Castniidae
Encyclopedia
Castniidae, or castniid moths, is a small family of moth
s with less than 200 species: The majority are Neotropical with some in Australia
and a few in south-east Asia
. These are medium-sized to very large moths, usually with drab, cryptically-marked forewings and brightly coloured hindwings. They have clubbed antennae
and are day-flying, and are often mistaken for butterflies
. Indeed some previous classification systems placed this family within the butterflies or skippers
. The Neotropical species are commonly known as giant butterfly-moths, the Australian and Asian species as sun moths. The larvae are internal feeders, often on roots of epiphytes or on monocotyledons (Edwards et al., 1999: 184-188).
Subfamily Tascininae
Subfamily incertae sedis
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
s with less than 200 species: The majority are Neotropical with some in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and a few in south-east Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. These are medium-sized to very large moths, usually with drab, cryptically-marked forewings and brightly coloured hindwings. They have clubbed antennae
Antenna (biology)
Antennae in biology have historically been paired appendages used for sensing in arthropods. More recently, the term has also been applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes....
and are day-flying, and are often mistaken for butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
. Indeed some previous classification systems placed this family within the butterflies or skippers
Skipper (butterfly)
A skipper or skipper butterfly is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. They are named after their quick, darting flight habits. There are more than 3500 recognized species of skippers and they occur worldwide, but with the greatest diversity in the Neotropical regions of Central and South...
. The Neotropical species are commonly known as giant butterfly-moths, the Australian and Asian species as sun moths. The larvae are internal feeders, often on roots of epiphytes or on monocotyledons (Edwards et al., 1999: 184-188).
Taxonomy
Subfamily Castniinae- Tribe Castniini
- AmautaAmauta (genus)Amauta is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Houlbert in 1918.-Species:* Amauta ambatensis * Amauta cacica * Amauta hodeei...
- AthisAthis (genus)Athis is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Hübner in 1819.-Species:* Athis ahala * Athis amalthaea * Athis bogota * Athis clitarcha...
- CastniaCastniaCastnia is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Fabricius in 1807.-Species:* Castnia estherae Miller, 1976* Castnia eudesmia Gray, 1838* Castnia fernandezi González, 1992* Castnia invaria Walker, 1854...
- CastniomeraCastniomeraCastniomera is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Houlbert in 1918, and contains the single species Castniomera atymnius...
- CorybantesCorybantes (genus)Corybantes is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Hübner in 1819.-Species:* Corybantes delopia * Corybantes mathani * Corybantes pylades...
- EupalamidesEupalamidesEupalamides is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Houlbert in 1918.-Species:* Eupalamides boliviensis * Eupalamides cyparissias * Eupalamides geron...
- FeschaeriaFeschaeriaFeschaeria is a genus of moths within the Castniidae family.-Selected species:*Feschaeria amycus *Feschaeria meditrina Hopffer, 1856...
- GeyeriaGeyeriaGeyeria is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae.-Species:*Geyeria decussata *Geyeria hubneri *Geyeria uruguayana...
- HaemonidesHaemonidesHaemonides is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae.-Species:*Haemonides candida *Haemonides cronida *Haemonides cronis...
- HistaHistaHista is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae.-Species:*Hista fabricii *Hista hegemon...
- ImaraImara (moth)Imara is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae.-Species:*Imara analibiae Espinoza & González, 2005*Imara pallasia *Imara satrapes...
- InsigniocastniaInsigniocastniaInsigniocastnia is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae containing only one species, Insigniocastnia taisae, which is found in Ecuador.The length of the forewings is 17.5-24.3 mm....
- IrcilaIrcilaIrcila is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Houlbert in 1918, and contains the single species Ircila hecacte. It is known from Haiti....
- LapaeumidesLapaeumidesLapaeumides is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae.-Species:*Lapaeumides actor *Lapaeumides ctesiphon *Lapaeumides zerynthia...
- SpilopastesSpilopastesSpilopastes is a genus of moths within the Castniidae family, containing one species, Spilopastes galinthias which is known from Brazil....
- SynpalamidesSynpalamidesSynpalamides is a genus of moths within the Castniidae family.-Selected species:*Synpalamides chelone *Synpalamides escalantei *Synpalamides orestes...
- TelchinTelchinTelchin is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae.-Species:*Telchin licus *Telchin syphax Castniomera atymnius is sometimes included in the Telchin genus....
- XanthocastniaXanthocastniaXanthocastnia is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae containing only one species, Xanthocastnia evalthe, which is widespread in the Neotropical ecozone, ranging from southern Mexico to southern Brazil.Adults are day-flying....
- YagraYagra (moth)Yagra is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae.-Species:*Yagra dalmannii *Yagra fonscolombe...
- Amauta
- Tribe Gazerini
- CastniusCastniusCastnius is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Hübner in 1819.-Species:* Castnius marcus * Castnius pelasgus * Castnius asteropoides Porion, 2004...
- CeretesCeretesCeretes is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Schaufuss in 1870.-Species:* Ceretes marcelserres * Ceretes thais...
- DivanaDivanaDivana is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Miller in 1982, and contains the single species Divana diva. It is known from Nicaragua, Panama, and Colombia.-Subspecies:*Divana diva diva...
- DuboisvaliaDuboisvaliaDuboisvalia is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Oiticica in 1955.-Species:* Duboisvalia cononia * Duboisvalia ecuadoria * Duboisvalia simulans...
- FrostetolaFrostetolaFrostetola is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Oiticica in 1955, and contains the single species Frostetola gramivora. It is known from Brazil....
- GazeraGazeraGazera is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Herrich-Schäffer in 1853, and contains the single species Gazera heliconioides...
- MirocastniaMirocastniaMirocastnia is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae.-Species:*Mirocastnia canis *Mirocastnia pyrrhopygoides *Mirocastnia smalli Miller, 1980...
- OiticicastniaOiticicastniaOiticicastnia is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae which contains only one species, Oiticicastnia erycina, which is found in Ecuador and French Guiana....
- Paysandisia
- PrometheusPrometheus (genus)Prometheus is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae containing only one species, Prometheus cochrus, which is found in Brazil and Paraguay....
- RiechiaRiechiaRiechia is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae containing only one species, Riechia acraeoides, which is found in Peru, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina.-Subspecies:*Riechia acraeoides acraeoides...
- TosxampilaTosxampilaTosxampila is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae.-Species:*Tosxampila annae *Tosxampila mimica...
- ZegaraZegaraZegara is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Oiticica in 1955.-Species:* Zegara personata * Zegara zagraea...
- Castnius
- Tribe Synemonini
- SynemonSynemonSynemon is a genus of moths within the family Castniidae. It was described by Doubleday in 1846. The genus contains 24 described and 20 undescribed species.-Species:* Synemon sophia * Synemon parthenoides R...
- Synemon
Subfamily Tascininae
- TascinaTascinaTascina is a genus of moths within the Castniidae family. It is found in South East Asia.-Selected species:*Tascina dalattensis Fukuda, 2000*Tascina orientalis Westwood, 1877*Tascina metallica Pagenstecher, 1890...
Subfamily incertae sedis
Incertae sedis
, is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any...
- †DominickusDominickusDominickus is an extinct genus of moth in the butterfly-moth family Castniidae containing a single species Dominickus castnioides...