Mechanitis is a genus of butterflies (one of several with a common name of tigerwings) in the tribe Ithomiini.

The genus name Mechanitis (from Ancient Greek: μηχανή mēkhanḗ "machine" + -ῖτις -îtis "one connected to, a member of") was named due to the chysalises some species make, as a reflective chitin coating gives them a metallic appearance.

There are four known species endemic to areas from southern North America to northern South America.

• confused tigerwing - Mechanitis lysimnia (Johan C. Fabricius, 1793)
• Mazaeus tigerwing - Mechanitis mazaeus (William C. Hewitson, 1860)
• variable tigerwing - Mechanitis menapis (William C. Hewitson, 1856)
• disturbed tigerwing - Mechanitis polymnia (Carl Linnaeus, 1758)

A fictional species of butterfly from the SCP Foundation mythos is also placed in Mechanitis.

• SCP-1641 - Mechanitis pyrotechnica (Vincent_Redgrave, 2013)