Micronoctuidae
Encyclopedia
The Micronoctuidae are a family of moth
s that includes about 400 described species. The family was first described in 2005.
Micronoctua karsholti
is the smallest of all species in the Noctuoidea
superfamily.
(now Arctiinae
), Noctuidae
, Nolidae
(now Nolinae
) and Pyralidae
. The first species now referable to the family was named by Walker in 1863. Species of this family are rare in collections, possibly because most species are drably coloured (often a unicolorous brown, grey, or black) and are extremely small. Furthermore, lepidopterist
s specialising in Macrolepidoptera
ignore these species, thinking they belong to the Microlepidoptera
instead. While, Microlepidopterists collect them, but usually classify them with unknown miscellaneous Microlepidoptera.
, mainly in the tropics and subtropics, but also in the temperate zone of eastern Asia. They inhabit many different biotopes, including sand deserts, stone deserts, semi-deserts, grass steppes, bush steppes, steppes with bushes and trees, savanna, open dry forests, dense dry forests, moist always deciduous forests and rainforests. They are found from Sierra Leone
in Africa to Vanuatu
in the Pacific and from the Russian Far East
to Cape Town
in South Africa
and northern New South Wales
in Australia
.
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 that includes about 400 described species. The family was first described in 2005.
Micronoctua karsholti
Micronoctua karsholti
Micronoctua karsholti is a moth of the Micronoctuidae family. It is known from southern Turkey, Cyprus, the islands of south-east Greece, and the northern Levant ....
is the smallest of all species in the Noctuoidea
Noctuoidea
Noctuoidea is the superfamily of noctuid or "owlet" moths, and has the largest number of species described for any Lepidopteran superfamily. Its classification has not yet reached a satisfactory or stable state. The most recent classifications include only four families in the superfamily;...
superfamily.
Taxonomic History
Before the description of the family, about 20 species of Micronoctuidae were described in the families ArctiidaeArctiidae
Arctiidae is a large and diverse family of moths with around 11,000 species found all over the world, including 6,000 neotropical species. This family includes the groups commonly known as tiger moths , which usually have bright colours, footmen , lichen moths and wasp moths...
(now Arctiinae
Arctiinae
The Arctiinae are a subfamily of moths.-Systematics:The systematics of the Arctiinae are in need of revision and depends significantly on a personal view of an author. In any case, Arctiinae is a monophyletic group with a clear autapomorphic character - a presence of anal glands in females. On the...
), Noctuidae
Noctuidae
The Noctuidae or owlet moths are a family of robustly-built moths that includes more than 35,000 known species out of possibly 100,000 total, in more than 4,200 genera. They constitute the largest family in the Lepidoptera....
, Nolidae
Nolidae
Nolidae is a family of moths with about 1,400 described species worldwide. They are mostly small with dull colouration, the main distinguishing feature being tufts of raised scales on the forewings...
(now Nolinae
Nolinae
Nolinae is a subfamily of the moth family Nolidae. They resemble some Arctiidae in appearance....
) and Pyralidae
Pyralidae
The Pyralidae or snout moths are a family of Lepidoptera in the ditrysian superfamily Pyraloidea. In many classifications, the grass moths are included in the Pyralidae as a subfamily, making the combined group one of the largest families in the Lepidoptera...
. The first species now referable to the family was named by Walker in 1863. Species of this family are rare in collections, possibly because most species are drably coloured (often a unicolorous brown, grey, or black) and are extremely small. Furthermore, lepidopterist
Lepidopterist
A lepidopterist is a person who specialises in the study of Lepidoptera, members of an order encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
s specialising in Macrolepidoptera
Macrolepidoptera
Macrolepidoptera is a group within the insect order Lepidoptera. Traditionally used for the larger butterflies and moths as opposed to the "Microlepidoptera", this group is unnatural. However, it seems that by moving some taxa about, a monophyletic Macrolepidoptera can be easily achieved...
ignore these species, thinking they belong to the Microlepidoptera
Microlepidoptera
Microlepidoptera is an artificial grouping of moth families, commonly known as the 'smaller moths' . These generally have a wingspan of under 20 mm, and are thus harder to identify by external phenotypic markings than macrolepidoptera...
instead. While, Microlepidopterists collect them, but usually classify them with unknown miscellaneous Microlepidoptera.
Distribution
The Micronoctuidae are only known from the Old WorldOld World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
, mainly in the tropics and subtropics, but also in the temperate zone of eastern Asia. They inhabit many different biotopes, including sand deserts, stone deserts, semi-deserts, grass steppes, bush steppes, steppes with bushes and trees, savanna, open dry forests, dense dry forests, moist always deciduous forests and rainforests. They are found from Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
in Africa to Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
in the Pacific and from the Russian Far East
Russian Far East
Russian Far East is a term that refers to the Russian part of the Far East, i.e., extreme east parts of Russia, between Lake Baikal in Eastern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean...
to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and northern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
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...
.