| Alucitidae | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Twenty-plume Moth, Alucita hexadactyla
|
||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
| Type species | ||||||||||||||
| Alucita hexadactyla |
||||||||||||||
| Genera | ||||||||||||||
|
Alinguata |
||||||||||||||
| Diversity | ||||||||||||||
| 9 genera, about 130 species |
The Alucitidae or many-plumed moths are a family of moths with unusually modified wings. This is a small family, with about 130 worldwide species having been described to date mostly from temperate and warm regions (not tropical); sometimes the roughly 20 Tineodidae species are merged herein, making the Alucitoidea superfamily monotypic.
Both fore- and hind-wings consist of about six rigid spines, from which radiate flexible bristles creating a structure similar to a bird's feather. Both in Great Britain and North America only one species is found - Alucita hexadactyla. This smallish moth can often be found fluttering in the evening twilight or resting with its 'wings' outstretched. Its larvae feed on honeysuckle (Lonicera).
External links
 |
This moth-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
