List of moths of Australia (Gelechiidae) facts for kids

Australia is home to many incredible insects, including a huge variety of moths! This article is all about the Australian moths that belong to a special group called the Gelechiidae family. Think of it like a big family tree, and these moths are all related. This list will help you discover some of these tiny, fascinating creatures and is part of a bigger list of all the moths found in Australia.

Meet the Gelechiidae Moths!

The Gelechiidae family is one of the largest groups of moths in the world! These moths are usually quite small, often with narrow wings and a fuzzy head. They are sometimes called "twirler moths" because their caterpillars can sometimes roll or tie leaves together to make a safe home. Many of these moths are important in nature, but some can also be pests to plants like potatoes or cotton.

Anacampsinae: Tiny Twirlers

The Anacampsinae are a group within the Gelechiidae family. They are known for their small size and often blend in with their surroundings. Here are a few examples of these moths found in Australia:

• Aproaerema coracina (Meyrick, 1921)
• Aproaerema simplexella (Walker, 1864)
• Chaliniastis astrapaea Meyrick, 1904
• Idiophantis chiridota Meyrick, 1914
• Thiotricha animosella (Walker, 1864)
• Epiphthora achnias Meyrick, 1904
• Epiphthora autoleuca Meyrick, 1904
• Aristotelia antipala Meyrick, 1904
• Aristotelia centrosema (Lower, 1893)
• Dorycnopa heliochares (Lower, 1900)
• Iulota bacillum (Turner, 1927)
• Pycnobathra achroa (Lower, 1901)
• Pyncostola actias (Meyrick, 1904)

Chelariinae: Masters of Disguise

Moths in the Chelariinae group are often very good at hiding! Their patterns and colors help them blend in with tree bark or leaves. Some species in this group are known for their caterpillars that feed on plants.

• Anarsia dryinopa Lower, 1897
• Anarsia patulella (Walker, 1864)
• Hypatima deviella (Walker, 1864)
• Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders, 1844)
• Pexicopia desmanthes (Lower, 1898)
• Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier, 1789)

Dichomerinae: Diverse and Widespread

The Dichomerinae are another large group of moths within the Gelechiidae family. You can find them in many different habitats. They have a wide range of appearances, from plain to quite colorful.

• Atasthalistis ochreoviridella (Pagenstecher, 1900)
• Dichomeris adactella (Walker, 1864)
• Dichomeris dryinodes (Lower, 1897)
• Mesophleps epiochra (Meyrick, 1886)
• Onebala hibisci (Stainton, 1859)
• Symbolistis argyromitra Meyrick, 1904

Gelechiinae: The Core Family

This is the main group, or subfamily, of the Gelechiidae family. It contains a huge number of species, many of which are very small and can be hard to tell apart without a microscope!

• Australiopalpa bumerang Povolný, 1974
• Ephysteris promptella (Staudinger, 1859)
• Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller, 1873)
• Scrobipalpa aptatella (Walker, 1864)
• Stegasta cosmodes (Lower, 1899)
• Symmetrischema tangolias (Gyen, 1913)
• Ardozyga aversella (Walker, 1864)
• Ardozyga delochorda Lower, 1918
• Ardozyga haemaspila (Lower, 1894)
• Ardozyga lithina (Lower, 1899)
• Ardozyga sodalisella (Walker, 1864)
• Ardozyga subnexella (Walker, 1864)
• Craspedotis pragmatica Meyrick, 1904
• Epibrontis hemichlaena (Lower, 1897)
• Hemiarcha macroplaca (Lower, 1893)
• Orthoptila abruptella (Walker, 1864)

Species Still Being Studied

Sometimes, scientists find a moth but aren't sure exactly which specific group (genus) it belongs to within the Gelechiinae subfamily. They give it a temporary name, and later on, more research might place it correctly. Here are a few examples of these:

• Gelechia anthochra Lower, 1896
• Phthorimaea chersochlora Meyrick, 1922
• Barea ectadia Turner, 1935
• Phthorimaea frequens Meyrick, 1921
• Psoricoptera melanoptila Lower, 1897
• Gelechia callicoma Lower, 1897
• Gelechia marmoratella Walker, 1864

Sources

• Gelechiinae at Australian Faunal Directory