Sesioidea

Synemon directa, photographed by Jean and Fred Hort.

Belongs within: Apoditrysia.

The Sesioidea are a group of mostly diurnal moths with prominent ocelli.

Synapomorphies (from Edwards et al. 1998): Ocular diaphragm most strongly pigmented anteriorly; patagia large, extending ventrad beyond anteroventral corners of pronotum; posterior tendons of metafurcal apophyses elongated caudad or dorsocaudad.

<==Sesioidea
    |--Castniidae [Castnioidea] GE05
    |    |--Telchin GE05
    |    `--Synemon AY04
    |         |--S. directa P27
    |         `--S. hesperoides P27
    `--Sesiidae GE05
         |--Melittia GE05
         |--Synanthedon scoliaeformis (Borkhausen 1789) JP05
         |--Paranthrene tabaniformis (Rottemburg 1775) JP05
         |--Pennisetia hylaeiformis (Laspeyres 1801) JP05
         |--Bembecia ichneumoniformis (Denis & Schiffermüller 1775) JP05
         |--Synansphecia muscaeformis (Esper 1783) JP05
         `--Sesia E12
              |--S. ceriaeformis Lucas 1849 E12
              |--S. euglossaeformis Lucas 1849 E12
              `--S. sirphiformis Lucas 1849 E12

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[AY04] Austin, A. D., D. K. Yeates, G. Cassis, M. J. Fletcher, J. La Salle, J. F. Lawrence, P. B. McQuillan, L. A. Mound, D. J. Bickel, P. J. Gullan, D. F. Hales & G. S. Taylor. 2004. Insects 'Down Under' - diversity, endemism and evolution of the Australian insect fauna: examples from select orders. Australian Journal of Entomology 43 (3): 216-234.

Edwards, E. D., P. Gentili, M. Horak, N. P. Kristensen & E. S. Nielsen. 1998. The cossoid/sesioid assemblage. In: Kristensen, N. P. (ed.) Handbuch der Zoologie vol. 4 pt 35. Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies pp. 181-198. Walter de Gruyter: Berlin.

[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.

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

[JP05] Jungmann, E., & U. Poller. 2005. Neunachweise und Wiederfunde für die Schmetterlingsfauna (Insecta; Lepidoptera) des Altenburger Landes. Mauritiana 19 (2): 317-326.

[P27] Philpott, A. 1927. The maxillae in the Lepidoptera. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 57: 721-746.