List of moths of Australia (Pterophoridae) facts for kids
Have you ever seen a moth with wings that look like delicate feathers? These amazing insects are often called plume moths! This article is a list of the different plume moth species found in Australia. Plume moths belong to a special scientific group called the family Pterophoridae. You'll find out about many unique kinds of these moths that live all over Australia. This list is also part of the bigger List of moths of Australia.
Meet the Plume Moths of Australia
Plume moths are known for their distinctive wings, which are often divided into feather-like lobes. They are quite small and can be found in many different habitats. Scientists study them to understand more about Australia's incredible insect life.
Deuterocopinae
This group of plume moths includes several interesting species. Here are some of the ones found in Australia:
- Deuterocopus atrapex T. B. Fletcher, 1909
- Deuterocopus honoratus Meyrick, 1921
- Deuterocopus socotranus Rebel, 1907
- Deuterocopus tengstroemi Zeller, 1852
- Hexadactilia civilis Meyrick, 1921
- Hexadactilia trilobata T. B. Fletcher, 1910
Ochyroticinae
This subfamily has fewer species, but they are just as fascinating. Only one species from this group has been recorded in Australia so far:
- Ochyrotica kurandica Arenberger, 1988
Pterophorinae
This is the largest group of plume moths, with many different species living in Australia. They show a wide variety of shapes and sizes within the plume moth family.
- Bipunctiphorus euctimena (Turner, 1913)
- Cosmoclostis aglaodesma Meyrick, 1886
- Cosmoclostis hemiadelpha T. B. Fletcher, 1947
- Cosmoclostis pesseuta Meyrick, 1906
- Hellinsia balanotes (Meyrick, 1908)
- Hellinsia lienigianus (Zeller, 1852)
- Hellinsia tinctidactylus (Newman, 1856)
- Hepalastis pumilio (Zeller, 1873)
- Imbophorus aptalis (Walker, 1864)
- Imbophorus leucophasma (Turner, 1911)
- Imbophorus pallidus Arenberger, 1991
- Lantanophaga pusillidactyla (Walker, 1864)
- Megalorhipida leucodactylus (Fabricius, 1794) (also known as Trichoptilus adelphodes Meyrick, 1887)
- Nippoptilia cinctipedalis (Walker, 1864)
- Oxyptilus regulus Meyrick, 1906
- Platyptilia celidotus (Meyrick, 1885)
- Platyptilia isodactyla (Zeller, 1852)
- (Platyptilia omissalis T. B. Fletcher, 1926)
- Pterophorus albidus (Zeller, 1852)
- Pterophorus lacteipennis (Walker, 1864)
- Sinpunctiptilia emissalis Walker, 1864
- Sinpunctiptilia tasmaniae Arenberger, 2006
- Sphenarches anisodactylus (Walker, 1864)
- Sphenarches zanclistes (Meyrick, 1905)
- Stangeia xerodes (Meyrick, 1886)
- Stenodacma pyrrhodes (Meyrick, 1889)
- Stenoptilia leuconephes (Meyrick, 1886)
- Stenoptilia phaeonephes (Meyrick, 1886)
- Stenoptilia zophodactylus (Duponchel, 1840)
- Stenoptilodes taprobanes (R. Felder & Rogenhofer, 1875)
- Tetraschalis arachnodes Meyrick, 1887
- Tomotilus saitoi Yano, 1961
- Trichoptilus ceramodes Meyrick, 1886
- Trichoptilus inclitus T.P. Lucas, 1892
- Trichoptilus scythrodes Meyrick, 1886
- Wheeleria spilodactylus (Curtis, 1827)
- Xyroptila elegans Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin, 2006
- Xyroptila kuranda Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin, 2006
- Xyroptila marmarias Meyrick, 1908
- Xyroptila peltastes (Meyrick, 1908)
- Xyroptila uluru Kovtunovich & Ustjuzhanin, 2006
