Elachistidae

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Elachistidae
Elachista rufocinerea 2.jpg
Adult Elachista rufocinerea ,
demonstrating its tiny size versus an aphid (bottom left) and a spider mite (top left)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Infraorder: Heteroneura
Clade: Eulepidoptera
Clade: Ditrysia
Clade: Apoditrysia
Superfamily: Gelechioidea
Family: Elachistidae
Bruand, 1851
Diversity
47 living genera (and see text)
Synonyms

Elachistinae (but see text)

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 completely unnatural assemblage, united merely by symplesiomorphies retained from the first gelechioid moths.

Contents

In fact, most of these moths appear to be either closer to the Oecophorinae and are hence nowadays usually included in the Oecophoridae (Depressariinae, "Deuterogoniinae", Hypertrophinae, Stenomatinae and perhaps the enigmatic Aeolanthes ), or constitute quite basal lineages of gelechioids, neither closely related to Elachista nor to Oecophora , and hence best treated as independent families within the Gelechioidea (Agonoxenidae, Ethmiidae). The genus Coelopoeta is sometimes [1] still placed here, but probably belongs in the Oecophorinae.

Consequently, the Elachistidae are essentially identical to the subfamily Elachistinae in the family's wide circumscription. The Agonoxenidae might perhaps belong here regardless, but even this is doubtful. Nonetheless, a considerable number of genera remain in the present family, and eventually it is likely that subdivisions will again be established (e.g. by raising some or all of the tribes proposed for the former Elachistinae to subfamily status).

A significant reduction of genera has been proposed, from the current mass of 20 genera to 3. The proposition was made on the premise of several distinguishing classifications, all of which are synapomorphies. Those include genital size and presence of digitate, adult abdomen segments without dorsal spines, absence of maxillary palpi and fronto-clypeal suture, and immobile abdominal segments in pupae and larvae. Various tribes were considered within the proposition, with most differentiation coming from genital structure.

In the modern, reduced description, the Elachistidae are small to very small moths (wingspans usually around 1 cm). Their wings appear feather-like due to the fine hair covering the wings' fringes, and the hindwings can be significantly reduced in area, essentially consisting of a small strip with a wide hairy fringe. The caterpillars are typically leaf miners or stem miners on Poales.

Genera

The genera of Elachistidae are: [2]

Several small genera colored by some authors are here included in Elachista, as it would otherwise be liable to be non-monophyletic. As noted above, Aeolanthes may also belong here, as the only genus of a subfamily Aeolanthinae. Also possibly included is the Peruvian species Auxotricha ochrogypsa , described by Edward Meyrick in 1931 as the sole member of its genus.

Fossil record

Some prehistoric genera of Elachistidae, known only from fossils, have been described: [3]

Former genera

Footnotes

  1. See e.g. references in Savela (2004)
  2. Wikispecies (2009-NOV-09), and see references in Savela (2004)
  3. Wikispecies (2009-NOV-09)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oecophoridae</span> Family of moths

Oecophoridae 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gelechiidae</span> Family of moths

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 dispute. These are generally very small moths with narrow, fringed wings. The larvae of most species feed internally on various parts of their host plants, sometimes causing galls. Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga) is a host plant common to many species of the family, particularly of the genus Chionodes, which as a result is more diverse in North America than usual for Gelechioidea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gelechioidea</span> Superfamily of moths

Gelechioidea is the superfamily of moths 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" superfamily, constituting one of the basal lineages of the Ditrysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coleophoridae</span> Family of moths

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 found in temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. They are most common in the Palearctic, and rare in sub-Saharan Africa, South America, and Australia; consequently, they probably originated in northern Eurasia. They are relatively common in houses, they seek out moist areas to rest and procreate.

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

The Ethmiinae are a subfamily of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea sometimes included in the Elachistidae or the Oecophoridae, but mostly in the Depressariidae as a subfamily Ethmiinae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Batrachedridae</span> Family of moths

The Batrachedridae are a small family of tiny moths. These are small, slender moths which rest with their wings wrapped tightly around their bodies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blastobasidae</span> Family of moths

The Blastobasidae are a family of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. Its species can be found almost anywhere in the world, though in some places they are not native but introduced by humans. In some arrangements, these moths are included in the case-bearer family (Coleophoridae) as subfamily Blastobasinae. The Symmocidae are sometimes included in the Blastobasidae as subfamily or tribe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scythrididae</span> Family of moths

Scythrididae 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 Oecophoridae as subfamily. Scythrididae adults are smallish to mid-sized moths, which when at rest appear teardrop-shaped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pterolonchidae</span> Family of moths

Pterolonchidae is a small family of very small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. There are species native to every continent except Australia and Antarctica.

<i>Aeolanthes</i> Genus of moths

Aeolanthes is a genus of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea.

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

The Depressariinae – sometimes spelled "Depressiinae" in error – are a subfamily of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. Like their relatives therein, their exact relationships are not yet very well resolved. It has been considered part of family Elachistidae sensu lato or included in an expanded Oecophoridae. In modern classifications they are treated as the distinct gelechioid family Depressariidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oecophorinae</span> Subfamily of the "concealer moths" family Oecophoridae

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 disputed.

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

The Amphisbatinae was a small subfamily of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. Like their relatives therein, their exact relationships are not yet very well resolved. The present lineage is often included in the Depressariinae as a tribe Amphisbatini, though more often within the context of a "splitting" approach to Gelechioidea systematics and taxonomy, wherein the Depressariinae are elevated to full family rank and the Amphisbatinae are treated as a subfamily therein. An even more extremely split-up layout even treats the Amphisbatinae as full family Amphisbatidae. In the scheme used here, the Amphisbatinae are included in the Oecophoridae as a subfamily alongside the Depressariinae.

<i>Elachista</i> Genus of moths

Elachista is a genus of gelechioid moths described by Georg Friedrich Treitschke in 1833. It is the type genus of the grass-miner moth family (Elachistidae). This family is sometimes circumscribed very loosely, including for example the Agonoxenidae and Ethmiidae which seem to be quite distinct among the Gelechioidea, as well as other lineages which are widely held to be closer to Oecophora than to Elachista and are thus placed in the concealer moth family Oecophoridae here.

<i>Stephensia</i> (moth) Genus of moths

Stephensia is a genus of the small and very small moths of the family Elachistidae.

<i>Perittia</i> Genus of moths

Perittia is a genus of moths of the family Elachistidae.

<i>Exaeretia</i> Genus of moths

Exaeretia is a moth genus of the superfamily Gelechioidea. It is placed in the family Depressariidae, which is often – particularly in older treatments – considered a subfamily of Oecophoridae or included in the Elachistidae.

<i>Anchinia</i> Genus of moths

Anchinia is a genus of gelechioid moths.

Fuchsia is a genus of gelechioid moths and only genus of the Fuchsiini tribe. In some systematic layouts, it is placed in the subfamily Amphisbatinae of the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae). Delimitation of Amphisbatinae versus the closely related Depressariidae and Oecophorinae is a major problem of Gelechioidea taxonomy and systematics, and most authors separate the former two as full-blown families, and/or include the Amphisbatinae in Depressariidae, or merge them in the Oecophorinae outright.

<i>Elachista archaeonoma</i> Species of moth

Elachista archaeonoma is a species of moth in the family Elachistidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1889. It is endemic to New Zealand.

References