Whalleyana

Last updated

Whalleyana
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Clade: Ditrysia
Clade: Apoditrysia
Clade: Obtectomera
Superfamily: Whalleyanoidea
Minet, 1991
Family: Whalleyanidae
Minet, 1991
Genus: Whalleyana
Viette, 1977
Species
Diversity
2 species

Whalleyana is an enigmatic genus of moths in the lepidopteran group Obtectomera, [1] endemic to Madagascar. The genus contains two species, whose biology are unknown. The genus had been placed in the picture-winged leaf moths, (Thyrididae), but then was placed in its own family (Minet, 1991), and later elevated to its own superfamily (Dugdale et al., 1999: 229-230); see also Fänger (2004). The genus was named after Paul E. S. Whalley, a British entomologist. [2] Genomic studies have found them to be most closely related to Callidulidae, and it is suggested that they should be placed in Calliduloidea. [3]

Contents

Related Research Articles

Heterobathmia is a genus of Lepidoptera. It is the only genus in the suborder Heterobathmiina, as well as in the superfamily Heterobathmioidea and in the family Heterobathmiidae. Primitive, day-flying, metallic moths confined to southern South America, the adults eat the pollen of Nothofagus or southern beech and the larvae mine the leaves. Most known species are undescribed.

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

Schreckensteinioidea is a superfamily in the insect order Lepidoptera containing a single family, Schreckensteiniidae, or "bristle-legged moths", because of the stout spines on the hindlegs. The superfamily and family were both described by Thomas Bainbrigge Fletcher in 1929. The relationships of this family within the group apoditrysia are currently uncertain. One of the species, the blackberry skeletoniser, is widespread and common across Europe and has been introduced as a biological control to Hawaii, whilst three species of Corsocasis occur in South East Asia.

Simaethistoidea is an obscure superfamily of pyralid-like moths with two genera, whose biology and relationships among the Ditrysia is currently unknown, namely the Australian Metaprotus and the China and North Indian Simaethistis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neopseustidae</span> Small family containing the archaic bell moths

Neopseustidae is a small family of day and night-flying "archaic bell moths" in the order Lepidoptera. They are classified into their own superfamily Neopseustoidea and infraorder Neopseustina. Four genera are known. These primitive moths are restricted to South America and Southeast Asia. Their biology is unknown.

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

Immoidea is a superfamily of pantropical moths containing only the family Immidae comprising ten genera with around 250 species, over half of them in the genus Imma. Many are brightly coloured and diurnal. The position of this group is currently uncertain within the group Obtectomera. The larvae feed on the leaves of dicotyledons and conifers including Podocarpus.

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

Drepanoidea is the superfamily of "hook tip moths". See Minet and Scoble (1999) for a comprehensive overview.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lophocoronoidea</span> Monogeneric superfamily of moths

Lophocoronoidea is a superfamily of insects in the order Lepidoptera. There is a single extant genus, Lophocorona, in the family Lophocoronidae. These are small, primitive nocturnal moths restricted to Australia whose biology is largely unknown.

Palaephatoidea is a superfamily of insects in the order Lepidoptera with a single family, Palaephatidae with seven known genera. These "Gondwanaland moths" exhibit a disjunct distribution occurring mainly in South America, with four species in eastern Australia and Tasmania and one in South Africa. The larvae spin together leaves of Proteaceae (Ptyssoptera) or Verbenaceae (Azaleodes) . Palaephatoidea, a typical monotrysian group, is one two main candidates as the sister group of most of the Lepidoptera, the Ditrysia.

Cecidosidae is a family of primitive monotrysian moths in the order Lepidoptera which have a piercing ovipositor used for laying eggs in plant tissue in which they induce galls, or they mine in bark. Nine species occur in southern Africa, five species in South America and Xanadoses nielseni was recently described from New Zealand. Some minute parasitoid wasps are known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Callidulidae</span> Family of Old World butterfly-moths

Callidulidae, the only known family of the superfamily Calliduloidea, is the family of Old World butterfly-moths, containing eight genera. They have a peculiar distribution, restricted to the Old World tropics of Southeast Asia to Australasia and Madagascar. The three subfamilies exhibit both day- and night-flying behaviour.

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

Carposinidae, the "fruitworm moths", is a family of insects in the order Lepidoptera. These moths are narrower winged than Copromorphidae, with less rounded forewing tips. Males often have conspicuous patches of scales on either surface. The mouthparts are quite diagnostic, usually with prominent, upcurved "labial palps", the third segment long, and the second segment covered in large scales. Unlike Copromorphidae, the "M2" and sometimes "M1" vein on the hindwings is absent. The relationship of Carposinidae relative to Copromorphidae needs further investigation. It is considered possible that the family is artificial, being nested within Copromorphidae. The Palearctic species have been revised by Alexey Diakonoff (1989).

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

Choreutidae, or metalmark moths, are a family of insects in the lepidopteran order whose relationships have been long disputed. It was placed previously in the superfamily Yponomeutoidea in family Glyphipterigidae and in superfamily Sesioidea. It is now considered to represent its own superfamily. The relationship of the family to the other lineages in the group "Apoditrysia" need a new assessment, especially with new molecular data.

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

Copromorphidae, the "tropical fruitworm moths", is a family of insects in the lepidopteran order. These moths have broad, rounded forewings, and well-camouflaged scale patterns. Unlike Carposinidae the mouthparts include "labial palps" with the second rather than third segment the longest. With other unusual structural characteristics of the caterpillar and adult, it could represent the sister lineage of all other extant members of this superfamily. The genus Sisyroxena from Madagascar is also notable for its unusual venation and wing scale sockets.

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

Hyblaeidae are the "teak moths", a family of insects in the Lepidopteran order. The two genera with about 18 species make up one of the two families of the Hyblaeoidea superfamily, which in the past has been included in the Pyraloidea. Recent phylogenetic studies find varying relationships of Hyblaeoidea among Ditrysian Lepidoptera: Mutanen et al. (2010) find the superfamily to group either with Pyraloidea, or – more often – with Thyridoidea or butterflies. The results of Wahlberg et al. (2013) and Heikilä et al. (2015) indicate a sister-group relationship with Pyraloidea.

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

Galacticidae is a recently recognised and enigmatic family of insects in the lepidopteran order. These moderate sized moths are 8–17 mm in wingspan and have previously been embedded within several lepidopteran superfamilies, but Galacticidae is currently placed in its own superfamily at the base of the natural group Apoditrysia.

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

Epermeniidae or the fringe-tufted moths is a family of insects in the lepidopteran order with about 14 genera. Previously they have been divided in two subfamilies Epermeniinae and Ochromolopinae but this is no longer maintained since the last group is probably hierarchically nested within the first. They are presently placed in their own superfamily but have previously been placed among the Yponomeutoidea or Copromorphoidea with which they share some features. Their systematic placement among the apoditrysian group "Obtectomera" is however uncertain. They show some morphological similarities to the "plume moths", for example the wing fringe has similar groups of scales. There are also some similarities to Schreckensteinioidea, for example spiny legs and at least in some species an open-network cocoon. The genus Thambotricha from New Zealand may be the sister group of all other extant members. The most important genera are Epermenia, Ochromolopis and Gnathifera. The group has been extensively revised and catalogued by Dr Reinhard Gaedike.

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

Carposinoidea, the "fruitworm moths", is a superfamily of insects in the lepidopteran order. The superfamily is also known as Copromorphoidea, which is a junior synonym. These moths are small to medium-sized and are broad-winged bearing some resemblance to the superfamilies Tortricoidea and Immoidea. The antennae are often "pectinate" especially in males, and many species of these well camouflaged moths bear raised tufts of scales on the wings and a specialised fringe of scales at the base of the hindwing sometimes in females only; there are a number of other structural characteristics. The position of this superfamily is not certain, but it has been placed in the natural group of "Apoditrysia" "Obtectomera", rather than with the superfamilies Alucitoidea or Epermenioidea within which it has sometimes previously been placed, on the grounds that shared larval and pupal characteristics of these groups have probably evolved independently. It has been suggested that the division into two families should be abandoned.

Acanthopteroctetidae is a small family of primitive moths with two described genera, Acanthopteroctetes and Catapterix, and a total of seven described species. They are known as the archaic sun moths.

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

Axia, the gold moths, is a genus of moths whose precise relationships within the macrolepidoptera are currently uncertain, but they currently are placed within the superfamily Drepanoidea. Uniquely, they have a pair of pocket-like organs on the seventh abdominal spiracle of the adult moth which are possibly sound receptive organs. They are quite large and brightly coloured moths that occur only in southern Europe and feed on species of Euphorbia. Sometimes they are attracted to light. The genus was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1821.

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

Cimeliidae, the gold moths, is a family of moths that is now placed in the macroheteroceran superfamily Drepanoidea, although previously placed in its own superfamily. Uniquely, they have a pair of pocket-like organs on the seventh abdominal spiracle of the adult moth which are only possibly sound receptive organs. They are quite large and brightly coloured moths that occur in southern Europe and feed on species of Euphorbia. Sometimes they are attracted to light. The family was first described by Pierre Chrétien in 1916.

References

  1. Obtectomera
  2. Heppner, John B. (August 2008). Capinera, John L. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Entomology, Volume 4 (2nd ed.). Springer Science & Business Media. p. 2889.
  3. Twort, Victoria G.; Minet, Joël; Wheat, Christopher W.; Wahlberg, Niklas (2021). "Museomics of a rare taxon: placing Whalleyanidae in the Lepidoptera Tree of Life". Systematic Entomology. 46 (4): 926–937. doi:10.1111/syen.12503. hdl: 10138/334567 . ISSN   1365-3113. S2CID   237486697.

Sources