List of moths of Australia (Yponomeutidae) facts for kids

This article is a guide to the amazing moth species found in Australia that belong to a special group called the family Yponomeutidae. It's like a list of these specific moths, and it's also part of a bigger list of all the moths in Australia.

Australian Moths: The Yponomeutidae Family

Moths are fascinating insects, often seen fluttering around lights at night. They are close relatives of butterflies, but most moths are active after sunset. They play an important role in nature, helping to pollinate plants and serving as food for other animals.

About the Yponomeutidae Family

The Yponomeutidae family is a group of moths sometimes called "ermine moths." This name comes from some species having white wings with black spots, which looks a bit like the fur of an ermine animal. These moths are usually small to medium-sized. Their caterpillars often live together in webs they spin on plants. They can sometimes be seen in large numbers.

This family is found all over the world. In Australia, scientists have identified many different types. Each type has its own unique features and habits.

Different Types of Yponomeutidae Moths in Australia

The Yponomeutidae family is divided into smaller groups called subfamilies. Here are the main subfamilies found in Australia, along with some of the species that belong to them.

Attevinae Moths

The Attevinae are a subfamily within the Yponomeutidae family. These moths often have bright and colorful patterns on their wings. They are known for their caterpillars, which can sometimes feed on plants like the Ailanthus tree.

Here are some Attevinae species found in Australia:

• Atteva albiguttata (Zeller, 1873)
• Atteva charopis Turner, 1903
• Atteva megalastra Meyrick, 1907
• Atteva niphocosma Turner, 1903

Praydinae Moths

The Praydinae subfamily includes moths that are often quite small. Their caterpillars typically feed on different types of plants, including some fruit trees. This can sometimes make them important to study for agriculture.

Here are some Praydinae species found in Australia:

• Prays amblystola Turner, 1923
• Prays autocasis Meyrick, 1907
• Prays calycias Meyrick, 1907
• Prays inscripta Meyrick, 1907
• Prays nephelomima Meyrick, 1907
• Prays parilis Turner, 1923
• Prays tyrastis Meyrick, 1907

Sometimes, scientists find a moth that clearly belongs to a subfamily but they haven't yet decided which specific group (genus) it fits into. Here is one such species from the Praydinae subfamily, listed with its original scientific name:

• Eriocottis euryphracta Meyrick, 1893

Yponomeutinae Moths

The Yponomeutinae is the largest subfamily within the Yponomeutidae family. Many of the moths in this group are the ones commonly known as "ermine moths" because of their distinct spotted patterns. Their caterpillars often create silken webs on their host plants. These webs can sometimes cover entire branches.

Here are some Yponomeutinae species found in Australia:

• Anoista insolita Turner, 1939
• Charicrita citrozona Meyrick, 1913
• Charicrita orthonina Turner, 1927
• Charicrita sericoleuca Turner, 1923
• Chionogenes drosochlora (Meyrick, 1907)
• Chionogenes isanema (Meyrick, 1907)
• Chionogenes trimetra Meyrick, 1913
• Lissochroa argostola Turner, 1923
• Litaneutis sacrifica Meyrick, 1913
• Niphonympha oxydelta (Meyrick, 1913)
• Nymphonia zaleuca Meyrick, 1913
• Opsiclines leucomorpha (Lower, 1900)
• Orsocoma macrogona Meyrick, 1921
• Palleura nitida Turner, 1926
• Spaniophylla epiclithra Turner, 1917
• Teinoptila interruptella Sauber, 1902
• Xyrosaris acroxutha Turner, 1923
• Xyrosaris dryopa Meyrick, 1907
• Yponomeuta internellus (Walker, 1863)
• Yponomeuta liberalis (Meyrick, 1913)
• Yponomeuta myriosema (Turner, 1898)
• Yponomeuta paurodes Meyrick, 1907
• Yponomeuta pustulellus (Walker, 1863)
• Zelleria aphrospora Meyrick, 1893
• Zelleria araeodes Meyrick, 1893
• Zelleria callidoxa Meyrick, 1893
• Zelleria citrina Meyrick, 1893
• Zelleria cremnospila Lower, 1900
• Zelleria cryptica Meyrick, 1913
• Zelleria cyanoleuca (Lower, 1908)
• Zelleria cynetica Meyrick, 1893
• Zelleria euthysema Turner, 1923
• Zelleria hemixipha Lower, 1900
• Zelleria isopyrrha Meyrick, 1921
• Zelleria malacodes Turner, 1939
• Zelleria memorella Meyrick, 1893
• Zelleria mystarcha Meyrick, 1893
• Zelleria orthopleura Turner, 1923
• Zelleria panceuthes Turner, 1923
• Zelleria proterospila Meyrick, 1893
• Zelleria pyroleuca Meyrick, 1893
• Zelleria sigillata Meyrick, 1893
• Zelleria stylograpta Meyrick, 1907

Just like with the Praydinae, there are some species in the Yponomeutinae subfamily that haven't been placed into a specific genus yet. Here is one example, listed with its original name:

• Amblyzancla araeoptila Turner, 1939