__NOTOC__ Gelechioidea (from the type genus ''

Gelechia ''Gelechia'' is a genus of moths in the family Gelechiidae. The type species is '' Gelechia rhombella''. Species *Subgenus ''Gelechia'' **'' Gelechia asinella'' (Hubner, 1796) **'' Gelechia aspoecki'' Huemer, 1992 **'' Gelechia atlanticella' ...

'', "keeping to the ground") is the superfamily of

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

s that contains the case-bearers, twirler moths, and relatives, also simply called curved-horn moths or gelechioid moths. It is a large and poorly understood '"

micromoth 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 ...

" superfamily, constituting one of the basal lineages of the

Ditrysia The Ditrysia are a natural group or clade of insects in the lepidopteran order containing both butterflies and moths. They are so named because the female has two distinct sexual openings: one for mating, and the other for laying eggs (in contr ...

.Robinson ''et al.'' (1994), Hodges (1999), O'Toole (2002) As of the 1990s, this superfamily was composed of about 1,425 genera and 16,250

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

. It was estimated that only 25% of the species diversity of Gelechioidea had been described. If this estimate is accurate, Gelechioidea will be one of the largest superfamilies of Lepidoptera. The name "curved-horn moths" refers to one of the few conspicuous features found in (almost) all Gelechioidea, and, at least in the more extreme developments, unique to them: the labial palps are well-developed (though not thickened), and form more or less gently curved protrusions whose end has a drawn-out, pointed tip. Their

proboscis A proboscis () is an elongated appendage from the head of an animal, either a vertebrate or an invertebrate. In invertebrates, the term usually refers to tubular mouthparts used for feeding and sucking. In vertebrates, a proboscis is an elong ...

is generally well-developed, allowing for long-lived imagines (adults); the proximal part of the proboscis is scaly. Otherwise, the Gelechioidea vary extensively in habitus; most have small hind-wings with long, hairy fringes, though these are not easily seen in the living animal as they are tucked under the fore-wings at rest. The body is usually quite compressed, either

dorsoventral Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position prov ...

ly or

lateral Lateral is a geometric term of location which may refer to: Healthcare *Lateral (anatomy), an anatomical direction * Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle * Lateral release (surgery), a surgical procedure on the side of a kneecap Phonetics *Lateral co ...

ly.

Families

The

phylogeny A phylogenetic tree (also phylogeny or evolutionary tree Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.) is a branching diagram or a tree showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological spe ...

and classification of the Gelechioidea remains a subject of considerable dispute. For example, the

Elachistidae The Elachistidae (grass-miner moths) are a family of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. Some authors lump about 3,300 species in eight subfamilies here, but this arrangement almost certainly results in a massively paraphyletic and comp ...

were at one time used as a sort of " wastebin taxon" to unite as subfamilies a variety of plesiomorphic members of this superfamily, which do not actually seem to form a monophyletic group. Many of these have now been moved to the

Oecophoridae Oecophoridae (concealer moths) is a family of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. The phylogeny and systematics of gelechoid moths are still not fully resolved, and the circumscription of the Oecophoridae is strongly affected by this. ...

, but others are almost certainly likely families in their own right, while additional ones may well be so. In 2011 the superfamily was divided into 21 families, based mainly on morphological studies, with adjustments made for some molecular studies. The number of genera and an estimate of the species number are given in parentheses. *

Autostichidae Autostichidae is a family of moths in the moth superfamily SUPERFAMILY is a database and search platform of structural and functional annotation for all proteins and genomes. It classifies amino acid sequences into known structural domains, es ...

Le Marchand, 1947 (72 genera, 638 species) – includes Deocloninae, Glyphidocerinae,

Holcopogoninae __NOTOC__ The Holcopogoninae are a subfamily of moths. They belong to the huge the superfamily Gelechioidea, of which they represent a minor but apparently quite distinct lineage.Fauna Europaea (2009)Holcopogoninae Version 2.1, 2009-DEC-22. Retr ...

Symmocinae The Symmocinae are a subfamily of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. These small moths are found mainly in the Palearctic and Africa. In modern treatments, they are usually united with the concealer moth family Autostichidae. History of ...

and

Metachandini ''Metachanda'' is the sole genus in tribe Metachandini of moth subfamily Oecophorinae. Metachandini was originally described as family Metachandidae by Edward Meyrick in 1911, and at the time also contained the genus '' Chanystis'', which is curr ...

, which have sometimes been treated as families. *

Batrachedridae The Batrachedridae are a small family of tiny moths. These are small, slender moths which rest with their wings wrapped tightly around their bodies. Taxonomy The taxonomy of this and related groups is often disputed. This group was first propos ...

Heinemann & Wocke, 1876 (10 genera, 99 species) * Blastobasidae Meyrick, 1894 (24 genera, 377 species) – previously considered a subfamily of Coleophoridae. * Chimabachidae Heinemann, 1870 (2 genera, 6 species) * Coelopoetidae Hodges, 1978 (1 genus, 3 species) *

Coleophoridae __NOTOC__ The Coleophoridae are a family of small moths, belonging to the huge superfamily Gelechioidea. Collectively known as case-bearers, casebearing moths or case moths, this family is represented on all continents, but the majority are foun ...

Bruand, 1850 (case-bearers, case moths; 5 genera, 1,386 species) *

Cosmopterigidae The Cosmopterigidae are a family of insects (cosmet moths) in the order Lepidoptera. These are small moths with narrow wings whose tiny larvae feed internally on the leaves, seeds and stems of their host plants. About 1500 species are described. ...

Heinemann & Wocke, 1876 (cosmet moths; 135 genera, 1,792 species) *

Bruand, 1850 (grass-miner moths; 161 genera, 3,201 species) – includes Agonoxeninae (palm moths) and Ethmiinae, which have sometimes been treated as families. * Epimarptidae Meyrick, 1914 (1 genus, 4 species) – previously considered a subfamily of Batrachedridae. *

Gelechiidae The Gelechiidae are a family of moths commonly referred to as twirler moths or gelechiid moths. They are the namesake family of the huge and little-studied superfamily Gelechioidea, and the family's taxonomy has been subject to considerable d ...

Stainton, 1854 (twirler moths; 500 genera, 4,700 species) * Lecithoceridae Le Marchand, 1947 (long-horned moths; 100 genera, 1,200 species) *

Lypusidae Lypusidae is an obscure family of moths placed in the superfamily Gelechioidea. History of classification The group was traditionally considered monotypic (containing only the genus ''Lypusa'' with two species) and belonging in the primitive mo ...

Herrich-Schäffer, 1857 (3 genera, 21 species) * Momphidae Herrich-Schäffer, 1857 (mompha moths; 6 genera, 115 species) – previously considered a subfamily of Coleophoridae. *

Bruand, 1850 (concealer moths; 313 genera, 3,308 species) * Peleopodidae Hodges, 1974 (7 genera, 28 species) * Pterolonchidae Meyrick, 1918 (2 genera, 8 species) – previously considered a subfamily of Coleophoridae. * Schistonoeidae Hodges, 1998 (scavenger moth; 1 genus, 1 species) *

Scythrididae Scythrididae (flower moths) is a family of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. The family is sometimes included in the Xyloryctidae as a subfamily Scythridinae, but the Xyloryctidae themselves have sometimes been included in the Oecopho ...

Rebel, 1901 (flower moths; 30 genera, 669 species) – previously considered a subfamily of Xyloryctidae. * Stathmopodidae Janse, 1917 (44 genera, 408 species) – previously considered a subfamily of Oecophoridae. * Syringopaidae Hodges, 1998 (1 genus, 1 species) – previously considered a subfamily of Deoclonidae. *

Xyloryctidae Xyloryctidae is a family of moths contained within the superfamily Gelechioidea described by Edward Meyrick in 1890. Most genera are found in the Indo-Australian region. While many of these moths are tiny, some members of the family grow to a wing ...

Meyrick, 1890 (60 genera, 524 species) However, a later phylogenetic analysis of the Gelechioidea, using a morphological and molecular dataset, proposed a revision into 16 families, with the status of two further families, Schistonoeidae and Epimarptidae, unclear.Heikkilä ''et al'', 2014 *

Le Marchand, 1947 ** Autostichinae Le Marchand, 1947 ** Deocloninae Hodges, 1999 ** Glyphidocerinae Hodges, 1999 **

Gozmány, 1967 ** Oegoconiinae Leraut, 1992 **

Gozmány, 1957 *

Heinemann & Wocke, 1876 * Blastobasidae Meyrick, 1894 ** Blastobasinae Meyrick, 1894 ** Holcocerinae Adamski, 1989 *

Bruand, 1850 *

Heinemann in Heinemann & Wocke, 1876 **

Antequerinae The Antequerinae are a subfamily of the Cosmopterigidae. In the Nearctic, the subfamily consists of eight species in four genera, found in North America and England.Niels P. Kristensen: Lepidoptera, moths and butterflies. In: Maximilian Fischer ( ...

Hodges, 1978 ** Chrysopeleiinae Mosher, 1916 ** Cosmopteriginae Heinemann and Wocke, 1876 ** Scaeosophinae Meyrick, 1922 *

Depressariidae Depressariidae is a family of moths. It has formerly been treated as a subfamily of Gelechiidae, but is now recognised as a separate family, comprising about 2,300 species worldwide.Heikkilä, M. ''et al''. 2014: Morphology reinforces proposed mo ...

Meyrick, 1883 ** Acriinae Kuznetsov and Stekolnikov, 1984 ** Aeolanthinae Kuznetsov and Stekolnikov, 1984 ** Cryptolechiinae Meyrick, 1883 ** Depressariinae Meyrick, 1883 ** Ethmiinae Busck, 1909 ** Hypercalliinae Leraut, 1993 ** Hypertrophinae Fletcher, 1929 ** Oditinae Lvovsky, 1996 **

Peleopodinae The Peleopodinae are a subfamily of small moths in the family Depressariidae. Taxonomy and systematics *'' Antoloea'' Meyrick, 1914 *'' Carcina'' Hübner, 825/small> *'' Durrantia'' Busck, 1908 *''Peleopoda ''Peleopoda'' is a moth genus of the ...

Hodges, 1974 ** Stenomatinae Meyrick, 1906 *

Bruand, 1850 – substantially reduced with movement of five subfamilies to Depressariidae. ** Agonoxeninae Meyrick, 1926 ** Elachistinae Bruand, 1850 ** Parametriotinae Capuse, 1971 *

Stainton, 1854 **

Anacampsinae Anacampsinae is a subfamily of moths in the family Gelechiidae. Taxonomy and systematics *Anacampsini Bruand, 1850 **'' Anacampsis'' Curtis, 1827 **'' Aproaerema'' Durrant, 1897 **'' Battaristis'' Meyrick, 1914 **'' Chaliniastis'' Meyrick, 1904 ...

Bruand, 1850 ** Anomologinae Meyrick, 1926 ** Apatetrinae Meyrick, 1947 **

Dichomeridinae Dichomeridinae is a subfamily of moths in the family Gelechiidae. Distribution Almost worldwide, except the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Diversity The subfamily formerly included three tribes, about 29 genera and about 900 species. However, a ...

Hampson, 1918 ** Gelechiinae Stainton, 1854 ** Physoptilinae Meyrick, 1914 ** Thiotrichinae Karsholt ''et al''., 2013 * Lecithoceridae Le Marchand, 1947 ** Ceuthomadarinae Gozmány, 1978 ** Lecithocerinae Le Marchand, 1947 ** Torodorinae Gozmány, 1978 *

Herrich-Schäffer, 1857 ** Chimabachinae Heinemann, 1870 ** Lypusinae Herrich-Schäffer, 1857 * Momphidae Herrich-Schäffer, 1857 *

Bruand, 1850 **

Oecophorinae __NOTOC__ The Oecophorinae are the nominate subfamily of moths in the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae). They are part of the insufficiently studied superfamily Gelechioidea, and like their relatives, the circumscription of this taxon is dis ...

Bruand, 1850 ** Pleurotinae Toll, 1956 * Pterolonchidae Meyrick, 1918 ** Coelopoetinae Hodges, 1978 ** Pterolonchinae Meyrick, 1918 ** Syringopainae Hodges, 1999 *

Rebel, 1901 * Stathmopodidae Meyrick, 1913 *

Meyrick Meyrick is a surname and given name. Meyricke is a variant form. Surname * Edmund Meyrick (1636–1713), Welsh cleric * Edward Meyrick (1854–1938), English schoolmaster and amateur entomologist * Edward Meyrick Goulburn (1818–1897), English ...

, 1890

Footnotes

References

See also associated Talk page for comparison of some approaches to gelechioid systematics and taxonomy. * (1999): The Gelechioidea. ''In:'' : ''Handbuch der Zoologie/Handbook of Zoology'' (Volume IV – Arthropoda: Insecta. Part 35: Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies 1): 131–158. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin & New York. * (2002): ''Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders''. * (1994): ''The smaller moths of South-East Asia''. Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur. * (2009)
Gelechioidea
Version of 2009-APR-02. Retrieved 2010-APR-22. * *

External links

{{taxonbar, from=Q135051 Lepidoptera superfamilies