Macrolepidoptera

Order of insects Macrolepidoptera Grey dagger, Acronicta psi Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Clade: Pancrustacea Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Clade: Ditrysia (unranked): Macrolepidoptera Superfamilies See text Macrolepidoptera is a group within the insect order Lepidoptera. Traditionally used for the larger butterflies and moths as opposed to the "microlepidoptera", this group is artificial. However, it seems that by moving some taxa about, a monophyletic macrolepidoptera can be easily achieved. The two superfamilies Geometroidea and Noctuoidea account for roughly one-quarter of all known Lepidoptera. [citation needed] Taxonomy In the reformed macrolepidoptera, the following superfamilies are included: Mimallonoidea – sack bearers Lasiocampoidea – lappet moths Bombycoidea – bombycoid moths Noctuoidea – owlet moths Drepanoidea – drepanids Geometroidea – inchworms Calliduloidea – Old World butterfly-moths Papilionoidea – butterflies The last two or three superfamilies comprised the Rhopalocera, or butterflies. More recent taxonomic treatments usually include all butterflies in an expanded Papilionoidea. Subsequent molecular studies