Scythris is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of gelechioid moth

Gelechioidea

| name = Curved-horn moths| image = Xylorycta assimilis.jpg| image_width = 240px| image_caption = Adult Xylorycta assimilis of the Xyloryctidae, photographed in Aranda Note prominent "horns" and long antennae| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda...

s. It is the type genus

Type genus

In biological classification, a type genus is a representative genus, as with regard to a biological family. The term and concept is used much more often and much more formally in zoology than it is in botany, and the definition is dependent on the nomenclatural Code that applies:* In zoological...

 of the flower moth family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

, which is sometimes included as a subfamily in the Xyloryctidae, or together with these merged into the Oecophoridae

Oecophoridae

Oecophoridae is a family of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. The phylogeny and systematics of gelechoid moths are still not fully resolved, and the circumscription of the Oecophoridae is strongly affected by this....

.

It is the largest genus of flower moths, and as such might not be fully monophyletic with regard to some very small or monotypic

Monotypic

In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...

 genera placed in the same family. In addition, new species of Scythris continue to be discovered and described.

Species groups

The species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of Scythris have been divided among several groups, which may or may not be monophyletic; those that are may – provided they are closely enough related to the type species

Type species

In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...

 S. limbella

Scythris limbella

Scythris limbella is a moth of the Scythrididae family. It is found in most of Europe , east into Russia.The wingspan is about 15 mm...

– be considered subgenera. Species group include:

Monospecific "groups"

In addition to the groups above, there is a considerable number of species in this genus whose exact relationships are hitherto elusive. Some have been placed in a "species group" of their own, as they are too distinct from the other groups to be included there, yet at the same time have characteristic autapomorphies. They include:

Species incertae sedis

Finally, there are some species which are neither clearly assignable to any one species group, nor autapomorphic enough to be included in a monospecific "group". These include: