Pterolonchidae (Plume Moths)
Pterophoridae (Plume Moths)Agdistinae
Deuterocopinae
Macropiratinae
Platyptiliinae
Pterophorinae
Pyralidae (Snout Moths)Chrysauginae
Epipaschiinae
Galleriinae
Odontinae
Phycitinae
Pyralinae
Roeslerstammiidae
Schreckensteiniidae (Bristle-legged Moths)
Scythrididae (Scythridid Moths)
Scythropiidae
Stathmopodidae (Stathmopodid Moths)
Tineidae (Clothes Moths)Erechthiinae
Euplocaminae
Hapsiferinae
Harmacloninae
Hieroxestinae
Myrmecozelinae
Nemapogoninae
Perissomasticinae
Scardiinae
Setomorphinae
Siloscinae
Teichobiinae
Tineinae
Tineodidae (False Plume Moths)
Tischeriidae (Tischeriid Moths)
Tortricidae (Leaf-roller Moths)Chlidanotinae
Cnephasiinae
Olethreutinae
Sparganothinae
Tortricinae
Urodidae (False Burnet Moths)
Xyloryctidae (Flower Moths)
Yponomeutidae (Ermine Moths)Saridoscelinae
Yponomeutinae
Ypsolophidae (Ypsolophid Moths)