A skipper is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae, and superfamily Hesperioidea (there is only one family in this superfamily). They are named after their quick, darting flight habits. There are more than 3500 recognized species of skippers and they occur worldwide, but with the greatest diversity occurring in the tropical regions of Central and South America.
All butterflies other than skippers are classified into either the superfamily Papilionoidea or the neotropical superfamily Hedyloidea. Collectively, these three groups of butterflies share many characteristics, especially in the egg, larval and pupal stage (Ackery et al. 1999). However, skippers have the antennae clubs hooked backward like a crochet hook, while regular butterflies have club-like tips to their antennae and hedylids have feathered or pectinate antennae, giving them an even more moth-like appearance than skippers. Skippers also have generally stockier bodies than the other two groups, with stronger wing muscles. Hesperioidea is very likely the sister group of Papilionoidea, and together with Hedyloidea constitute a natural group or clade.
There are about 3500 species of skippers. They are usually classified in the following subfamilies:
- Awls, Awlets and Policemen (Subfamily Coeliadinae, about 75 species)
- Grass Skippers (Subfamily Hesperiinae, over 2000 species)
- Skipperlings (Subfamily Heteropterinae, about 150 species)
- Giant Skippers (Subfamily Megathyminae, about 18 species)[1][2]
- Spread-winged Skippers (Subfamily Pyrginae, about 1000 species)
- Firetips (Subfamily Pyrrhopyginae, about 150 species)
- Australian Skippers (Subfamily Trapezitinae, about 60 species)
