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 γῆ or γαῖα "the earth", 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.
Ennominae is the largest subfamily of the geometer moth family (Geometridae) with some 9,700 described species in 1,100 genera. They are usually a fairly small moths, 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.
Geometrinae is the nominate subfamily of the geometer moth family (Geometridae). It is strongly split, containing a considerable number of tribes of which most are presently very small or monotypic. These small moths are often a light bluish green, leading to the common name of emerald moths, though a few species called thus are also found in the tribe Campaeini of the Ennominae. A phylogeny and classification was published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society in which 13 tribes were accepted.
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.
The Cidariini are the largest tribe of geometer moths in the subfamily Larentiinae. The Cidariini include many of the species known as "carpets" or, ambiguously, "carpet moths", and are among the few geometer moths that have been subject to fairly comprehensive cladistic study of their phylogeny. The tribe was described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1845.
Scopula decorata, the middle lace border, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found throughout Europe.
Scopula immorata, the Lewes wave, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found throughout Europe and the Near East.
Scopula nigropunctata, the sub-angled wave, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found through most of the Palearctic ecozone.
Somatina is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae first described by Achille Guenée in 1858.
Sterrhinae is a large subfamily of geometer moths with some 2,800 described species. This subfamily was described by Edward Meyrick in 1892.
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.
Scopula ornata, the lace border, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in his 1763 Entomologia Carniolica. It is found in Europe, North Africa and the Near East.
Scopula incanata is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from north-eastern Europe and the Caucasus to southern Siberia and northern Mongolia.
Louis Beethoven Prout (1864–1943) was an English entomologist and musicologist.
Scopula minorata is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1833. It is found in Africa south of the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsula and on the islands of the Indian Ocean. Furthermore, it is found in southern Europe. It can be distinguished from Scopula lactaria only by examination of its genitalia.
Scopula emutaria, the rosy wave, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in western and south-western Europe and Romania. Also in North Africa.
Scopula subpunctaria is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from northern and north-eastern China to the southern Palaearctic ecozone.
Scopula beckeraria is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was described by Lederer in 1853. It is found in Italy, Croatia, North Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.
Scopula caesaria is a moth of the family Geometridae. It has a wide range, including the Comoros, Mayotte, La Réunion, Madagascar and in Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Gambia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, New Guinea, Taiwan, Japan and Australia (Queensland).
William Warren was an English entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera.
