Magnificent butterflies

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Magnificent butterflies
Species of the genus Macrobathra

Species of the genus Macrobathra

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Subordination : Glossata
Superfamily : Gelechioidea
Family : Magnificent butterflies
Scientific name
Cosmopterigidae
Heinemann & Wocke , 1876

The magnificent butterflies (Cosmopterigidae) are a family of butterflies (Lepidoptera). They occur worldwide with around 1,600 species . Up to now 80 species have been described throughout Europe , of which 25 species occur in Central Europe . The moths are closely related to the palm moths (Gelechiidae), with which they are in a sister relationship. Their main distribution area are the tropics .

features

The moths have a narrow and elongated body and narrow wings. The hind wings are usually narrower and sometimes pointed. The forewings are mostly vividly colored and sometimes have metallic colored areas. They have long fringes on the inside of the wings. Their thread-like antennae are about as long as the forewings. Your proboscis is well developed. The penis ( aedeagus ) of the males is hardened and clearly asymmetrical.

Way of life

The predominantly nocturnal moths live in open and loosely vegetated areas, such as B. on meadows, on roadsides and in sparse forests. There are only a few diurnal species that cannot be attracted by light at night. In the resting position, the hind legs are characteristic of the slightly raised abdomen. You can sometimes see them dancing in a circle on leaves, especially on their forage plants.

Food of the caterpillars

The caterpillars mostly feed as miners in bark and leaves, but also in plant galls or on flowers and ovules. The spectrum of the butterfly's diet includes more than 35 plant families, but most species feed on sweet grasses (Poaceae) and legumes (Fabaceae). Some tropical caterpillars feed on rotting plant material, some species feed on carrion . The caterpillars of the genus Hyposmocoma , such as. As the on Hawaii living hyposmocoma molluscivora are predatory. They catch their prey ( snails ) by tying them up with spun silk.

Systematics (Europe)

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Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Cosmopterigidae in Fauna Europaea. Retrieved May 18, 2007
  2. ↑ Cosmopterigidae. Lepiforum eV, accessed on December 22, 2006 .
  3. ^ Taxonomic Group: Lepidoptera, Cosmopterigidae. Fauna Europaea, accessed January 6, 2007 .
  4. ^ NP Kristensen: Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies, 1: Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography. Handbuch der Zoologie 4 (35) , Walter de Gruyter. Berlin, New York 2003, ISBN 3-11-015704-7
  5. ^ Daniel Rubinoff & William P. Haines: Web-Spinning Caterpillars Stalks Snails. Science, vol. 309, 574-575, New York 2005.

Web links

Commons : Magnificent butterflies (Cosmopterigidae)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files