Polyommatinae
| Polyommatinae | |
|---|---|
| Polyommatus icarus, in Austria. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Papilionoidea |
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Subfamily: | Polyommatinae Swainson, 1827 |
Polyommatinae, the blues, are a diverse subfamily of gossamer-winged butterflies (family Lycaenidae). This subfamily of butterfly was discovered in 1775. The group takes its name from its type genus Polyommatus; this scientific name means "(one of) many eyes" (poly-+ommatos), referencing the ocelli on their wings. The blues derive their common name from the coloration of males in most species.
These butterflies have been considered one of the poorest studied groups within the family Lycaenida. This subfamily was long used to assign taxa of unclear relationships (incertae sedis), and its contents and phylogeny are still in need of revision.