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Macrolepidoptera
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 artificial. 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. Taxonomy 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) * Papilionoidea – true butterflies The last two make up the Rhopalocera Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Microlepidoptera
Microlepidoptera (micromoths) is an artificial (i.e., unranked and not monophyletic) grouping of moth families, commonly known as the 'smaller moths' (micro, Lepidoptera). These generally have wingspans of under 20 mm, and are thus harder to identify by external phenotypic markings than macrolepidoptera. They present some lifestyles which the larger Lepidoptera do not have, but this is not an identifying mark. Some hobbyists further divide this group into separate groups, such as leaf miners or rollers, stem or root borers, and then usually follow the more rigorous scientific taxonomy of lepidopterans. Efforts to stabilize the term have usually proven inadequate. Diversity 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, howe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Macrolepidoptera
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 artificial. 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. Taxonomy 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) * Papilionoidea – true butterflies The last two make up the Rhopalocera Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies, 10 percent of the total described species of living organisms. It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world. The Lepidoptera show many variations of the basic body structure that have evolved to gain advantages in lifestyle and distribution. Recent estimates suggest the order may have more species than earlier thought, and is among the four most speciose orders, along with the Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera. Lepidopteran species are characterized by more than three derived features. The most apparent is the presence of scales that cover the bodies, wings, and a proboscis. The scales are modified, flattened "hairs", and give butterflies and moths their wide variety of colors and patterns. Almost all species have some form of mem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhopalocera
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises the large superfamily Papilionoidea, which contains at least one former group, the skippers (formerly the superfamily "Hesperioidea"), and the most recent analyses suggest it also contains the moth-butterflies (formerly the superfamily "Hedyloidea"). Butterfly fossils date to the Paleocene, about 56 million years ago. Butterflies have a four-stage life cycle, as like most insects they undergo complete metamorphosis. Winged adults lay eggs on the food plant on which their larvae, known as caterpillars, will feed. The caterpillars grow, sometimes very rapidly, and when fully developed, pupate in a chrysalis. When metamorphosis is complete, the pupal skin splits, the adult insect climbs out, and after its wings have expanded and dried, it fl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Butterflies
Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The group comprises the large superfamily Papilionoidea, which contains at least one former group, the skippers (formerly the superfamily "Hesperioidea"), and the most recent analyses suggest it also contains the moth-butterflies (formerly the superfamily "Hedyloidea"). Butterfly fossils date to the Paleocene, about 56 million years ago. Butterflies have a four-stage life cycle, as like most insects they undergo complete metamorphosis. Winged adults lay eggs on the food plant on which their larvae, known as caterpillars, will feed. The caterpillars grow, sometimes very rapidly, and when fully developed, pupate in a chrysalis. When metamorphosis is complete, the pupal skin splits, the adult insect climbs out, and after its wings have expanded and dried, it f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombycoidea
Bombycoidea is a superfamily of moths. It contains the silk moths, emperor moths, sphinx moths The Sphingidae are a family of moths ( Lepidoptera) called sphinx moths, also colloquially known as hawk moths, with many of their caterpillars known as “hornworms”; it includes about 1,450 species. It is best represented in the tropics, ..., and relatives. The Lasiocampoidea are close relatives and were historically sometimes merged in this group. After many years of debate and shifting taxonomies, the most recent classifications treat the superfamily as containing 10 constituent families. Their larvae often exhibit horns.''Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders'', edited by Christopher O'Toole, , 2002 References Lepidoptera superfamilies Macroheterocera {{Bombycoidea-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Macroheterocera
The Macroheterocera are a well supported clade of moths that are closely related to butterflies and other macro-moths. Taxonomy The Macroheterocera includes the following superfamilies: * Mimallonoidea – sack bearers (variously included in basal position or excluded) * Drepanoidea – drepanids * Noctuoidea – owlet moths * Geometroidea – inchworms * Lasiocampoidea – lappet moths * Bombycoidea – bombycoid moths The macroheteroceran superfamilies were previously place in the Macrolepidoptera, but recent molecular studies have failed to recover the Macrolepidoptera as a monophyletic group. The latter grouping also included true butterflies (Papilionoidea), New World butterfly-moths (Hedylidae Hedylidae, the "American moth-butterflies", is a family of insects in the order Lepidoptera, representing the superfamily Hedyloidea. They have traditionally been viewed as an extant sister group of the butterfly superfamily Papilionoidea. In 19 ...), and Old World butterfly-mot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Papilionoidea
The superfamily Papilionoidea (from the genus '' Papilio'', meaning "butterfly") contains all the butterflies except for the moth-like Hedyloidea. The members of the Papilionoidea may be distinguished by the following combination of characters: *The body is smaller and less moth-like. *The wings are larger. *The antennae are straight and clubbed or hooked as in the skippers. *The caterpillars do not spin cocoons in which to pupate. *The pupae are angular rather than rounded. Recent phylogenetic analyses suggest the traditionally circumscribed Papilionoidea are a paraphyletic group, and that skippers (family Hesperiidae) and Neotropical moth-like butterflies (family Hedylidae) are true butterflies that should be included within the Papilionoidea superfamily to reflect cladistic relationships. Families of Papilionoidea The six well-supported families of Papilionoidea are: * Hesperiidae (skippers) * Swallowtails and birdwings, Papilionidae *Whites or yellow-whites, Pieridae *Blu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hedyloidea
Hedylidae, the "American moth-butterflies", is a family of insects in the order Lepidoptera, representing the superfamily Hedyloidea. They have traditionally been viewed as an extant sister group of the butterfly superfamily Papilionoidea. In 1986, Scoble combined all species into a single genus ''Macrosoma'', comprising 35 currently recognized and entirely Neotropical species, as a novel concept of butterflies. Taxonomy and systematics Hedylidae were previously treated as a tribe of Geometridae: Oenochrominae, the "Hedylicae". Prout considered they might even merit treatment as their own family. Scoble first considered them to be a hitherto unrecognised group of butterflies and also suggested Hedylidae might possibly constitute the sister group of the "true" butterflies (Papilionoidea), rather than of ( Hesperioidea + Papilionoidea). Weintraub and Miller argued against this placement (but see). In 1995, Weller and Pashley found that molecular data did indeed place Hedylidae with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Axioidea (Lepidoptera)
Drepanoidea is the superfamily of "hook tip moths". See Minet and Scoble (1999) for a comprehensive overview. References * Minet, J. and Scoble, M.J. (1999). The Drepanoid/Geometroid Assemblage. Ch. 17 in Kristensen, N.P. (Ed.). ''Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies''. Volume 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbuch der Zoologie. Eine Naturgeschichte der Stämme des Tierreiches / Handbook of Zoology. A Natural History of the phyla of the Animal Kingdom. Band / Volume IV Arthropoda: Insecta Teilband / Part 35: 491 pp. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York. Sources *''Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders'', edited by Christopher O'Toole, , 2002 Lepidoptera superfamilies Macroheterocera {{moth-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drepanoidea
Drepanoidea is the superfamily of "hook tip moths". See Minet and Scoble (1999) for a comprehensive overview. References * Minet, J. and Scoble, M.J. (1999). The Drepanoid/Geometroid Assemblage. Ch. 17 in Kristensen, N.P. (Ed.). ''Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies''. Volume 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbuch der Zoologie. Eine Naturgeschichte der Stämme des Tierreiches / Handbook of Zoology. A Natural History of the phyla of the Animal Kingdom. Band / Volume IV Arthropoda: Insecta Teilband / Part 35: 491 pp. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York. Sources *''Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders'', edited by Christopher O'Toole, , 2002 Lepidoptera superfamilies Macroheterocera {{moth-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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