Macrolepidoptera
| Macrolepidoptera | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Grey Dagger, Acronicta psi | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Hexapoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Suborder: | Glossata |
| Infraorder: | Heteroneura |
| (unranked): | Macrolepidoptera |
| Superfamilies | |
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See text | |
Macrolepidoptera is a group within the insect order Lepidoptera. Traditionally used for the larger butterflies and moths as opposed to the "Microlepidoptera", this group is unnatural. However, it seems that by moving some taxa about, a monophyletic Macrolepidoptera can be easily achieved. The two superfamilies Geometroidea and Noctuoidea account for roughly one-quarter of all known Lepidoptera.
In the reformed Macrolepidoptera, the following superfamilies are included:
- Mimallonoidea – sack bearers
- Lasiocampoidea – lappet moths
- Bombycoidea – bombycoid moths
- Noctuoidea – owlet moths
- Drepanoidea – drepanids
- Geometroidea – inchworms
- Axioidea – European gold moths
- Calliduloidea – Old World butterfly-moths
- Hedyloidea – New World butterfly-moths (or moth-butterflies)
- Hesperioidea – skippers
- Papilionoidea – true butterflies
The last three make up the Rhopalocera, or butterflies.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Macrolepidoptera. |
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Wikispecies has information related to: Macrolepidoptera |
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