Microlepidoptera

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Some typical microlepidoptera
Some typical microlepidoptera

Microlepidoptera is an artificial (i.e., unranked and not monophyletic) grouping of moth families, commonly known as the 'smaller moths' (Micro, lepidoptera). Efforts to stabilize the term have usually proven inadequate. Vernacular usage divides the lepidoptera simply into smaller and larger or into more-primitive and less-primitive groups: Microlepidoptera and Macrolepidoptera respectively. Intuitively, the "micros" are any lepidopteran not currently placed in the Macrolepidoptera. This paraphyletic assemblage however includes also the superfamilies Zygaenoidea, Sesioidea and Cossoidea that would in common parlance normally be lumped with the "macros". Sometimes what may be referred to is a more restricted group, the non-ditrysian moths, but not even all of these are small. For example, the Hepialidae or "swift moths" (up to 25 cm. wingspan) fall quite basally in the lepidopteran "tree of life". The recently discovered primitive superfamily Andesianoidea is another case in point: lurking within the Cossidae until 2001, these moths have up to an order of magnitude greater wingspan (5.5. cm.) than most previously known monotrysian "micros". Whilst the smaller moths are usually also more seldom noticed, a more expansive "non-macrolepidopteran" concept of the Microlepidoptera would include about 37 out of the approximately 47 superfamilies. Whilst usually less popular, micros are thus more important in the sense that they include a much wider span of the Tree of Life (i.e., phylogenetic diversity). Whereas they include no butterflies, micros do also include a surprising number of dayflying groups, and the advent of online identification resources in many countries (e.g. "UK moths")[1] combined with the widespread use of digital macrophotography is making them much easier to identify,

[edit] Life style

Microlepidoptera can be found in a broad variety of habitats and ecological niches worldwide, both terrestrial and freshwater aquatic (e.g. Acentropinae). They have a wide variety of feeding habits in both larval and adult life stages. Caterpillars feed a wide variety of plant tissue and across a wide spectrum of plant groups from liverworts to angiosperms. They are either external feeders ("exophagous") or more usually feed internally ("endophagous"), typically as miners or tunnellers, but some feed on fungi, scavenge on dead animals, even live snails (Hyposmocoma molluscivora) are parasitoids usually of other insects (some Zygaenoidea) or are detritivores. Adult moths feed with mandibles on spores and pollen (Micropterigidae) on dew (e.g. Eriocraniidae), with their proboscises on nectar (many groups e.g. Choreutidae) or are simply non-feeding with mouthparts reduced or absent. Many smaller moths are considered economic pests, causing damage to plants as well as fabrics and other man-made goods. Commonly noticed "micros" include the plume moth and the clothes moth.

[edit] Main groups

The list below is ordered initially in approximate order of species diversity and ecological abundance. The first four superfamilies listed here may comprise 90% of species in a sample of smaller moths and the listed characters may be of some assistance to sort these out, particularly the form of the labial palp and scaling of the proboscis (Robinson et al. 2001)

1. Curved horn moths, twirler moths, case-bearers and allies. 16,250 spp.

2. Pyralids, snout moths and grass moths. 16,000 spp.

  • Pyraloidea Head rough-scaled, proboscis scaled, tympanal organs on abdomen; labial palps usually not recurved, terminal segment usually blunt. Hindwing veins ("Sc" + "R1") and "Rs" are close or fused in the middle of the wing; resting posture usually either with wings tightly rolled or and held quite flat to surface in triangular shape and with labial palps often projecting forward, giving Concorde-like appearance; antennae often swept back parallel together over body

3. Tortrix moths, leaf-roller moths, bell moths, codling moths and allies. 6,200 spp.

  • Tortricidae Head rough-scaled, labial palps with short blunt apical segment, basal half of proboscis not scaled; wings held over back in tent-like or flattened position; forewing costa often quite strongly convex or sinuate in many Tortricinae giving bell-like shape

4. Clothes moths, bagworms and allies. 4,200 spp.

  • Tineoidea Head often with tufty erect scales; labial palps usually have bristles on middle segment and terminal segment is long; wings usually held over back in tent-like position and head close to surface; tineids often run fast

5,6. Leaf miner moths. 3,200 spp.

7. Ermine moths, webworm moths, yucca moths and allies. 1,500 spp.

8,9. Plume moths. 1,160 spp.

10. Tropical leaf moths or picture-winged moths. >1000 spp.

Small mainly dayflying moths:

11. Fairy moths, longhorn moths and allies. 600 spp.

12. Metalmark moths. 402 spp.

13. Mandibulate archaic moths. 180 spp.

14. Sparkling archaic sun moths or spring jewel moths. 24 spp.

Superfamilies less likely to be encountered:

15. Tropical fruitworm moths. 318 spp.

16. Fringe tufted moths. 83 spp.

17. Blackberry leaf skeletonizer and allies. 8 spp.

18. Immid moths. 250 spp.

19. False burnet moths. 60 spp.

20. Tropical teak moths. 20 spp.

21. Whalley's Malagasy moths. 2 spp.

More rarely encountered "primitive" families:

22. Kauri pine moths. 2 spp.

22. Southern beech moths or Valdivian archaic moths. 9 spp.

23. Archaic sun moths. 4 spp.

24. Australian archaic sun moths. 6 spp.

25. Archaic bell moths. 12 spp.

26. New Zealand endemic moths. 7 spp.

27. Gondwanaland moths. 60 spp.

28. Trumpet leaf miner moths. 107 spp.

29. Simaethistid moths. 4 spp.

30. Galacticoid moths or webworm moths. 17 spp.

Larger "micros":

31. Swift moths and allies. 544 spp.

Unassigned to superfamily:

32. Meyrick's Mystic Moth. 1 sp.

Large monotrysian micros:

33. Andean endemic moths. 3 spp.

Large ditrysian micros:

34. Burnet moths, slug moths, hag moths, glass moths and allies. 2,600 spp.

35. Clearwing moths, castniid moths, little bear moths and allies. 1,300 spp.

36, 37. Goat or carpenter moths and allies. 676 spp.

[edit] Sources

  • Robinson, G.S., Tuck, K.R., Shaffer, M. and Cook, K. (1994). The smaller moths of South-East Asia. Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur.
  • Common Name Index
v • d • e
Arthropoda - Insecta - Superfamilies of Lepidoptera
Butterflies Nemophora degeerella
Moths