The
Heliconiinae, commonly called
heliconians or
longwings, are a
subfamily of the
brush-footed butterflies (
family Nymphalidae). They can be divided into 45–50
genera and were sometimes treated as a separate family
Heliconiidae within the
Papilionoidea. The colouration is predominantly reddish and black, and though of varying wing shape, the forewings are always elongated tipwards, hence the common name.