The Pterophoridae or plume moths are a

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

with unusually modified wings. Though they belong to the

Apoditrysia The Ditrysia are a natural group or clade of insects in the lepidopteran order containing both butterflies and moths. They are so named because the female has two distinct sexual openings: one for mating, and the other for laying eggs (in con ...

like the larger

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 and the

butterflies Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

, unlike these they are tiny and were formerly included among the assemblage called "

microlepidoptera Microlepidoptera (micromoths) is an artificial (i.e., unranked and not monophyletic) grouping of moth families, commonly known as the 'smaller moths' (micro, Lepidoptera). These generally have wingspans of under 20 mm, and are thus harder to ...

Description and ecology

The forewings of plume moths usually consist of two curved spars with more or less bedraggled bristles trailing behind. This resembles the closely related Alucitidae (many-plumed moths) at first glance, but the latter have a greater number of symmetrical plumes. The hindwings are similarly constructed, but have three spars. This unorthodox structure does not prevent flight. A few

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

have normal

lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

n wings. The usual resting posture is with the wings extended laterally and narrowly rolled up. Often they resemble a piece of dried grass, and may pass unnoticed by potential predators even when resting in exposed situations in daylight. Some species have larvae which are stem- or root-borers while others are leaf-browsers. Economically important pterophorids include the

artichoke plume moth ''Platyptilia carduidactyla'', the artichoke plume moth, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae described by Riley in 1869. It is found in New Zealand and North America, from Mexico north into the United States. The wingspan is 19–32 mm. A ...

(''Platyptilia carduidactyla''), an

artichoke The globe artichoke (''Cynara cardunculus'' var. ''scolymus'' ),Rottenberg, A., and D. Zohary, 1996: "The wild ancestry of the cultivated artichoke." Genet. Res. Crop Evol. 43, 53–58. also known by the names French artichoke and green articho ...

(''Cynara cardunculus'') pest in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, while the geranium plume moth ('' Platyptilia pica'') and the

snapdragon plume moth ''Stenoptilodes antirrhina'', the snapdragon plume moth, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is known from California in the United States, but also from greenhouses in the south-eastern U.S. that have received cuttings of snapdragon from C ...

('' Stenoptilodes antirrhina'') can cause damage to the

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

s garden geranium (''

Pelargonium x hortorum ''Pelargonium'' () is a genus of flowering plants that includes about 280 species of perennial plant, perennials, succulent plant, succulents, and shrubs, common name, commonly called geraniums, pelargoniums, or storksbills. ''Geranium'' is also ...

'') and common snapdragon (''

Antirrhinum majus ''Antirrhinum majus'', the common snapdragon (often - especially in horticulture - simply "snapdragon"), is a species of flowering plant belonging to the genus ''Antirrhinum''. The plant was placed in the family Plantaginaceae following a revis ...

''), respectively. Other plume moths have been used as biological control agents against invasive plant species – ''

Lantanophaga pusillidactyla ''Lantanophaga pusillidactyla'', the lantana plume moth, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is native to the southern United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. It was introduced to Australia accidentally in 1936 and is now f ...

'' against West Indian lantana (''

Lantana camara ''Lantana camara'' (common lantana) is a species of flowering plant within the verbena family (Verbenaceae), native to the American tropics. It is a very adaptable species, which can inhabit a wide variety of ecosystems; once it has been introduc ...

''), ''

Oidaematophorus beneficus ''Hellinsia beneficus'' is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is native to Mexico, but was introduced to Hawaii in 1973 as a biological control agent against mistflower, ''Ageratina riparia''. Taxonomy The species was identified by Kôji ...

'' against mistflower (''

Ageratina riparia ''Ageratina riparia'', commonly known as mistflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Mexico. The species is widely adventive and has spread to Cuba, Jamaica, and other parts of the Caribbean. It has also bee ...

''), '' Hellinsia balanotes'' against groundsel bush (''

Baccharis halimifolia ''Baccharis halimifolia'' is a North American species of shrubs in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Nova Scotia, the eastern and southern United States (from Massachusetts south to Florida and west to Texas and Oklahoma), eastern Mexico (Nu ...

''), and '' Wheeleria spilodactylus'' against horehound (''

Marrubium vulgare ''Marrubium vulgare'' (white horehound or common horehound) is a flowering plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae), native to Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern and central Asia. It is also widely naturalized in many places, including most of ...

'').

Evolution

A fossil species from the extant genus ''

Merrifieldia ''Merrifieldia'' is a genus of moths in the family Pterophoridae. Species *''Merrifieldia alaica'' *''Merrifieldia baliodactylus'' *''Merrifieldia brandti'' *''Merrifieldia bystropogonis'' *''Merrifieldia calcarius'' *''Merrifieldia cana' ...

'' is known from the

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the epoch are well identified but the ...

of France.

Taxonomy

The small group of moths in the genus '' Agdistopis'' has often been treated as a subfamily Macropiratinae within the Pterophoridae, but recent research indicates that this group should be considered a separate family. The family is divided into the following

subfamilies In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

tribes The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to conflic ...

and

, some

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

are also listed:
Subfamily Agdistinae * Genus ''

Agdistis Agdistis ( grc, Ἄγδιστις) is a deity of Greek, Roman, and Anatolian mythology who possesses both male and female sexual organs. They were closely associated with the Phrygian goddess Cybele. Their androgyny was seen as a symbol of ...

'' Hübner, 1825 ** '' Agdistis bouyeri'' ** '' Agdistis linnaei'' Subfamily Ochyroticinae * Genus '' Ochyrotica'' ** '' Ochyrotica bjoernstadti'' Subfamily Deuterocopinae Gielis, 1993 * Genus '' Deuterocopus'' * Genus '' Heptaloba'' * Genus '' Hexadactilia'' * Genus '' Leptodeuterocopus'' Subfamily

Pterophorinae Pterophorinae is a subfamily of moths in the family Pterophoridae. Genera and selected species * Tribe Exelastini ** Genus '' Antarches'' ** Genus '' Arcoptilia'' ** Genus '' Exelastis'' *** '' Exelastis caroli'' ** Genus '' Fuscoptilia'' ** G ...

Zeller, 1841 * Tribe Tetraschalini ** Genus '' Tetraschalis'' ** Genus '' Titanoptilus'' ** Genus '' Walsinghamiella'' * Tribe Platyptiliini ** Genus ''

Amblyptilia ''Amblyptilia'' is a genus of moths in the family Pterophoridae. The genus was raised by the German entomologist, Jacob Hübner Jacob Hübner (20 June 1761 – 13 September 1826, in Augsburg) was a German entomologist. He was the author of '' ...

'' Hübner, 1825 *** ''

Amblyptilia acanthadactyla ''Amblyptilia acanthadactyla'', also known as the beautiful plume, is a moth of the family Pterophoroidea found in across the Palearctic including Europe. The species was first described by the German entomologist, Jacob Hübner in 1813. Descr ...

'' ** Genus '' Anstenoptilia'' ** Genus '' Asiaephorus'' ** Genus '' Bigotilia'' ** Genus ''

Bipunctiphorus ''Bipunctiphorus'' is a genus of moths in the family Pterophoridae described by Christian Gibeaux in 1994. Species *''Bipunctiphorus dimorpha'' (T. B. Fletcher, 1910) (=''Bipunctiphorus etiennei'' Gibeaux, 1994) *''Bipunctiphorus dissipata'' ( ...

'' ** Genus '' Buszkoiana'' ** Genus '' Cnaemidophorus'' Wallengren, 1862 *** '' Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla'' ** Genus '' Crocydoscelus'' ** Genus '' Fletcherella'' ** Genus '' Gillmeria'' Tutt, 1905 *** '' Gillmeria ochrodactyla'' ** Genus '' Inferuncus'' ** Genus '' Koremaguia'' ** Genus '' Lantanophaga'' Zimmermann, 1958 *** ''

'' ** Genus '' Leesi'' ** Genus '' Lioptilodes'' ** Genus '' Melanoptilia'' ** Genus '' Michaelophorus'' ** Genus '' Nippoptilia'' ** Genus '' Paraamblyptilia'' ** Genus '' Paraplatyptilia'' ** Genus ''

Platyptilia ''Platyptilia'' is a genus of moths in the family Pterophoridae. The genus was described by Jacob Hübner in 1825. Species *'' Platyptilia aarviki'' Gielis, 2008 *'' Platyptilia ainonis'' Matsumura, 1931 *'' Platyptilia albicans'' (Fish, 1881) ...

'' Hübner, 1825 Platyptilia celidotus

*** '' Platyptilia aarviki'' *** ''

Platyptilia carduidactyla ''Platyptilia carduidactyla'', the artichoke plume moth, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae described by Riley in 1869. It is found in New Zealand and North America, from Mexico north into the United States. The wingspan is 19–32 mm. A ...

'' – artichoke plume moth *** '' Platyptilia celidotus'' *** ''

Platyptilia eberti ''Platyptilia eberti'' is a moth of the family Pterophoroidea. It is found on Luzon, Philippines, and was recently discovered in Vietnam, although this record might represent a related undescribed species.Platyptilia falcatalis'' *** '' Platyptilia gonodactyla'' *** '' Platyptilia nussi'' ** Genus '' Platyptiliodes'' ** Genus '' Postplatyptilia'' ** Genus '' Quadriptilia'' ** Genus '' Sinpunctiptilia'' *** '' Sinpunctiptilia emissalis'' ** Genus '' Sochchora'' ** Genus '' Sphenarches'' ** Genus ''

Stenoptilia ''Stenoptilia'' is a genus of moths in the family Pterophoridae. Species The genus contains the following species: *'' Stenoptilia admiranda'' Yano, 1963 *'' Stenoptilia aethiopica'' Gibeaux, 1994 *'' Stenoptilia aktashiensis'' Gibeaux, 1997 * ...

'' Hübner, 1825 *** ''

Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla ''Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla'', also known as the twin-spot plume is a moth of the Pterophoroidea family found in North Africa, Asia and Europe. It was first described by the Austrian physician and naturalist, Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1763. ...

'' *** '' Stenoptilia kiitulo'' *** ''

Stenoptilia pterodactyla ''Stenoptilia pterodactyla'', the brown plume is a moth of the family Pterophoroidea. It is found in Europe, North America, Anatolia, Iran and China. It was first described by the Swedish taxonomist, Carl Linnaeus in 1761. Description The m ...

'' *** '' Stenoptilia zophodactylus'' ** Genus '' Stenoptilodes'' Zimmermann, 1958 *** '' Stenoptilodes antirrhina'' – snapdragon plume moth ** Genus '' Stockophorus'' ** Genus '' Uroloba'' ** Genus '' Vietteilus'' ** Genus '' Xyroptila'' Tribe Exelastini ** Genus '' Arcoptilia'' ** Genus ''

Exelastis ''Exelastis'' is a genus of plume moths in the family Pterophoridae. There are more than 20 described species in ''Exelastis''. Species These 21 species belong to the genus ''Exelastis'': * '' Exelastis atomosa'' (Walsingham, 1885) * '' Exelast ...

'' *** ''

Exelastis caroli ''Exelastis caroli'' is a moth of the family Pterophoroidea. It is found in Kenya, inhabiting the coastal dunes. The wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For ex ...

'' ** Genus '' Fuscoptilia'' ** Genus '' Marasmarcha'' ** Genus '' Parafuscoptilia'' * Tribe

Oxyptilini Oxyptilini is a tribe within the subfamily Pterophorinae of the plume moths or Pterophoridae. The monophyly of this group was established in a 2011 phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, r ...

** Genus ''Apoxyptilus'' Alipanah et al., 2010 ** Genus ''Buckleria'' Tutt, 1905 *** ''Buckleria vanderwolfi'' ** Genus '' Capperia'' ** Genus '' Crombrugghia'' Pterophoridae Plume Moth Stenodacma wahlbergi 8231

Pterophoridae Plume Moth Stenodacma wahlbergi 8231

** Genus '' Dejongia'' ** Genus '' Eucapperia'' *** '' Eucapperia continentalis'' ** Genus '' Geina'' ** Genus '' Intercapperia'' ** Genus '' Megalorhipida'' Amsel, 1935 *** '' Megalorrhipida leucodactyla'' ** Genus '' Oxyptilus'' ** Genus '' Paracapperia'' ** Genus '' Prichotilus'' Rose and Pooni, 2003 ** Genus '' Procapperia'' ** Genus '' Pseudoxyptilus'' Alipanah et al., 2010 ** Genus '' Stangeia'' Tutt, 1905 *** '' Stangeia xerodes''

** Genus '' Stenodacma'' ** Genus '' Tomotilus'' ** Genus '' Trichoptilus'' * Tribe Oidaematophorini ** Genus '' Adaina'' ** Genus '' Crassuncus'' ** Genus '' Emmelina'' Tutt, 1905 *** '' Emmelina monodactyla'' ** Genus ''

Gypsochares ''Gypsochares'' is a genus of moths in the family Pterophoridae The Pterophoridae or plume moths are a family of Lepidoptera with unusually modified wings. Though they belong to the Apoditrysia like the larger moths and the butterflies, unlike ...

'' ** Genus '' Hellinsia'' Tutt, 1905 *** '' Hellinsia balanotes'' *** '' Hellinsia emmelinoida'' ** Genus '' Helpaphorus'' ** Genus ''

Karachia ''Exelastis'' is a genus of plume moths in the family Pterophoridae The Pterophoridae or plume moths are a family of Lepidoptera with unusually modified wings. Though they belong to the Apoditrysia like the larger moths and the butterflies, un ...

'' ** Genus '' Oidaematophorus'' Wallengren, 1862 *** ''

'' ** Genus ''

Picardia ''Picardia'' is a genus of moths in the family Pterophoridae The Pterophoridae or plume moths are a family of Lepidoptera with unusually modified wings. Though they belong to the Apoditrysia like the larger moths and the butterflies, unlike th ...

'' ** Genus ''

Pselnophorus ''Pselnophorus'' is a genus of 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 approxima ...

'' Wallengren, 1881 *** '' Pselnophorus meruensis'' ** Genus ''

Puerphorus ''Puerphorus'' is a genus of moths in the family Pterophoridae containing only one species, ''Puerphorus olbiadactylus'', which is known from Yemen, Afghanistan, Algeria, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, southern Europe an ...

'' ** Genus ''

Setosipennula ''Setosipennula'' is a genus of moths in the family Pterophoridae containing only one species, ''Setosipennula viettei'', which is known from Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repob ...

'' * Tribe Pterophorini ** Genus '' Calyciphora'' ** Genus '' Cosmoclostis'' *** '' Cosmoclostis aglaodesma'' *** '' Cosmoclostis hemiadelpha'' *** '' Cosmoclostis pesseuta'' ** Genus '' Diacrotricha'' ** Genus '' Imbophorus'' *** '' Imbophorus aptalis'' *** '' Imbophorus leucophasmus'' *** '' Imbophorus pallidus'' ** Genus ''

'' ** Genus '' Oirata'' ** Genus '' Patagonophorus'' ** Genus '' Porrittia'' ** Genus '' Pterophorus'' *** ''

Pterophorus pentadactyla ''Pterophorus pentadactyla'', commonly known as the white plume moth, is a moth in the family Pterophoridae. It is found in the West Palearctic including North Africa and Europe. The wingspan is . It is uniformly white, with the hind wing pair d ...

'' – white plume moth ** Genus ''

Septuaginta The Greek Old Testament, or Septuagint (, ; from the la, septuaginta, lit=seventy; often abbreviated ''70''; in Roman numerals, LXX), is the earliest extant Greek translation of books from the Hebrew Bible. It includes several books beyond t ...

'' ** Genus '' Singularia'' ** Genus '' Tabulaephorus'' ** Genus '' Wheeleria'' Tutt, 1905 *** '' Wheeleria spilodactylus''

Footnotes

References

* (2002): Factors affecting the establishment of a classical biological control agent, the horehound plume moth (''Wheeleria spilodactylus'') in South Australia. (A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Applied and Molecular Ecology, Adelaide University, Australia
PDF fulltext
* (1980): Geranium Plume Moth Quarantine
PDF fulltext
* (1992): Foodplant Specificity and Biology of Oidaematophorus balanotes (Pterophoridae): A North American Moth Introduced into Australia for the Control of Baccharis halimifolia (Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society 46(3), 1992: 195-202)
PDF fulltext
* (1984): Mate-locating and courtship behaviors of the artichoke plume moth, Platyptilia carduidactyla (Lepidoptera: Pterophoridae) (Environmental Entomology 13.2 1984: 399-408). https://academic.oup.com/ee/article-abstract/13/2/399/2393151]

External links

British Insects: the Families of Lepidoptera
* http://www.plumemoth.com/ D.L. Matthews, PhD. Florida Museum
The Plume Moths of Australia
* A slow-motion video of a flying plume moth, taken by three fast cameras https://www.beatus-lab.org/fun-stuff {{DEFAULTSORT:Plume Moth Pterophoridae, Moth families