Macrolepidoptera

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Macrolepidoptera
Grey Dagger, Acronicta psi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Hexapoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Suborder:	Glossata
Infraorder:	Heteroneura
(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 unnatural. 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.

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
• Axioidea - European gold moths
• Calliduloidea - Old World butterfly-moths
• Hedyloidea - New World butterfly-moths (or moth-butterflies)
• Hesperioidea - skippers
• Papilionoidea - true butterflies

The last three make up the Rhopalocera, or butterflies.

External links

• TSN 117234. Integrated Taxonomic Information System.

• Media related to Macrolepidoptera at Wikimedia Commons
• Information related to Macrolepidoptera from Wikispecies.

v • d • e Arthropoda - Insecta - Superfamilies of Lepidoptera Butterflies Hedyloidea · Hesperioidea · Papilionoidea Moths Acanthopteroctetoidea · Agathiphagoidea · Alucitoidea · Andesianoidea · Bombycoidea · Calliduloidea · Choreutoidea · Cimelioidea · Copromorphoidea · Cossoidea · Drepanoidea · Epermenioidea · Eriocranioidea · Galacticoidea · Gelechioidea · Geometroidea · Gracillarioidea · Hepialoidea · Heterobathmioidea · Hyblaeoidea · Immoidea · Incurvarioidea · Lasiocampoidea · Lophocoronoidea · Micropterigoidea · Mimallonoidea · Mnesarchaeoidea · Neopseustoidea · Nepticuloidea · Noctuoidea · Palaephatoidea · Pterophoroidea · Pyraloidea · Schreckensteinioidea · Sesioidea · Simaethistoidea · Thyridoidea · Tineoidea · Tischerioidea · Tortricoidea · Urodoidea · Whalleyanoidea · Yponomeutoidea · Zygaenoidea