Erechthias | |
---|---|
Erechthias diaphora imago from Blackheath, New South Wales | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Lepidoptera |
Family: | Tineidae |
Subfamily: | Erechthiinae |
Genus: | Erechthias Meyrick, 1880 |
Type species | |
Erechthias charadrota Meyrick, 1880 | |
Diversity | |
Over 150 species [?] (see text) | |
Synonyms | |
Numerous, see text |
Erechthias is a genus of the fungus moth family, Tineidae. Therein, it belongs to the subfamily Erechthiinae, of which it is the type genus. The exact circumscription of this genus is still disputed, but it may encompass more than 150 species.
Here, the genus is treated in the wide circumscription ( sensu lato ) adopted by many authors today, and represents the presumed core group of the Erechthiinae. Delimited thus, Erechthias includes several other genera, some of which have occasionally been treated as independent even by fairly recent authors. They are still rather similar and contain moths that are (at least overwhelmingly) very closely related. Still, they differ in details such as the wing venation – with Erechthias sensu stricto having all veins separate (as opposed to e.g. the Decadarchis group, which has hindwing veins 5 and 6 stalked) – or the clasper's harpe being nude in Erechthias s.str. but bearing a cluster of setae on the costa. However, the female genitals look almost alike in all of them. [1]
Many of these supposedly distinct genera were always considered monotypic and are unlikely to be valid. More notable are Decadarchis (including Caryolestis, Nesoxena, Pantheus, and perhaps others) and Ereunetis (including Lepidobregma and Neodecadarchis); these two are more frequently considered separate genera than other subgroups of Erechthias. The members of the former (sub)genus were in fact at first often placed in Tinea of subfamily Tineinae. Other species of Erechthias were historically assigned to Acridotarsa – also of the Tineinae ( E. deloneura ) – or to Mesopherna of the Myrmecozelinae ( E. epomadia ). E. glyphidaula has been a particular source of confusion; even veteran researcher Edward Meyrick, in some of his last works, no less than three times established a new monotypic genus for this species. [2]
More unusually, some species of Erechthias were initially mistaken as members of the cosmet moth genus Cosmopteryx ( E. cyanosticta ) and the ermine moth genus Argyresthia ( E. zebrina ); these genera are basal Ditrysia not particularly closely related to Erechthias. The enigmatic "genus" Acrocenotes– a single species initially held to belong to the Plutellidae, which are also not close relatives of Erechthias– is also included here in the present treatment. [3]
As another taxonomic curiosity of this genus, E. beeblebroxi is named after Douglas Adams's famous two-headed science fiction character Zaphod Beeblebrox; [4] the moth has a "false head" pattern that presumably helps to confuse would-be predators.
Finally, the actual delimitation of Erechthias against related genera such as Comodica still needs to be determined. For example, whether the Erechthiinae Callicerastis stagmatias and Mecomodica fullawayi are justifiably separated in their monotypic genera or better included in Erechthias (as are all the other species once placed in Callicerastis) is disputed; the latter in particular seems to be somewhat intermediate between Comodica and Erechthias. [5]
The numerous species of Erechthias include: [6]
Times and again, groups of these moths have been proposed for separation in distinct genera. These junior synonyms of Erechthias, in the circumscription used here, are: [7]
The Plutellidae are a family of moths commonly known as the diamondback moths, named after the diamondback moth of European origin. It was once considered to have three subfamilies: Plutellinae, Praydinae, and Scythropiinae. Praydinae was later elevated to its own family, Praydidae, while Scythropiinae has variously been moved to Yponomeutidae or also elevated to its own family.
Brachmia is a genus of the twirler moth family (Gelechiidae). Among these, it is mostly placed in the subfamily Dichomeridinae.
Ephysteris is a genus of the twirler moth family (Gelechiidae). Among these, it is assigned to tribe Gnorimoschemini of the subfamily Gelechiinae. Even though it is a rather diverse and widespread group, most of these small and inconspicuous moths were overlooked by scientists until the early 20th century. Almost 90 species are known today but new ones are still being discovered.
Hypatima is a genus of the twirler moth family (Gelechiidae). Among these, it belongs to a distinct lineage, which is variously treated as tribe Chelariini in subfamilies Dichomeridinae, Gelechiinae, or even Pexicopiinae, and historically was considered a subfamily in its own right, Chelariinae. Of this lineage, Hypatima – under its junior synonym Chelaria – is the type genus. This genus has numerous species, but its exact limits are not quite clear. This genus occurs mainly in the Southern Hemisphere, though one of the better-known species is the only member of this genus native to Europe, the lobster-clawed moth.
Pityocona is a small and little-known genus of the twirler moth family (Gelechiidae). Among these, it is believed to belong to subfamily Gelechiinae, but beyond that its relationships are still obscure.
Imma is a large genus of moths in the obtectomeran "micromoth" family Immidae. This is the type genus of its family. They are widespread in the tropics, with most species occurring between the Himalayas and the Oceanian region; the genus is furthermore plentiful in the Neotropics, but not very diverse in the Afrotropics.
Crocidosema plebejana, the cotton tipworm, is a tortrix moth, belonging to tribe Eucosmini of subfamily Olethreutinae. It is found today all over the subtropical and tropical regions of the world and even occurs on many oceanic islands – in Polynesia and Saint Helena for example – but has probably been accidentally introduced to much of its current range by humans. In addition, it is also found in some cooler regions, e.g. in Europe except in the east and north; this is probably also not natural, as it was, for example, not recorded in the British Isles before 1900.
Acridotarsa is a genus of moths belonging to the family Tineidae. The genus was described by Edward Meyrick in 1893.
Comodica is a small genus of the fungus moth family, Tineidae. Therein, it belongs to the subfamily Erechthiinae. It is apparently a close relative of the type genus of its subfamily, Erechthias.
Opogona is a genus of the fungus moth family, Tineidae. Therein, it belongs to the subfamily Hieroxestinae. As it includes Opogona omoscopa, the type species of the now-abolished genus Hieroxestis, it is the type genus of its subfamily.
Nemapogon is a genus of the fungus moth family, Tineidae. Therein, it belongs to the subfamily Nemapogoninae. As evident by its name, it is the type genus of its subfamily.
Monopis is a genus of the fungus moth family, Tineidae. Therein, it belongs to the nominate subfamily, Tineinae.
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.
Scardia is a genus of the fungus moth family (Tineidae). Therein, it belongs to the subfamily Scardiinae, of which it is the type genus. Several of the species placed here in earlier times have been moved to other genera of the subfamily, e.g. Amorophaga, Montescardia, and Morophaga.
Tinea is a genus of the fungus moth family, Tineidae. Therein, it belongs to the subfamily Tineinae. As evident by its name, it is the type genus of its subfamily and family. Established as one of the first subgroups of "Phalaena", it used to contain many species of Tineidae that are nowadays placed in other genera, as well as a few moths nowadays placed elsewhere.
Erechthias simulans is a species of fungus moth. It is here considered to belong to the somewhat controversial type genus of its subfamily Erechthiinae, though even fairly recently some authors have proposed to retain other genera such as Decadarchis separate from Erechthias. Decadarchis, with E. simulans as type species, would in fact contain this moth and its closest relatives, regardless whether it is recognized as full genus or as subgenus. These relatives are generally held to be a group of mainly Polynesian species. E. simulans has also been mistaken for a species of the closely related genus Comodica; while the delimitation of this versus Erechthias/Decadarchis is not universally agreed upon, E. simulans is not included in Comodica anymore by modern authors.
Mecomodica fullawayi is a fungus moth of the subfamily Erechthiinae. It was first described by Otto Swezey in 1926.
Ernophthora is a genus of small moths belonging to the snout moth family (Pyralidae). They form part of the Cabniini, a rather small tribe of the huge snout moth subfamily Phycitinae. This genus is generally found in the Australia-Pacific region.