| Catagramma | |
|---|---|
| |
| The Hesperis eighty-eight was described as Catagramma hesperis Guerin-Meneville 1844. Once in this genus under its older broad definition, it was later transferred to Callicore | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Tribe: | Callicorini |
| Genus: | Catagramma Boisduval, 1836 |
| Species | |
"Catagramma" is a genus of Neotropical butterflies; the name has a problematic history of differing usage, which especially continues to be used in a broader sense than any modern technical definitions e.g. among butterfly collectors as a form taxon. In that latter broad sense, the various "Catagramma" are popularly known as 88s in reference to patterning on the hindwing undersides which can resemble the number 88. They are medium-sized (around 5 cm (2 in) wingspan) forest dwellers.
A succession of early studies on the genus led to it containing over 100 species, essentially becoming a "wastebin taxon" associated with what became recognized as the tribe Callicorini in 1952. The former "Catagramma" are now divided amongst several closely related genera such as Callicore, Catacore, Diaethria, and Perisama; while others (like Cyclogramma) are not often considered distinct anymore. These genera have been found to be close relatives of Antigonis and Haematera, together group in Callicorini. The potential association of "Catagramma" with another subsequently described genus Paulogramma has been subject to differing opinion (see below).
Jean Baptiste Boisduval lumped this conspicuous group of Callicorini during his epic Lepidoptera reviews from the 1830s to 1850s. In many cases the generic names of previous authors were ignored, creating numerous junior subjective synonyms throughout, but was widely followed by subsequent sources. For example, the influential works by Hewitson (1857-1861)[1] listed many new species under the genus Catagramma Boisduval, 1836, as later did Godman & Salvin (1879-1901)[2] in their Biologia Centrali-Americana, helping establishing it for posterity.