The Glyphipterigidae are a family of small

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

s commonly known as sedge moths, as the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e of many species feed on

sedge The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' wit ...

s and rushes. More than 500 species have been described in the family.

Characters

The moths have a wingspan of 7 to 16 millimeters.They have a slender and elongated body. The fore wings are narrow to wide and are two to four times longer than wide. They have 13 veins; with 2 anal veins (1b and 1c).The hind wings are frayed and have a similar width to the front wings. The hindwings have well developed neuration; 7–10 veined either with no or 3 anal veins (1a,1b and 1c).There are some species that have metallic shiny wings or metallic patterns on the wings (often metallic crescent markings along the costa and inner margin of the forewings). The antennae are half as long, to the same length as the front wings. In addition to the compound eyes, the moths also have ocelli. Their maxillary palpi may be well developed or strongly regressed, the proboscis is fully developed and lacks scales.

Genera

*'' Abrenthia'' *'' Anacampsiodes'' *'' Carmentina'' *'' Chrysocentris'' *'' Circica'' *'' Cotaena'' *'' Cronicombra'' *'' Diploschizia'' *'' Drymoana'' *'' Electrographa'' *'' Ernolytis'' *'' Eusthenica'' *'' Glyphipterix'' *'' Irinympha'' *'' Lepidotarphius'' *'' Machlotica'' *'' Neomachlotica'' *'' Orthotelia'' *'' Pantosperma'' *'' Phalerarcha'' *'' Rhabdocrates'' *'' Sericostola'' *'' Taeniostolella'' *'' Tetracmanthes'' *'' Toxopeia'' *'' Trapeziophora'' *'' Uranophenga'' *'' Ussara''

Selected former genera

*'' Setiostoma''

References

Natural History Museum Lepidoptera Genus Database

External links

Moth families {{Glyphipterigidae-stub