Boarmiini

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Boarmiini
Hypomecis lunifera 02.JPG
Adult Hypomecis lunifera in Osaka (Japan)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Geometridae
Subfamily: Ennominae
Tribe: Boarmiini
Duponchel, 1845
Genera

Many, see text

Synonyms

[1]
Ascotinae Warren, 1893
Ascotini Warren, 1893
Boarmites Duponchel, 1845
Cleorini Duponchel, 1845
Cleorites Duponchel, 1845
Fidoniini Duponchel, 1845
Fidonites Duponchel, 1845
and see text

Contents

The Boarmiini (also often called Cleorini) are a large tribe of geometer moths in the Ennominae subfamily.

Description and systematics

This family is sometimes massively expanded, with the closely related Bistonini, Bupalini, Erannini, Gnophini, Melanolophini, Phaseliini and Theriini all merged into it. The eggs of all these geometer moths have the chorion cells characteristically arranged in longitudinal rows. The eggs of the Boarmiini in the narrow sense usually have a typical slender and narrow shape, with a soft chorion consisting of heavy-walled but unridged polygonal cells. However, in Cleora for example, the eggs approach the wide-walled shape found in many Bistonini. Adding further to the uncertainty is the fact that the Alsophilinae, usually treated as a small subfamily in their own right, might be a specialized lineage of Boarmiini; though their caterpillars are quite different, their pupae have a peculiar T-shaped cremaster which very much resembles that of the Boarmiini. [2]

Boarmiini in the narrow sense are typically slender geometer moths that rest with the wings spread out flatly and do not tuck the hindwings under the forewings while at rest. Typically, they are cryptically colored and rather dark, with brownish-grey hues predominating; in many, there are two or three weak wavy bands extending across the wings and forming a rough semicircle when the moths are at rest. Though they all look quite similar in habitus, there are few unequivocal characters that can be easily used to recognize adult members of this tribe. The females of many species have a conspicuously long ovipositor for hiding away the typical soft-shelled eggs. The valva and harpe (or "clasper") of the male genitalia are highly complex in almost all species and often bear various extensions. The juxta is typically well-developed, large and extended. Their caterpillars are rarely plump, and apparently at least some mimic twigs or thin leaves.

Selected genera

Adult male Neoalcis californiaria, one of the many species only tentatively placed in the Boarmiini Neoalcis californiaria-Male-1.jpg
Adult male Neoalcis californiaria , one of the many species only tentatively placed in the Boarmiini

As numerous ennominae genera have not yet been unequivocally assigned to a tribe, the genus list is preliminary. [3]

In addition, the genera Acrodontis and Xerodes (usually placed in Ennomini), as well as Monocerotesa (usually in Macariini) are placed in the Boarmiini by some authors. "Boarmia" penthearia however appears to belong to the Macariini. [5]

The fossil Lithopsyche was long assigned to the Boarmiini, but more recently a restudy indicated that it is a misidentified true butterfly (Papilionoidea).[ citation needed ]

In 2019, the first geometrid caterpillar in Baltic amber was discovered by German scientists. Described under Eogeometer vadens , it measured about 5 mm (0.20 in), and was estimated to be 44 million years old, dating back to Eocene epoch. It was described as the earliest evidence for the subfamily of Ennominae, particularly the tribe of Boarmiini. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geometer moth</span> Family of insects

The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek geo γεω, and metron μέτρον "measure" in reference to the way their larvae, or inchworms, appear to measure the earth as they move along in a looping fashion. A very large family, it has around 23,000 species of moths described, and over 1400 species from six subfamilies indigenous to North America alone. A well-known member is the peppered moth, Biston betularia, which has been subject of numerous studies in population genetics. Several other geometer moths are notorious pests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macariini</span> Tribe of moths

The Macariini are a tribe of geometer moths in the subfamily Ennominae. Though they share many traits with the Sterrhinae, this is probably plesiomorphic rather than indicative of a close relationship, and DNA sequence data points to the Boarmiini as particularly close relatives of the Macariini. All things considered, this tribe might still resemble the first Ennominae more than any other living lineage in the subfamily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ennominae</span> Subfamily of the geometer moths

Ennominae is the largest subfamily of the geometer moth family (Geometridae) with some 9,700 described species in 1,100 genera. Most species are fairly small, though some grow to be considerably large. This subfamily has a global distribution. It includes some species that are notorious defoliating pests. The subfamily was first described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1845.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bistonini</span> Tribe of geometer moths

The Bistonini are a tribe of geometer moths in subfamily Ennominae. As numerous ennomine genera have not yet been assigned to a tribe, the genus list is preliminary. In addition, the entire tribe is sometimes merged into a much-expanded Boarmiini. In other treatments, the Erannini are included in the present group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angeronini</span> Tribe of moths

The Angeronini are a small tribe of geometer moths in the subfamily Ennominae. The tribe was first described by William Trowbridge Merrifield Forbes in 1948. As numerous ennomine genera have not yet been assigned to a tribe, the genus list is preliminary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ennomini</span> Tribe of moths

The Ennomini are a tribe of geometer moths in the Ennominae subfamily. They are large-bodied and rather nondescript Ennominae, overall showing many similarities to the closely related Azelinini and Nacophorini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ourapterygini</span> Tribe of moths

The Ourapterygini are one of the large tribes of geometer moths in the subfamily Ennominae. The tribe was described by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle in 1846. They are particularly plentiful in the Neotropics. Ourapterygini are generally held to be the youngest tribe of their subfamily, and at least seasonally have characteristic apomorphic asymmetrical processes of the anellus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraxini</span> Tribe of moths

The Abraxini are a tribe of geometer moths in the subfamily Ennominae. Here, the Cassymini are considered a specialized offshoot of the Abraxini and merged therein; some authors consider them a distinct tribe however.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larentiinae</span> Subfamily of moths

Larentiinae is a subfamily of moths containing roughly 5,800 species that occur mostly in the temperate regions of the world. They are generally considered a subfamily of the geometer moth family (Geometridae) and are divided into a few large or good-sized tribes, and numerous very small or even monotypic ones which might not always be valid. Well-known members are the "pug moths" of the Eupitheciini and the "carpets", mainly of the Cidariini and Xanthorhoini. The subfamily was described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1845.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nacophorini</span> Tribe of moths

The Nacophorini are one of the smaller tribes of geometer moths in the subfamily Ennominae. They are the most diverse Ennominae of Australia and are widespread in the Americas. If the African genera tentatively placed herein indeed belong here, the distribution of the Nacophorini is distinctly Gondwanan, with their probable origin either of Australia, South America or even Antarctica. In Eurasia, they are rare by comparison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hemitheini</span> Tribe of moths

Though small in absolute diversity of genera, the Hemitheini are nonetheless the largest tribes of geometer moths in the subfamily Geometrinae. Like most Geometrinae, they are small greenish "emerald moths". The tribe was first described by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle in 1846.

<i>Lomographa bimaculata</i> Species of moth

Lomographa bimaculata, the white-pinion spotted, is a species of geometer moth. It belongs to the large geometer moth subfamily Ennominae, and therein to the tribe Baptini. It is – under its junior synonym – the type species of its genus Lomographa. It is also the type species of Bapta, a junior objective synonym of Lomographa and the namesake of the Baptini. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius ion 1775.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azelinini</span> Tribe of moths

The Azelinini are a tribe of geometer moths in the subfamily Ennominae, with many species in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in South America. Several species are found in North America as well. These stocky geometer moths seem to be closely related to other robust tribes, such as the Campaeini, Ennomini, Lithinini and Nacophorini – all of which might warrant to be subsumed in the Ennomini – the genus Odontopera, and perhaps the Caberini and Colotoini. The tribe was first described by William Trowbridge Merrifield Forbes in 1948.

<i>Alcis</i> (moth) Genus of geometer moths

Alcis is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae described by John Curtis in 1826.

<i>Drepanogynis</i> Genus of moths

Drepanogynis is a genus in the geometer moth family (Geometridae). Long considered to hold about 5 dozen species, this number has been doubled after the last major revision. They are stout-bodied and hairy by geometer moth standards, usually have pale hindwings and rest with their wings angled upwards like a roof, as Nacophorini do. The genus is by and large restricted to Africa south of the Equator, with most species occurring in southern Africa.

<i>Ectropis</i> Genus of insects

Ectropis is a genus in the geometer moth family (Geometridae). They are mostly paleotropical, but also plentiful in Australia and extend into Asia. Only one species – or cryptic species complex – is found in Europe. There are about 100 known species in this genus.

<i>Erannis</i> Genus of moths

Erannis is a genus of geometer moths in the subfamily Ennominae erected by Jacob Hübner in 1825. It is placed by some entomologists in the tribe Erannini as the type genus, but others merge this group into the tribe Boarmiini or Bistonini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sterrhinae</span> Subfamily of moths

Sterrhinae is a large subfamily of geometer moths with some 3,000 described species, with more than half belonging to the taxonomically difficult, very diverse genera, Idaea and Scopula. This subfamily was described by Edward Meyrick in 1892. They are the most diverse in the tropics with the number of species decreasing with increasing latitude and elevation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scopulini</span> Tribe of moths

Scopulini is a tribe of the geometer moth family (Geometridae), with about 900 species in seven genera. The tribe was described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1845.

Eogeometer is a prehistoric genus of Ennomine geometer moths in the tribe Boarmiini. The type and only species is Eogeometer vadens, the specimen of which measured about 5 mm (0.20 in), and was estimated to be 44 million years old, dating back to Eocene epoch. Both the genus and species were described by Thilo C. Fischer, Artur Michalski and Axel Hausmann in 2019 as the first geometrid caterpillar in Baltic amber.

References

  1. Forum Herbulot (2008)
  2. Holloway (1994), Young (2008)
  3. See references in Savela (2008)
  4. 1 2 Fischer, Thilo C.; Michalski, Artur; Hausmann, Axel (2019). "Geometrid caterpillar in Eocene Baltic amber (Lepidoptera, Geometridae)". Scientific Reports . 9 (1): Article number 17201. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-53734-w . PMC   6868187 . PMID   31748672.
  5. Young (2008)