Sematurinae is a

subfamily 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 ...

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 in the

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 ...

Sematuridae Sematuridae is a family of moths in the lepidopteran order that contains two subfamilies ( Minet and Scoble, 1999). Taxonomy, systematics, and identification These are large day- or night-flying moths, usually tailed and similar to Uraniidae ...

represented by at least 29

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 ...

in the

Neotropics The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropics, tropical Ecoregion#Terrestrial, terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperat ...

Taxonomy, classification and identification

Sematurinae has three principal

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 ...

, and possibly another two. The hindwing of ''Coronidia'' is distinguished by an iridescent blue band, but ''Homidiana'' characteristically has pink, orange or yellow markings, especially in females (Minet and Scoble, 1999). The genus ''Mania'' is large, brown and tailed, resembling to some extent the genus ''

Lyssa In Greek mythology, Lyssa (; Ancient Greek: Λύσσα ''Lússā''), called Lytta (; Λύττα ''Lúttā'') by the Athenians, was the spirit of mad rage, frenzy, and rabies in animals. She was closely related to the Maniae, the spirits of madness ...

''. The approximately twelve other sematurid species in the genera ''Anurapteryx'' and ''Lonchotura'' are placed here for now (making about 41 species) but may not belong in this subfamily; one species, ''Anurapteryx crenulata'' reaches the subtropics of

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

(Minet and Scoble, 1999). The relationships within Sematuridae clearly need deeper investigation. *Note: the name ''Nothus'' is preoccupied by a genus of

Coleoptera Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...

(Minet and Scoble, 1999). The genus name ''Sematura'' was also in use for this genus, but it was younger (being published in 1825) than Hübner's name ''Mania'' from 1821; a petition to conserve the junior name was rejected by the

ICZN The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its publisher, the I ...

in Opinion 2352 (2015), so Hübner's name is officially now the valid name for the genus.

Behaviour

The adult moths of Sematurinae are either day or night flying, depending on the genus and have the wings outspread at rest and the genus ''Sematura'' displays impressive eyespots at the hindwing tails.

Biology

The biology of Sematurinae is poorly known. The larva of ''Homidiana'' was illustrated by Westwood (1879) who incorrectly placed it among ''Coronidia'', and was described by

Anton Hermann Fassl Anton Heinrich Hermann Fassl (1876, Komotau - 1922, Manaos) was a German entomologist. Fassl collected Lepidoptera and Coleoptera in Colombia (1907-1908), Brazil and Ecuador. He was sometime in Berlin, sometime at a dealership Naturhistorisches-I ...

(1910). From 1995 to 1998, caterpillars were found in

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

. Sematurine eggs have been described by Joël Minet and Malcolm J. Scoble (1999:302), and are upright, high, with vertical and finer transverse ribs. The caterpillars of ''Homidiana subpicta'' have rows of black spines either side of the

dorsal Dorsal (from Latin ''dorsum'' ‘back’) may refer to: * Dorsal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location referring to the back or upper side of an organism or parts of an organism * Dorsal, positioned on top of an aircraft's fuselage * Dorsal co ...

midline and five pairs of

proleg A proleg is a small, fleshy, stub structure found on the ventral surface of the abdomen of most larval forms of insects of the order Lepidoptera, though they can also be found on other larval insects such as sawflies and a few other types of in ...

s. The larva of ''Coronidia orithea'' lacks such spines, and is well

camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...

d like a lichen-covered twig and has realistic-looking false eyes making it resemble a predatory spider. The larvae of ''Mania'' were reared in

in 2001 and are a bit similar to those of ''Coronidia'' being well camouflaged but bearing small projections rather than long spines one the dorsal surface. Like some Uraniidae, pupation occurs on the ground among debris. The pupa of ''Homidiana'' has a long projecting proboscis "sheath" with eight hooklets at the cremaster tip (Minet and Scoble, 1999).

Larval host plants

The

caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...

of ''Coronidia orithea'' is so far only known to feed on

mistletoe Mistletoe is the common name for obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order Santalales. They are attached to their host tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium, through which they extract water and nutrients from the host plant. ...

s ( Viscaceae: '' Phoradendron quadrangulare''). ''Homidiana subpicta'' feeds on a more diverse range of plants, including the families Araliaceae (''

Oreopanax ''Oreopanax'' is a genus of shrubs and trees in the family Araliaceae, comprising circa 85 species native to the Americas. Distribution ''Oreopanax'' species' range extends from Mexico and the Antilles to Argentina and Brazil, with most species ...

''), Gesneriaceae, Piperaceae ('' Piper''), Primulaceae ('' Ardisia'', ''

Myrsine ''Myrsine'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. It was formerly placed in the family Myrsinaceae before this was merged into the Primulaceae. It is found nearly worldwide, primarily in tropical and subtropical areas. It c ...

''), Solanaceae ('' Solanum''), Onagraceae ('' Ludwigia'') and Theophrastaceae (''Clavija''). ''"Sematura luna"'' reared in 2001 whose well-camouflaged larva is reported to feed on the

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...

Pentaclethra macroloba ''Pentaclethra macroloba'' is a large and common leguminous tree in the genus ''Pentaclethra'' native to the wet tropical areas of the northern Neotropics, which can form monoculture, monocultural stands in some seasonally flooded habitats. It ha ...

'' ( Mimosoideae) and on '' Syzygium longifolium'' (Myrtaceae).

Provisional list of species (based on LepIndex)

*'' Coronidia erecthea'' Westwood, 1879 ype locality Espiritu Santu, Brazil*'' Coronidia hyphasis'' (Hopffer, 1856) (originally in ''Coronis'') ype locality Mexico*'' Coronidia orithea'' (Cramer, ''Papill. Exot.'' 3:121) (originally in ''Phalaena'') ype locality Suriname

**='' ? durvillii'' Guenée, 1857 **='' Coronidia hysudrus'' Hopffer, 1857 **='' Coronidia boreada'' Westwood, 1879 *'' Coronidia difficilis'' Strand, 1911 ype locality Chanchamayo, Peru**='' Coronidia ecuadorensis'' Strand, 1911 *'' Homidiana aeneophlebia'' (Hampson, ''Novitates Zoologia'' 25:374) (originally in ''Homidia'') *'' Homidiana anilina'' Bryk, 1930 ype locality Bolivia*'' Homidiana brachyura'' Hampson, ''Novit. Zool.'' 25:373 (originally in ''Coronidia'' subg. (''Homidiana'')) *'' Homidiana briseis'' (Westwood, 1879) (originally in ''Coronidia'') *'' Homidiana canace'' Hopffer, 1856
**='' Coronidia aeola'' Westwood, 1879 **='' Coronidia paulina'' Westwood, 1879 **='' Coronis cana'' Hopffer, 1856 *'' Homidiana egina'' (Blanchard, 1849) (originally in ''Coronidia'') **='' Homidiana nicaraguana'' Westwood, 1879 *'' Homidiana evenus'' Boisduval, 1849 **='' Coronis ducatrix'' Schaufuss, 1870 **='' Homidia subevenus'' Strand, 1911 *'' Homidiana gueneei'' (Druce, 1891) (originally in ''Coronidia'') ype locality Panama, Mexico*'' Homidiana hoppi'' (Bryk, 1930) (originally in ''Coronidia'') ype locality Colombia*'' Homidiana leachi'' (Godart, 1819) (originally in ''Ag rista'') ype locality Brazil**='' Homidiana japet'' (Blanchard, 1849) (originally in ''Coronis'') ype locality Brazil*'' Homidiana lederi'' Pfeiffer, 1925 ype locality Macas, Ecuador*'' Homidiana leucosticta'' Hampson, 1918 (originally in ''Coronidia'' subg. ''Homidia'') ype locality Peru*'' Homidiana strandi'' Pfeiffer, 1916 ype locality Peru*'' Homidiana monotona'' (Hampson, 1918) (originally in ''Coronidia'') ype locality Huaylas, Peru*'' Homidiana restincta'' Strand, 1911 ype locality Macas, Ecuador(originally in ''Homidia'') *'' Homidiana rosina'' (Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875) (originally in ''Coronis'') ype locality Bogota, Colombia **='' Coronidia columbiana'' Westwood, 1879 *'' Homidiana rubrivena'' (Dognin, 1919) (originally in ''Coronidia)'' ype locality Colombia*''

Homidiana subpicta ''Coronidia subpicta'' is a moth of the family Sematuridae. It is known from the Neotropics, including Costa Rica. The wingspan is 52–59 mm. The larvae feed on a wide range of plants, including ''Oreopanax'', Gesneriaceae, ''Ardisia'', ' ...

'' Walker, 1854as ''"Coronidia subpicta"''as "Coronidia subpicta"
**='' Coronidia biblina'' Westwood, 1879 **='' Homidiana echenais'' Hopffer, 1856
**='' Coronidia granadina'' Westwood, 1879 *'' Homidiana tangens'' (Strand, 1911) (originally in ''Homidia'') ype locality Macas, Ecuador*'' Homidiana traducta'' (Strand, 1911) (originally in ''Homidia'') ype locality 2–3000 m. Chaco, Bolivia*'' Homidiana westwoodi'' Oberthür, 1881 (originally in ''Coronis'') ype locality Manazales, Colombia*''

Mania aegisthus ''Mania aegisthus'' is a moth of the family Sematuridae. It is found in Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti) in the Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben ...

'' Fabricius, 1781 amaica/Suriname
"Nothus" species
**='' Mania lunigeraria'' Hübner, 1823 825**='' Sematura excavatus'' Walker, 1854 **='' Sematura phoebe'' Guenée, 1857 *''

Mania diana Mania, also known as manic syndrome, is a mental and behavioral disorder defined as a state of abnormally elevated arousal, affect, and energy level, or "a state of heightened overall activation with enhanced affective expression together wi ...

'' Guenée, 1857

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*''

Mania lunus ''Mania lunus'' is a moth of the family Sematuridae, found in forests of Central and South America, where it occurs from Mexico to Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest ...

'' Linnaeus, 1758
**='' Sematura actaeon'' Felder & Rogenhofer, 1874 **='' Mania caudilunaria'' Hübner, 1823

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Mania empedocles Mania, also known as manic syndrome, is a mental and behavioral disorder defined as a state of abnormally elevated arousal, affect, and energy level, or "a state of heightened overall activation with enhanced affective expression together with ...

'' Cramer, 1782 ype locality Suriname

**='' Sematura selene'' Guenée, 1857Dyer/Gentry/''"Sematura luna"''
**='' Mania empedoclaria'' Hübner, 1823 *'' Anurapteryx beckeri'' (Druce, 1897) (originally in ''Coronidia'') ype locality Mexico, near Durangs City*'' Anurapteryx brueckneri'' Hering, 1928 *'' Anurapteryx crenulata'' Barnes & Lindsey, 1919 [type locality Paradise, Arizona
Image
*''Anurapteryx flavidorsata'' (Hampson, 1918) (originally in ''Homidia'') [no card] *''Anurapteryx gephyra'' Hering, 1928 ype locality Guatemala*''Anurapteryx interlineata'' (Walker, 1854) entral and South America, no type locality given(originally in ''Coronis'') **='' Anurapteryx abbreviata'' (Maassen, 1890) (originally in ''Coronis'') ype locality Banos, Ecuador, 1800 m.**='' Anurapteryx meticulosa'' Pief, ''Ent. Zt.'' 31:7 (originally in ?(type locality West Colombia, Rio Aguacabal, 2000 m., by Fassl) *'' Anurapteryx insolita'' (Strand, 1911) (originally in ''Homidia'') o type locality*'' Anurapteryx montana'' Beutelspacher, 1984 ype locality Mexico*'' Anurapteryx ribbei'' (Druce, 1891) (originally in ''Coronidia'') ype locality Chiriqui, Panama*'' Lonchotura fassli'' Pfeiffer, ''Ent. Zt.'' 31:7, Pl. (originally in ?) ype locality West Colombia, Rio Aguacabal, by Fassl*'' Lonchotura ocylus'' (Boisduval, 1870) (originally in ''Coronis'') ype locality Guatemala**='' Lonchotura dutreuxi'' Deyrolle, 1874 (originally in ''Coronis'') ype locality Costa Rica**='' Lonchotura peruviana'' Hering, 1928 (originally in ?) ype locality Chachamayo, Peru*'' Lonchotura genevana'' Westwood, 1879 (originally in ''Coronidia'') ype locality Mexicoref>

References

*Fassl, A.H. (1910). Die Raupe einer Uranide. ''Z. wiss. InsektBiol'', 6(10): 355. *Minet, J. and Scoble, M. J. (1999) 998The Drepanoid/Geometroid Assemblage. Pp. 301–320 in Kristensen, N.P. (Ed.), 1999 998 ''Lepidoptera, Moths and Butterflies. Volume 1, Evolution, Systematics, and Biogeography''. Handbook of Zoology, vol. IV, Arthropoda: Insecta, Part 35: 491 pp. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin and New York. *Westwood, J.O. 1879. Observations on the Uraniidae, a family of Lepidopterous Insects, with a Synopsis of the Family and a Monograph of ''Coronidia'', one of the genera of which it is composed. ''Transactions of the Zoological Society'', 10(12): 1–35, 3 plates.

Other sources

NHM Lepindex
*Dyer, L.A. and G.L. Gentry. 2002. Caterpillars and parasitoids of a tropical lowland wet forest
caterpillars.org
Accessed, March 2007.

External links

Insecta. Lepidoptera-Heterocera . Volume III (1881-1900) by Herbert DruceLepTree ''Coronidia orithea''Barcoding progressLepTree nuclear gene sequencing progress
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7449136 Sematuridae