John W. BrownUSDA, Systematic Entomology LaboratoryU.S. National Museum of Natural History

Washington, DC 20013-7012

General Remarks

Microlepidoptera – a category of convenience (not all are small).

Approximately 40-45% of the order (described, that is).

Majority of the fundamental developments characteristic of the order take place within Microlepidoptera.

Phylogeny is poorly understood.

Overview of Presentation

Briefly summarize classification based on phylogeny from Kristensen (1998).

Briefly discuss major lineages and morphological developments that define them.

Examine in detail adults of a few of the major lineages (mini-labs).

Kristensen 1998Handbook of Zoology

Micropterigidae (Zeugloptera)1 family with 121

described speciesTiny moths, 10 mm or lessFuzzy headMetallic colored wings

Micropterigidae (Zeugloptera)1 family with 121

described speciesHomoneurous

wingsJugate wing

coupling

Micropterigidae (Zeugloptera)1 family with 121

described speciesHomoneurous

wingsJugate wing

couplingMonotrysian

female reproductive system

Micropterigidae (Zeugloptera)1 family with 121

described speciesHomoneurous wingsJugate wing couplingMonotrysian female

reproductive systemStrongly asymmetrical

mandibles, short labial palpi

Eriocraniidae (Glossata)1 family with 24

described speciesTiny moths, 10 mm or lessFuzzy headMetallic colored wings

Eriocraniidae (Glossata)1 family with 24

described speciesHomoneurous

wingsJugate wing

coupling

Eriocraniidae (Glossata)1 family with 24

described speciesHomoneurous

wingsJugate wing

couplingMonotrysian

female reproductive system

Eriocraniidae (Glossata)1 family with 24

described speciesHomoneurous wingsJugate wing

couplingMonotrysian female

reproductive systemSucking mouthparts

– non-functional mandibles, galea forming proboscis

Hepialoidea (Exoporia)5 families with ca.

500 described speciesWingspan up to 25 cm

Adults crepuscular/nocutrnalAs many as 30,000 eggs “broadcast” by female in flight

Hepialoidea (Exoporia)5 families with ca.

500 described species

Homoneurous wingsJugate wing coupling

Hepialoidea (Exoporia)5 families with ca.

500 described species

Homoneurous wingsJugate wing couplingExoporian female

reproductive system

Hepialoidea (Exoporia)5 families with ca.

500 described species

Homoneurous wingsJugate wing couplingExoporian female

reproductive systemMouthparts reduced

– proboscis absent or short

Incurvarioidea (Heteroneura - Monotrysia)5 families with ca.

410 described speciesHeliozelidae, Adelidae, Prodoxidae, Cecidosidae, IncurvariidaeSmall to tiny moths, forewing length 1.7-16 mm

5 families with ca. 410 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

coupling

Incurvarioidea (Heteroneura - Monotrysia)

Incurvarioidea (Heteroneura - Monotrysia)5 families with ca.

410 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingMonotrysian female

reproductive system

Incurvarioidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)5 families with ca. 410

described speciesHeteroneurous wingsFrenate wing couplingMonotrysian female

reproductive systemMouthparts reduced –

proboscis absent or short

Incurvariidae – yucca moths

Tineiodea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)5 families with ca.

4,200 described speciesTineidae, Eriocottidae, Lypusidae, Acrolophidae, Psychidae, ArrhenophanidaeThe most primitive ditrysians

Tineiodea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)5 families with ca.

4,200 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

coupling

Tineiodea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)5 families with ca.

4,200 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingDitrysian female

reproductive system

Tineiodea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)5 families with ca.

4,200 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing couplingDitrysian female

reproductive systemMouthparts well

developed – proboscis reduced

Tineiodea mini-labTineidae

Erect scales on headInconspicuous maxillary palpiShort labial palpi

AcrolophidaeFuzzy head and bodyLarge, dark adultsMales often with elongate palpi

PsychidaeWings dark-smoky, scales usually lostShort antennaeCharacteristic larval cases

Gracillarioidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)

4 families with ca. 2,400 described species (mostly Gracillariidae)

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingDitrysian female

reproductive systemMouthparts well

developed; labial palpi with lateral bristles (also present in Tineoidea)

Yponomeutoidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)

6-9 families with ca. 1,500 described species

Classification unstable (duh!):Yponomeutidae, Plutellidae, Ypsolophidae, Acrolepiidae, Glyphipterigidae, Argyresthiidae, Heliodinidae, Lyonetidae (sometimes families, sometimes subfamilies) [Galacticidae]

A heterogenous assemblage of relatively primitive micros.

Autapomorphy: pleural lobes just before genitalia – posterior expansion of pleuron VIII

Yponomeutoidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)

6-9 families with ca. 1,500 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

coupling

Yponomeutoidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)

6-9 families with ca. 1,500 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingDitrysian female

reproductive system

Yponomeutoidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)

6-9 families with ca. 1,500 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing couplingDitrysian female

reproductive systemMouthparts well

developed; labial palpi variable but always large and conspicuous

Yponomeutoidea mini-lab

Smooth scaled headLabial palpi variableProboscis unscaledApex of hindwing usually rounded; more rarely hindwing oblong-lanceolate with pointed apex

YponomeutidaeYponomeuta

PlutellidaePlutella

YponomeutidaeAtteva

GalacticidaeHomadaula

Gelechioidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)10-25 families with ca.

16,500 described speciesClassification unstable (what a

surprise):Gelechiidae, Elachistidae (Stenomatidae, Ethmiidae, Depressariidae, Agonoxenidae), Xyloryctidae (Scythrididae) Schistomeoidae, Oecophoridae (Stathmopodidae), Amphisbatidae, Lecithoceridae, Batrachedridae, Deocloniidae, Coleophoridae (Blastobasidae, Momphidae), Autostichidae (Symmocidae), Cosmopterigidae, others?

Gelechioidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)10-25 families with

ca. 16,500 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

coupling

Gelechioidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)10-25 families with

ca. 16,500 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingDitrysian female

reproductive system

Gelechioidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)10-25 families with ca.

16,500 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing couplingDitrysian female

reproductive systemMouthparts well

developed; labial palpi large, upturned

Gelechioidea mini-lab

EthmiidaeSmooth scaled headLong upturned labial palpiProboscis scaledLarge hindwing with rounded apexCharacteristic black and white forewing pattern

EthmiidaeEthmia

EthmiidaeEthmia

EthmiidaeEthmia

Gelechioidea mini-lab

ColeophoridaeLabial palpi usually not as conspicuously upturnedLanceolate wings (pointed apically)Inconspicuous paired patches of special scales/spines subdorsally on most abdominal segments

Gelechioidea mini-lab

OecophoridaeSmooth scales on headLarge upturned labial palpiProboscis scaledApex of hindwing rounded

OecophoridaePromalactis

OecophoridaeCallima

OecophoridaePleurota

Gelechioidea mini-lab

Blastobasidae (ugly brown moths)Smooth scales on headShorter upturned labial palpiProboscis scaledLanceolate hindwingRows of bronze spines on

abdominal segmentsMales of some species with notch near base of

antenna

BlastobasidaeBlastobasis

Gelechioidea mini-lab

StenomatidaeSmooth scaled headLong upturned labial palpiProboscis scaledLarge hindwing with rounded apex

[Hmmm. Starting to sound familiar?]

StenomatidaeAntaeotricha

StenomatidaeAntaeotricha

StenomatidaeRectiostoma

GelechiidaeSmooth scaled headLong upturned labial palpiProboscis scaledHindwing with falcate

apex (at least pointed)

Pattern and shape extremely variable

Gelechioidea mini-lab

Sesiioidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)3 families with ca.

1,350 described speciesSesiidae, Brachodoidae, CastniidaeWoodboring larvae (mostly); some in woody shrubs or woody herbs (e.g., Cucurbita sp.)

Sesiioidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)3 families with ca.

1,350 described species

Heteroneurous wingsRetinaculo-frenate

wing coupling (Sesiidae)

Sesiioidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)3 families with ca.

1,350 described species

Heteroneurous wingsRetinaculo-frenate

wing couplingDitrysian female

reproductive system

Sesiioidea (Heteroneura - Ditrysia)3 families with ca.

1,350 described species

Heteroneurous wingsRetinaculo-frenate

wing couplingDitrysian female

reproductive systemMouthparts well

developed

[mini-lab with Tortricoidea]

Tortricoidea (Apoditrysia)1 family with ca. 9,800

described speciesTwo major subfamilies previously considered families: Olethreutidae

TortricidaeMany economically important

pests – spruce bud worm, codling moth, light brown applemoth, European grape berry moth

Tortricoidea (Apoditrysia)1 family with ca.

9,800 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

coupling

Tortricoidea (Apoditrysia)1 family with ca.

9,800 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingDitrysian female

reproductive system

Tortricoidea (Apoditrysia)1 family with ca.

9,800 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingDitrysian female

reproductive systemMouthparts well

developed

Tortricidae mini-labTortricinaeArgyrotaenia

TortricinaeChoristoneura

TortricinaeClepsis

OlethreutinaeEumarozia

Labial palpi moderate to short, weakly upturned or porrect

Wings with bell-shape silhouette in resting posture (e.g., Archpini)

Males of many species with secondary scales (costal fold, densely scaled legs)

Most Olethreutinae with costal strigulae on forewing

OlethreutinaeGrapholita

Sesiidae mini-lab

Wasp and bee mimics

Usually with clear wings

Diurnally activeMost easily collected

using artificial male pheromones

Zygaenoidea (Apoditrysia)12 families with ca.

2,700 described speciesSmall to medium sized fuzzy

moths (Limacodidae, Megalopygidae,

Dalceridae)Bizarre larvae (Limacodidae,

Megalopygidae, Dalceridae)Many Zygaenidae are diurnalEpipyropidae are ectoparasites on Homoptera

Zygaenoidea (Apoditrysia)12 families with ca.

2,700 described species

Heteroneurous wings

Frenate wing coupling

Zygaenoidea (Apoditrysia)12 families with ca.

2,700 described species

Heteroneurous wings

Frenate wing coupling

Ditrysian female reproductive system

Zygaenoidea (Apoditrysia)12 families with ca.

2,700 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingDitrysian female

reproductive systemPalpi reduced,

proboscis present

Zygaenoidea mini-labMegalopygidae,

Limacodidae, Epipyropidae, and Dalceridae with short, broad wing

Zygaenidae with more slenderer body and slenderer wings

Limacodidae larvae – bizarre!

Pterophoroidea (Apoditrysia)1 family with ca.

1,000 described speciesCharacteristically incised wingsLong slender legsDistinctive resting posture

Pterophoridea (Apoditrysia)1 family with ca.

1,000 described species

Heteroneurous wings

Frenate wing coupling

Pterophoridea (Apoditrysia)1 family with ca.

1,000 described species

Heteroneurous wings

Frenate wing coupling

Ditrysian female reproductive system

Pterophoridea (Apoditrysia)1 family with ca.

1,000 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingDitrysian female

reproductive systemLabial palpi variable

in shape and vestiture

Pterophoridea (Apoditrysia)1 family with ca.

1,000 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingDitrysian female

reproductive systemLabial palpi variable

in shape and vestitureAlucitoidea Alucitidae

Pyraloidea (Obtectomera)2 families with ca.

17,000 described species

Pyraloidea (Obtectomera)2 families with ca.

17,000 described species

Heteroneurous wings

Frenate wing coupling

Pyraloidea (Obtectomera)2 families with ca.

17,000 described species

Heteroneurous wings

Frenate wing coupling

Ditrysian female reproductive system

Pyraloidea (Obtectomera)2 families with ca.

1,700 described species

Heteroneurous wingsFrenate wing

couplingDitrysian female

reproductive systemLabial palpi variable

in shape and vestiture

Pyraloidea mini-labSuperfamily defined

by presence of abdominal tympanum; subfamilies frequently defined by various modifications of abdominal tympanum

Base of proboscis scaled

Most crambids with conspicuous , scaled maxillary palpi