List of moths of Sri Lanka

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Location of Sri Lanka LocationSriLanka.png
Location of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of India. The invertebrate fauna is as large as it is common to other regions of the world. There are about 2 million species of arthropods found in the world, and still it is counting. So many new species are discover up to this time also. So it is very complicated and difficult to summarize the exact number of species found within a certain region.

The following is an incomplete list of the moths of Sri Lanka .

Moth

Moths are lepidopterans that classified together with their beautiful partners, the butterflies. The two types are easily recognized by first sight with a good naked eye. The main differences are as follows.

FeatureButterfliesMoths
Shape and structure of antennaethin slender filamentous antennae which are club-shaped at the end.comb-like or feathery antennae, or filamentous and unclubbed.
Wing-coupling mechanismslack a frenulum.have a frenulum which is a filament arising from the hindwing and coupling (matching up) with barbs on the forewing. The frenulum can be observed only when a specimen is in hand. Some moths have a lobe on the forewing called a jugum that helps in coupling with the hindwing.
Pupaeform an exposed pupa, also termed a chrysalis.moth caterpillars spin a cocoon made of silk within which they metamorphose into the pupal stage.
Colouration of the wingsbright colours on their wings.usually plain brown, grey, white or black and often with obscuring patterns of zigzags or swirls.
Activitydiurnal.nocturnal and crepuscular.
Structure of the bodyhave slender and smoother abdomens.have stout and hairy or furry-looking bodies.
Scalespossess fine scales.larger scales on their wings which makes them look more dense and fluffy.
Appearance of eyesapposition eyes.superposition eyes.
Resting posturefold their wings above their backs when they are perched.rest with their wings spread out to their sides.

Within Sri Lanka, the latest revision of lepidopterans described 1903 species with 58 families of butterflies and moths. Out of these 1903 species, 208 species are butterflies and 1695 species are moths. [1]

The family-wise number of moth species are:

FamilyCommon nameSpecies
Alucitidae -11
Autostichidae -6
Batrachedridae -6
Bombycidae Silkworm moths3
Brachodidae Little bear moths6
Callidulidae Day flying moths1
Carposinidae -4
Choreutidae Metalmark moths15
Coleophoridae -1
Coleophoridae -1
Cosmopterigidae Cosmet moths30
Cossidae Carpenter millers13
Crambidae Grass moths266
Drepanidae Hooktip moths9
Depressariidae -2
Dudgeoneidae -1
Elachistidae Grass miner moths10
Epipyropidae Planthopper parasite moths3
Erebidae Underwing moths466
Ethmiidae -1
Eupterotidae Giant lappet moths15
Gelechiidae Twirler moths66
Geometridae Geometer moths219
Glyphipterigidae Sedge moths14
Gracillariidae Leaf-blotch miner moths56
Hepialidae Ghost moths3
Hyblaeidae Teak moths2
Immidae Imma moths13
Lacturidae Tropical burnet moths2
Lasiocampidae Tent moths15
Lecithoceridae Long horned moths95
Limacodidae Slug caterpillar moths26
Lyonetiidae Lyonet moths7
Momphidae Mompha moths4
Nepticulidae -2
Noctuidae Owlet moths179
Nolidae Nolid moths70
Notodontidae Prominent moths40
Plutellidae Diamondback moths1
Pterophoridae Plume moths32
Psychidae Bagworm moths36
Pyralidae Snout moths90
Saturniidae Giant silkworm moths7
Sesiidae Clearwing moths2
Sphingidae Sphinx moths55
Thyrididae Picture-winged leaf moths21
Tineidae Fungus moths44
Tortricidae Leaf-roller moths174
Uraniidae Swallowtail moths31
Urodidae False burnet moths1
Xyloryctidae Giant micromoths2
Yponomeutidae Ermine moths2
Zygaenidae Burnet moths13

Checklist of species

Alucitidae

Autostichidae

Batrachedridae

Bombycidae

Brachodidae - little bear moths

Callidulidae - day-flying moths

Carposinidae

Choreutidae - metalmark moths

Coleophoridae

Copromorphidae

Cosmopterigidae - cosmet moths

Cossidae - carpenter millers

Crambidae

Acentropinae

Crambinae

Cybalomiinae

Epipaschiinae

Evergestinae

Musotiminae

Noordinae

Odontiinae

Pyraustinae

Schoenobiinae

Scopariinae

Spilomelinae - spilomeline moths

Wurthiinae

Drepanidae - hooktip and false owlet moths

Depressariidae

Dudgeoneidae

Elachistidae - grass-miner moths

Epipyropidae - planthopper parasite moths

Erebidae - underwing moths

Aganainae

Anobinae - anobine moths

Arctiinae - tiger and lichen moths

Boletobiinae

Calpinae - fruit-piercing moths

Gesonia obeditalis Gesonia sp. (probaby Gesonia obeditalis) from Sri Lanka.jpg
Gesonia obeditalis
Serrodes campana Serrodes campana from Sri Lanka.jpg
Serrodes campana

Erebinae

Herminiinae - litter moths

Hypeninae - snout moths

Hypenodinae

Lymantriinae - tussock moths

Pangraptinae

Scoliopteryginae

Tinoliinae

Ethmiidae - ethmiid moths

Eupterotidae - giant lappet moths

Gelechiidae - twirler moths

Geometridae - geometer moths

Glyphipterigidae - sedge moths

Gracillariidae - leaf-blotch miner moths

Heliodinidae - sun moths

Hepialidae - ghost moths

Hyblaeidae - teak moths

Immidae - imma moths

Lacturidae - tropical burnet moths

Lasiocampidae - tent and lappet moths

Lecithoceridae - long-horned moths

Limacodidae - slug caterpillar moths

Lyonetiidae - lyonet moths

Momphidae - mompha moths

Nepticulidae - nepticulid moths

Noctuidae - owlet moths

Acontiinae - bird dropping moths

Acronictinae

Agaristinae

Amphipyrinae

Bryophilinae

Catocalinae

Condicinae

Eustrotiinae

Euteliinae

Hadeninae - hants moths

Moth species photographed in Bakamuna, Sri Lanka.jpg

Noctuinae

Pantheinae

Plusiinae - looper moths

Stictopterinae

Tinoliinae

Toxocampinae

Xyleninae

Nolidae - nolid moths

Ophthalmitis herbidaria Moth sp. taken in the night from area of Bakamuna..jpg
Ophthalmitis herbidaria

Notodontidae - prominent moths

Oecophoridae

Stathmopodinae

A moths sp. taken by Sanath Bandara Herath-2.jpg

Plutellidae - diamondback moths

Pterophoridae - plume moths

Psychidae - bagworm moths

Pyralidae - pyralid moths

Epipaschiinae

Gallerinae

Phycitinae

Pyralinae

Saturniidae - giant silkworm and royal moths

Sesiidae - clearwing moths

Sphingidae - sphinx moths

Thyrididae - picture-winged leaf moths

Tineidae - fungus moths

Tortricidae - leaf-roller moths

Uraniidae - swallowtail moths

Urodidae - false burnet moths

Xyloryctidae - giant micromoths

Yponomeutidae - ermine moths

Zygaenidae - burnet and forester moths

See also

References

  1. Koçak, Ahmet Ömer; Kemal, Muhabbet (20 February 2012). "Preliminary list of the Lepidoptera of Sri Lanka". Cesa News. Centre for Entomological Studies Ankara (79): 1–57 via Academia.