Pterophoridae

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Pterophoridae
Temporal range: Chattian–Present
Pterophorus pentadactyla
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Pterophoroidea
Family: Pterophoridae
Zeller, 1841
Type species
Pterophorus pentadactyla
Subfamilies
Diversity
>90 genera
>1,000 species

The Pterophoridae or plume moths are a

butterflies, unlike these they are tiny and were formerly included among the assemblage called "microlepidoptera
".

Description and ecology

Platyptiliini
)

The forewings of plume moths usually consist of two curved spars with more or less bedraggled bristles trailing behind. This resembles the closely related

Alucitidae (many-plumed moths) at first glance, but the latter have a greater number of symmetrical plumes. The hindwings are similarly constructed, but have three spars. This unorthodox structure does not prevent flight.[1] A few genera have normal lepidopteran
wings.

The usual resting posture is with the wings extended laterally and narrowly rolled up. Often they resemble a piece of dried grass, and may pass unnoticed by potential predators even when resting in exposed situations in daylight. Some species have larvae which are stem- or root-borers while others are leaf-browsers.

Bucks Plume avoids a crab spider

Economically important pterophorids include the

Oidaematophorus beneficus against mistflower (Ageratina riparia), Hellinsia balanotes against groundsel bush (Baccharis halimifolia),[3] and Wheeleria spilodactylus against horehound (Marrubium vulgare).[4]

Evolution

A fossil species from the extant genus Merrifieldia is known from the Oligocene of France.[5][6]

Taxonomy

The small group of moths in the genus Agdistopis has often been treated as a subfamily Macropiratinae within the Pterophoridae, but recent research indicates that this group should be considered a separate family. Around 1580 accepted species are currently accepted for the Pterophoridae[7].

The family is divided into the following

genera,[8] some species
are also listed:
Subfamily
Agdistinae

Subfamily

Ochyroticinae

Subfamily Deuterocopinae Gielis, 1993

Subfamily Pterophorinae Zeller, 1841

Footnotes

  1. ^ Haynes, K.F. & Birch, M.C. (1984)
  2. ^ MDA (1980)
  3. ^ Palmer, W.A. & Haseler, W.H. (1992)
  4. ^ Baker, J. (2002)
  5. ^ L. Bigot, A. Nel, and J. Nel. 1986. Description de la première espèce fossile connue de Ptérophore (Lepidoptera Pterophoridae). Alexanor 14:283-288
  6. ISSN 1175-5334
    .
  7. ^ Hobern, D. (2024)
  8. ^ Gielis, Cees (2000-05-31). "Division of the Pterophoridae into Tribes (Lepidoptera)" (PDF). Quadrifina. 3: 57–60 – via ZOBODAT.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pterophoridae.
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