Lepidoptera

Agathiphaga queenslandensis, from CSIRO.

Belongs within: Panorpoidea.
Contains: Selidosemidae, Trifidae, Focillidae, Phalaena, Micropterigidae, Glossata.

The Lepidoptera are the moths and butterflies, one of the most familiar groups of insects. The name 'Lepidoptera' means 'scaly wings', referring to the most distinctive feature of the group. Most living lepidopterans have the mouthparts modified into a proboscis (the clade Glossata) but some basal taxa, the Micropterigidae and Heterobathmia pseueriocrania, retain functional mandibles and feed on pollen as adults. Members of the genus Agathiphaga have mandibles that are large but non-functional (Kozlov et al. 2019). Their larvae bore within the seeds of Agathis kauris in the south-west Pacific region. Two living species of Agathiphaga are known with A. queenslandensis found in eastern Queensland and A. vitiensis in the south-west Pacific (Nielsen & Common 1991). Heterobathmia pseueriocrania, found in southern South America, develops as a leaf miner in Nothofagus. Heterobathmia is positioned as the sister taxon to Glossata by molecular data and its larvae feeding on flowering plants (Kawahara et al. 2019).

The earliest known fossil lepidopteran, Archaeolepis mane, is represented by three wings from the Early Jurassic of Dorset in England; it differs from more derived lepidopterans in having only two branches to the M vein (Grimaldi & Engel 2005). The earliest Lepidoptera with three M branches are known from the Early Jurassic (Toarcian) of Germany, including genera such Pseudorthophlebia and Nannotrichopteron (Kozlov et al. 2002). A number of basal genera are known from the Late Jurassic of Karatau in Kazakhstan including Karataunia, Protolepis and Auliepterix (Grimaldi & Engel 2005). The Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous Eolepidopterigoidea are a group of stem-lepidopterans characterised by a pronotum that is sclerotised throughout, and at least quarter the length of the pronotum (Kozlov et al. 2002).

See also: Diversity and distribution of tropical Lepidoptera: a bit of cross-purposes.

Synapomorphies (from Grimaldi & Engel 2005): Wings with dense covering of scales on veins and membrane; (except Archaeolepis:) wings with M veins having three branches; (crown Lepidoptera, i.e. Micropterigidae to Glossata:) foretibia with one or no apical spur, median ocellus absent, tergum one extensively desclerotised, cerci absent, foretibia with articulated epiphysis on inner surface.

<==Lepidoptera [Aglossata, Dacnonypha, Heterocera, Homoneura, Laciniata, Microlepidoptera, Papilionida, Phalaenites]
    |--Archaeolepis [Archaeolepidae] GE05
    |    `--A. mane GE05
    `--+--Karataunia lapidaria GE05, KIR02
       |--Protolepis cuprealata GE05
       |--Auliepterix GE05
       |    |--A. minima GE05
       |    `--A. mirabilis Kozlov 1989 RJ93
       |--+--Micropterigidae NC91
       |  `--+--Agathiphaga WRM02 [Agathiphagidae NC91, Agathiphagina, Agathiphagoidea]
       |     |    |--A. queenslandensis WRM02
       |     |    `--A. vitiensis NC91
       |     `--Angiospermivora KP19
       |          |--Glossata NC91
       |          `--Heterobathmia WRM02 [Heterobathmiidae NC91, Heterobathmiina, Heterobathmioidea]
       |               `--H. pseueriocrania WRM02
       `--Eolepidopterigoidea KIR02
            |--Undopterix [Undopterigidae] KIR02
            |    |--U. carirensis GE05
            |    `--U. sukatshevae Skalski 1985 P92
            `--Eolepidopterigidae KIR02
                 |--Eolepidopterix jurassica KIR02
                 `--Daiopterix KIR02
                      |--D. olgae GE05
                      `--D. rasnitsyni GE05

Lepidoptera incertae sedis:
  Pseudorthophlebia KIR02
  Nannotrichopteron KIR02
  Pararchitaulius KIR02
  Parataulius KIR02
  Archiptilia KIR02
  Liadoptilia KIR02
  Metarchitaulius KIR02
  Epididontus KIR02
  Vogtia malloi C74
  Bupalus piniarius A71
  Artona A71
    |--A. catoxantha A71
    `--A. funeralis F92
  Laspeyresia FM80
    |--L. cosmopharana F92
    |--L. pomonella FM80
    |--L. servillana F92
    `--L. splendana F37
  Comostolopsis germana WFS04
  Oporabia autumnata D37
  Fabriciana nerippe (Felder & Felder 1862) Iw92
  Cymatophoropsis trimaculata (Bremer 1861) Iw92
  Sinocharis korbae Püngeler 1912 Iw92
  Edith editha Cam96
  Hedylepta H91
    |--H. diemenalis B88
    |--H. euryprora H91
    |--H. fullawayi H91
    |--H. meyricki H91
    `--H. musicola H91
  Cosmosoma myrodora T01
  Gnorimoschema H74
    |--G. gudmannella M38
    |--G. lycopersicella F37
    |--G. operculella H74
    `--G. scutellariaeela Chambers 1873 S69
  Erebida butleri O81
  Selidosemidae P27
  Epirrhanthis [Orthostixidae] T27
    `--E. alectoraria L27
  Asaphodes L27
    |--A. megaspilata L27
    `--A. parora L27
  Ariathisa comma L27
  Rhapsa scotosialis L27
  Elvia glaucata L27
  Eucymatoge gobiata L27
  Venusia L27
    |--V. undosata L27
    `--V. verriculata L27
  Sestra humeraria L27
  Diplopseustis perieralis L27
  Anisoplaca L27
    |--A. achyrota L27
    `--A. ptyoptera L27
  Zapyrasta calliphana L27
  Crypsitricha mesotypa L27
  Adelomorpha Snellen 1885 BR05
  ‘Alaria’ Duncan 1841 non Schrank 1788 BR05
  Naenia Stephens 1829 BR05
    `--N. typica F92
  Pseudosetia Boisduval 1874 BR05
  Icaricia icarioides USDI77
    |--I. i. icarioides USDI77
    `--I. i. missionensis USDI77
  Gracilepterix pulchra GE05
  Setella Schrank 1902 B26
  ‘Panthera’ Hübner 1823 non Oken 1816 C57
  Phrissogonus denotatus L27
  Lamprosema B88
    |--L. abstitalis B88
    |--L. indicata VHK02
    `--L. octasema B88
  Hemicyoleca australasica B88
  Lycena sephirus Frivaldszky 1835 B08
  Panchrysia deaurata (Esper 1787) B08
  Uxia Walker 1866 PH90
  Trichosoma E12
    |--T. algiricum Lucas 1849 E12
    `--T. mauritanicum Lucas 1849 E12
  Arnia Guénée 1849 E12
    `--A. nervosalis Guénée 1849 E12
  Aspilates duponchellaria Lucas 1849 E12
  ‘Helina’ Guénée 1849 non Robineau-Desvoidy 1830 E12
  Cledeobia E12
    |--C. interjunctalis Guénée 1849 E12
    `--C. morbidalis Guénée 1849 E12
  Haemylis jugurthella Lucas 1849 E12
  Argyrolepia loriculana Guénée 1849 E12
  Episema orana Lucas 1849 E12
  Stilpnotia F62
    |--S. ochropoda F92
    `--S. salicis F62
  ‘Zarax’ Fruhstorfer 1914 non Pascoe 1867 KA-Z11
  Alabonia geoffrella Im92
  Batocnema coquereli Im92
  Neoleucinodes torvis Clapps 1948 S69
  Goniodoma Zeller 1849 TS87
  Lativalva Amsel 1956 L03
  Anatrachyntis terminella HAA07
  Caulobius Duponchel 1838 HW92
  Cacochroa Heinemann 1870 CW92
  Laphygma CS77
    |--L. exempta CS77
    `--L. exigua F92
  Themiscyra laetifera M86a
  Nudaria albida M86a
  Pallene elegans Butl. 1877 M86a
  Oistophora [Conchylididae] M86b
    `--O. mediella [=Enopa mediella; incl. O. ptterocosmana Meyr. 1881] M86b
  Chrosis Guenée 1845 Cal96
  Patricia Fox 1940 Cal96
  Thysonotis hymetus N70
  Astraptes talus F11
  Charaeas graminis F92
  Collix sparsata F92
  Brachmia macroscopa F92
  Semasia F92
    |--S. diniana F92
    |--S. profundana F92
    |--S. rufimitrana F92
    `--S. ustomaculana F92
  Eratria fasciana F92
  Asthenia pygmaeana F92
  Psecadia F92
    |--P. bipunctella F92
    `--P. decemgutella F92
  Salebria marmorata F92
  Minoa murinata F92
  Naxa sericata F92
  Mahasena colona F92
  Chalioides kondonsis F92
  Eurobracon yokohamae F92
  Earia pudicana F92
  Clanis bilineata F92
  Rondotia menciana F92
  Dictroploca japonica F92
  Cocytodes coerulea F92
  Algedonia coelesalis F92
  Melalopha anachoreta F92
  Dicrenura lanigera F92
  Cosmotriche F92
    |--C. monotona F92
    `--C. potatoria F92
  Eriogaster F92
    |--E. catax F92
    `--E. lanestris F92
  Macrothylaeia rubi F92
  Simyra albovenasa F92
  Pantana phyllostachysae F92
  Ascotis selenaria F92
  Spaelotis praecos F92
  Trachea F92
    |--T. atriplicis F92
    `--T. piniperda F92
  Gynacphora alpherakii F92
  Diatsara saccharalis F92
  Hibernia F92
    |--H. leucophaearia F92
    `--H. marginaria F92
  Neusinoe geomatralis F92
  Lambdina fiscellaria F92
    |--L. f. fiscellaria F92
    `--L. f. lugubrosa F92
  Adris tyrannus F92
  Andraea bipunctata F92
  Trabana vishnu F92
  Cocytredes caerulea F92
  Phalenia roseana F92
  Tholera polygonalis F92
  Naranga aenescens F92
  Peronea F92
    |--P. hastiana F92
    `--P. maccana F92
  Halias prasinana [=Hylophila prasinana] F92
  Scolipteryx libatrix F92
  Tapinostola elymi F92
  Oligia vulgaris F92
  Helotropha leucostigma F92
    |--H. l. leucostigma F92
    `--H. l. laevis F92
  Adopaea lineola F92
  Cheimophila salicellum F92
  Notolophus Ch96
    |--N. antiquus F92
    `--N. australis Ch96
         |--N. a. australis Ch96
         `--N. a. posticus Ch96
  Evius Walker 1855 GT03
    `--*E. hippius (Stoll 1790) [=Phalaena hippia] GT03
  Metasarca Hampson 1925 K18
  Menis [Cyllopodidae] D01
    `--M. ithrites Druce 1901 D01
  Plotheia metaspilella S01
  Trifidae S01
  Focillidae S01
  Estigmene acrea RA96
  Zaphodiopsis hyanella R13
  Carpocapsa R13
    |--C. funebrana R13
    `--C. saltitans R13
  Schistodepressaria nervosa R13
  Bumia crataegi R13
  Adolias adonia R13
  Pronuba yuccasella R13
  Retina resinella R13
  Cnethocampa processionea R13
  Leuconia extranea R13
  Hybernia defoliaria R13
  Anosia plexippus R13
  Amuria Staudinger 1887 T41
  Conopia scoliaeformis RD77
  Anarta myrtilli RD77
  Telea polyphemus RD77
  Lycia zonaria RD77
  Phalaena L02
  Collosamia promethia M00
  Brachyglene [Melameridae] D00
    |--B. grandis Druce 1900 D00
    `--B. superba D00
  Aphomia latro F96a
  Teara F96b
    |--T. contraria F96b
    `--T. tristis F96b
  Comadia redtenbacheri EN20

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[A71] Askew, R. R. 1971. Parasitic Insects. Heinemann Educational Books: London.

[B08] Bálint, Z. 2008. Lepidoptera collections of historical importance in the Hungarian Natural History Museum. Annales Historico-Naturales Musei Nationalis Hungarici 100: 17–35.

[B26] Bigelow, H. B. 1926. Plankton of the offshore waters of the Gulf of Maine. Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisheries 40 (2): 1–509.

[B88] Bouček, Z. 1988. Australasian Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera): A biosystematic revision of genera of fourteen families, with a reclassification of species. CAB International: Wallingford (UK).

[BR05] Bouchet, P., & J.-P. Rocroi. 2005. Classification and nomenclator of gastropod families. Malacologia 47 (1–2): 1–397.

[C57] Cabrera, A. 1957. Catalogo de los mamiferos de America del Sur. I (Metatheria—Unguiculata—Carnivora). Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” e Instituto Nacional de Investigacion de Las Ciencias Naturales, Ciencias Zoológicas 4 (1): 1–307.

[Cal96] Calder, A. A. 1996. Click beetles: genera of the Australian Elateridae (Coleoptera). CSIRO Australia: Collingwood.

[Cam96] Campbell, N. A. 1996. Biology 4^th ed. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc.: Menlo Park (California).

[CW92] Cassis, G., & T. A. Weir. 1992. Cetoniinae. In: Houston, W. W. K. (ed.) Zoological Catalogue of Australia vol. 9. Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea pp. 426–454. AGPS Press: Canberra.

[Ch96] Chow, Y. S. 1996. Biology and life stages of Charletonia taiwanensis Tsai and Chow (Erythraeidae) in Taiwan. In: Mitchell, R., D. J. Horn, G. R. Needham & W. C. Welbourn (eds) Acarology IX vol. 1. Proceedings pp. 359–361. Ohio Biological Survey: Columbus (Ohio).

[CS77] Cramp, S., & K. E. L. Simmons (eds) 1977. Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa: The Birds of the Western Palaearctic vol. 1. Ostrich to Ducks. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

[C74] Crowder, J. P. 1974. Exotic Plant Pests of South Florida. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife (USA).

[D37] Dobzhansky, T. 1937. Genetics and the Origin of Species. Columbia University Press: New York.

[D00] Druce, H. 1900. Descriptions of some new genera and species of Heterocera from tropical South America. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, series 7, 5: 507–527.

[D01] Druce, H. 1901. Descriptions of some new species of Heterocera. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, series 7, 7: 74–79.

[EN20] Eggli, U., & R. Nyffeler (eds) 2020. Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Monocotyledons 2^nd ed. Springer.

[E12] Evenhuis, N. L. 2012. Publication and dating of the Exploration Scientifique de l’Algérie: Histoire Naturelle des Animaux Articulés (1846–1849) by Pierre Hippolyte Lucas. Zootaxa 3448: 1–61.

[F92] Fan Z. 1992. Key to the Common Flies of China 2^nd ed. Science Press: Beijing.

[F62] Flanders, S. E. 1962. Did the caterpillar exterminate the giant reptile? Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera 1 (1): 85–88.

[F37] Fracker, S. B. 1937. Technique of large-scale operations in pest control. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 39 (3): 41–58.

[F11] Fraga, R. M. 2011. Family Icteridae (New World blackbirds). In: Hoyo, J. del, A. Elliott & D. A. Christie (eds) Handbook of the Birds of the World vol. 16. Tanagers to New World Blackbirds pp. 684–807. Lynx Edicions: Barcelona.

[F96a] Froggatt, W. W. 1896a. The entomology of the grass-trees (Xanthorrhoea). Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 21 (1): 74–87, pl. 9.

[F96b] Froggatt, W. W. 1896b. On the bag-shelters of lepidopterous larvae of the genus Teara. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 21 (2): 258–260, pl. 14.

[FM80] Futuyma, D. J., & G. C. Mayer. 1980. Non-allopatric speciation in animals. Systematic Zoology 29 (3): 254–271.

[GE05] Grimaldi, D., & M. S. Engel. 2005. Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press: New York.

[GT03] Guinot, D., & M. Tavares. 2003. A new subfamilial arrangement for the Dromiidae de Haan, 1833, with diagnoses and descriptions of new genera and species (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura). Zoosystema 25 (1): 43–129.

[HAA07] Harvey, M. S., A. D. Austin & M. Adams. 2007. The systematics and biology of the spider genus Nephila (Araneae: Nephilidae) in the Australasian region. Invertebrate Systematics 21: 407–451.

[H74] Helson, G. A. H. 1974. Insect Pests: Identification, life history, and control of pests of farms, horticulture, gardens, and public health. A. R. Shearer, Government Printer: Wellington (New Zealand).

[HW92] Houston, W. W. K., & T. A. Weir. 1992. Melolonthinae. In: Houston, W. W. K. (ed.) Zoological Catalogue of Australia vol. 9. Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea pp. 174–358. AGPS Press: Canberra.

[H91] Howarth, F. G. 1991. Environmental impacts of classical biological control. Annual Review of Entomology 36: 485–509.

[Im92] Imes, R. 1992. The Practical Entomologist. Aurum Press: London.

[Iw92] Iwahashi, J. (ed.) 1992. Reddo Deeta Animaruzu: a pictorial of Japanese fauna facing extinction. JICC: Tokyo.

[KP19] Kawahara, A. Y., D. Plotkin, M. Espeland, K. Meusemann, E. F. A. Toussaint, A. Donath, F. Gimnich, P. B. Frandsen, A. Zwick, M. dos Reis, J. R. Barber, R. S. Peters, S. Liu, X. Zhou, C. Mayer, L. Podsiadlowski, C. Storer, J. E. Yack, B. Misof & J. W. Breinholt. 2019. Phylogenomics reveals the evolutionary timing and pattern of butterflies and moths. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA 116 (45): 22657–22663.

[KIR02] Kozlov, M. V., V. D. Ivanov & A. P. Rasnitsyn. 2002. Order Lepidoptera Linné, 1758. The butterflies and moths (=Papilionida Laicharting, 1781). In: Rasnitsyn, A. P., & D. L. J. Quicke (eds) History of Insects pp. 220–227. Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.

[K18] Kury, A. B. 2018. Familial nomina in harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones). Bionomina 13: 1–27.

[KA-Z11] Kury, A. B., & M. A. Alonso-Zarazaga. 2011. Addenda and corrigenda to the “Annotated catalogue of the Laniatores of the New World (Arachnida, Opiliones)”. Zootaxa 3034: 47–68.

[L02] Latreille, P. A. 1802. Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière des crustacés et des insectes vol. 3. Familles naturelles des genres. F. Dufart: Paris.

[L03] Lienhard, C. 2003. Nomenclatural amendments concerning Chinese Psocoptera (Insecta), with remarks on species richness. Revue Suisse de Zoologie 110 (4): 695–721.

[L27] Lindsay, S. 1927. A list of the Lepidoptera of Deans Bush, Riccarton, Canterbury. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 57: 693–696.

[M00] Mayer, A. G. 1900. On the mating instinct in moths. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, series 7, 5: 183–190.

[M86a] Meyrick, E. 1886a. Revision of Australian Lepidoptera. I. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, series 2, 1 (3): 687–802.

[M86b] Meyrick, E. 1886b. Notes on synonymy of Australian micro-Lepidoptera. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, series 2, 1 (3): 803–806.

[M38] Muesebeck, C. F. W. 1938. Three new reared species of Apanteles from California (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 40 (7): 201–204.

[NC91] Nielsen, E. S., & I. F. B. Common. 1991. Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies). In: CSIRO. The Insects of Australia: A textbook for students and research workers 2^nd ed. vol. 2 pp. 817–915. Melbourne University Press: Carlton (Victoria).

[N70] Norris, K. R. 1970. General biology. In: CSIRO. The Insects of Australia: A textbook for students and research workers pp. 107–140. Melbourne University Press.

[O81] O’Brien, C. O. 1981. A. A. Book of New Zealand Wildlife: A guide to the native and introduced animals of New Zealand. Lansdowne Press: Auckland.

[PH90] Petit, R. E., & M. G. Harasewych. 1990. Catalogue of the superfamily Cancellarioidea Forbes and Hanley, 1851 (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia). Nautilus 103 (Suppl. 1): 1–69.

[P27] Philpott, A. 1927. New Zealand Lepidoptera: Notes and descriptions. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 57: 703–709.

[P92] Poinar, G. O., Jr. 1992. Life in Amber. Stanford University Press: Stanford.

[RA96] Reitz, S. R., & P. H. Adler. 1996. Biology and larval taxonomy of Eucelatoria bryani Sabrosky and E. rubentis (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tachinidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington 98 (4): 625–629.

[R13] Reuter, O. M. 1913. Lebensgewohnheiten und Instinkte der Insekten bis zum Erwachen der sozialen Instinkte. R. Friedländer & Sohn: Berlin.

[RD77] Richards, O. W., & R. G. Davies. 1977. Imms' General Textbook of Entomology 10^th ed. vol. 2. Classification and Biology. Chapman and Hall: London.

[RJ93] Ross, A. J., & E. A. Jarzembowski. 1993. Arthropoda (Hexapoda; Insecta). In: Benton, M. J. (ed.) The Fossil Record 2 pp. 363–426. Chapman & Hall: London.

[S69] Steyskal, G. C. 1969. The mistreatment of the Latin genitive case in forming names of parasites. Systematic Zoology 18 (3): 339–342.

[S01] Swinhoe, C. 1901. New genera and species of eastern and Australian moths (continued). Annals and Magazine of Natural History, series 7, 7: 489–501.

[TS87] Taylor, F. J. R., W. A. S. Sarjeant, R. A. Fensome & G. L. Williams. 1987. Standardisation of nomenclature in flagellate groups treated by both the botanical and zoological codes of nomenclature. Systematic Zoology 36 (1): 79–85.

[T27] Thomson, G. M. 1927. The pollination of New Zealand flowers by birds and insects. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 57: 106–125.

[T41] Tinkham, E. R. 1941. Zoogeographical notes on the genus Atlanticus with keys and descriptions of seven new Chinese species. Notes d'Entomologie Chinoise 8 (5): 189–243.

[T01] Tromans, A. 2001. The alkaloid defence. Nature 409: 28.

[USDI77] USDI (United States Department of the Interior). 1977. Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants—republication of list of species. Federal Register 42: 36420–36431.

[VHK02] Verma, M., M. Hayat & S. I. Kazmi. 2002. The species of Elasmus from India (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae). Oriental Insects 36: 245–306.

[WRM02] Wiegmann, B. M., J. C. Regier & C. Mitter. 2002. Combined molecular and morphological evidence on the phylogeny of the earliest lepidopteran lineages. Zoologica Scripta 31 (1): 67–81.

[WFS04] Winks, C. J., S. V. Fowler & L. A. Smith. 2004. Invertebrate fauna of boneseed, Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera (L.) T. Norl. (Asteraceae: Calenduleae), an invasive weed in New Zealand. New Zealand Entomologist 27: 61–72.

Last updated: 28 December 2021.