Major groups
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- Maxillary galeae forming a proboscis (Fig. 41.18D), usually spirally coiled in repose, sometimes secondarily
reduced or absent; mandibles small and non-functional. Larvae with articulated spinneret (Figs 41.10A, B) CLADE GLOSSATA (key)
- Maxillary galeae unmodified, not forming a proboscis (Figs 41.15C, F); mandibles (Figs 41.15B, E) functional. Larvae without a spinneret 2
- (1)
- Labial palps long; fore tibia with a single apical spur, mid tibia with 2 pairs of spurs. Larvae without cranial
ecdysial line; with one-segmented antennae and labial palps Agathiphagidae
- Labial palps short; fore and mid tibial spurs absent. Larvae with ecdysial line; with more than one segment in
antennae and labial palps Micropterigidae
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Clade Glossata
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- Fore wing with a projecting jugum 2
- Fore wing with a retinaculum, hind wing with a frenulum 3
- (1)
- Fore wing with both R4 and R5 to termen well removed from apex (Fig. 41.20) HEPIALOIDEA
- Fore wing with R4 to costa before apex and R5 to termen (Fig. 41.19) Lophocoronidae
- (1)
- Pseudofrenular bristles absent; S2 with apodemes and without postspiracular connection to T1; female genitalia ditrysian CLADE DITRYSIA (key)
- Pseudofrenular bristles usually present (Fig. 41.24); S2 without apodemes and usually with postspiracular connection to T1; female genitalia monotrysian 4
- (3)
- Antennal scape with eye-cap (Fig. 41.22A); hind tibiae with prominent spines, minute moths NEPTICULOIDEA
- Antennal scape without eye-cap; hind tibiae without spines 5
- (4)
- Proboscis scaled; male valvae with prominent, blunt spines often forming comb (pectinifer), ovipositor piercing, without medial sensory ridge, minute moths INCURVARIOIDEA
- Proboscis unscaled; male valvae without prominent, blunt spines; ovipositor non-piercing, with medial sensory ridge Palaephatidae
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Ditrysia Superfamilies or Families
The following is a tentative key utilising readily observable, external features. It is not possible to provide a reliable key to the ditrysian superfamilies without including the structure of the genitalia and skeletal anatomy. Once a family is keyed out, as first confirmation, the relevant image(s) should be checked on the website Australian Moths Online (AMO).
The Heliocosma group and the very rare Simaethistidae (Metaprotus Hampson) are not keyed out but may be recognised from the images provided.
The superfamily classification is still in flux and the scope of superfamilies in the key does not always agree with that used for AMO, hence all the families included in the relevant couplet are spelled out to allow transition from the key to images of AMO.
-
- (1)
- Labial palps recurved (Figs 41.41 B), apical segment may exceed vertex, usually tapering; chaetosemata absent, S2 of tineid type; tympanal organs absent GELECHIOIDEA
- Labial palps porrect (Figs 41.37A, 41.49E, 41.54B), beak-like or ascending; chaetosemata present or absent; S2 of tortricoid type; tympanal organs present at base of abdomen or absent 3
- (2)
- Labial palps ascending; fore wing with CuP present near termen; tympanal organs absent Choreutidae
- Labial palps porrect, beak-like, or ascending; CuP usually absent; tympanal organs present at base of abdomen PYRALOIDEA
- (1)
- Antennae gradually or abruptly clubbed, tip sometimes hooked 5
- Antennae filiform or tapered, often ciliate, pectinate or plumose 7
- (4)
- Hind wing with frenulum; ocelli present, large; chaetosemata absent Castniidae
- Hind wing usually without frenulum; ocelli absent; chaetosemata present 6
- (5)
- Antennae widely separated at base, with subapical thickening; fore wing with all veins from discal cell arising sepa-
rately Hesperiidae
- Antennae approximated at base, with apical thickening; fore wing usually with at least some peripheral veins stalked PAPILIONOIDEA
- (4)
- Tympanal organs present in thorax or abdomen (Figs 41.6, 7) 8
- Tympanal organs absent 13
- (7)
- Tympanal organs in metathorax, counter-tympanal cavities usually at base of abdomen NOCTUOIDEA
- Tympanal organs in abdomen 9
- (8)
- Chaetosemata absent 10
- Chaetosemata present 12
- (9)
- Fore wing broad, usually falcate Drepanidae
- Fore wing narrow, not falcate 11
- (10)
- Fore wing reddish brown, with silvery marks Dudgeoneidae
- Fore wing grey TINEOIDEA p.p. (Micrerethista Meyrick)
- (9)
- Fore wing with R veins combined in one branching system; areole often present (Figs 41.62B); hind wing rarely
with tails; tympanal organ in both sexes in S2 Geometridae
- Fore wing with R5 remote from R1-R4 and usually stalked with M1; areole absent; hind wing usually with tail; tympanal organ in male between S2 and S3, in female in S2 Uraniidae
- (7)
- Wings deeply cleft into two or more plumes 14
- Wings not cleft 15
- (13)
- Hind wing divided into 3 plumes Pterophoridae p.p.
- Hind wing divided into 6–7 plumes Alucitidae
- Hind and fore wings both divided into 2 plumes Tineodidae p. p. (Cenoloba Walsingham)
- (13)
- CuP absent as a tubular vein in fore wing 16
- CuP well developed, at least near margin, as a tubular vein in fore wing 22
- (15)
- Head vestiture of piliform scales; robust, medium-sized to very large species 17
- Head vestiture of lamellar scales; small to medium-sized species 18
- (16)
- Body long robust and fusiform; wings narrow, termen very oblique; proboscis usually well developed, usually long Sphingidae
- Body often stout but not fusiform; wings broad, termen not unusually oblique; proboscis usually reduced or absent BOMBYCOIDEA
- (16)
- Hind wing CuA with pecten; fore wings often with raised scales Copromorphidae
- Hind wing CuA without pecten; fore wing without raised scales 19
- (18)
- Abdominal terga with anterior band of spines; S2 with V-shaped sclerotisation Tineodidae p. p.
- Abdominal terga without spines; S2 without V-shaped sclerotisation 20
- (19)
- Labial palps beak-like; head very small relative to thorax, body fusiform, male hind tibia often with apical lobe and hair-pencil; fore wing with 2A sinuous Hyblaeidae
- Labial palps not beak-like; male hind tibia without apical lobe; 2A in fore wing not sinuous 21
- (20)
- Wing long and narrow, not with netted pattern; fore wing without 1A+2A fork; hind wing with specialised scales on underside Pterophoridae
- Wings broad with fine, netted pattern; fore wing with 1A+2A fork; hind wing without specialised scales on underside Thyrididae
- (15)
- S2 of tineid type (S2 apodemes long and slender); usually small to very small delicate species, usually without raised
scales on fore wing 23
- S2 of tortricoid type (S2 apodemes short and broad); usually robust, small to very large species; sometimes with raised scales on fore wing 24
- (22)
- Abdominal segment 8 of male with prominent lobes; fore wing with Rs often to termen and M usually absent from discal cell YPONOMEUTOIDEA
- Abdominal segment 8 of male without lobes; fore wing with Rs often to costa; M usually present in discal cell TINEOIDEA
- (22)
- Fore wing with raised scales on surface or along dorsum 25
- Fore wing without raised scales 26
- (24)
- Fore wing with raised scales along dorsum; wing narrow, almost parallel sided EPERMENOIDEA - Epermeniidae
- Raised scales on fore wing not restricted to dorsum; wing relatively narrow, rectangular COPROMORPHOIDEA
- (24)
- Chaetosemata present; ocelli absent; fore wing without chorda and M stem in cell Immidae
- Chaetosemata present or absent; ocelli present or absent; fore wing usually with both chorda and M in cell (absent
in many Tortricinae) 27
- (26)
- Lower part of frons with ascending scales; ocelli and chaetosemata present; ovipositor lobes leaf-like Tortricidae
- Lower part of frons without ascending scales; ocelli and chaetosemata rarely both present; ovipositor lobes not leaf-like 28
- (27)
- M tubular and forked in forewing cell; chaetosemata absent Cossidae
- M absent from forewing cell or M not present in cell as a complete, forked, tubular vein; chaetosemata present or absent 29
- (28)
- CuP in fore wing a well developed tubular vein ZYGAENOIDEA
- CuP in fore wing weak or only present as a tubular vein at margin SESIOIDEA p. p.