kids encyclopedia robot

Macrolepidoptera facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Macrolepidoptera
Acronicta.psi.7153.jpg
Grey dagger, Acronicta psi
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Suborder:
Glossata
Infraorder:
Heteroneura
(unranked):
Macrolepidoptera
Superfamilies

See text

Macrolepidoptera is a group in the insect order Lepidoptera. Originally, it was a catch-all informal term like 'micromoth'. However, it is now reformed to make a good monophyletic group.

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.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Macrolepidoptera para niños

kids search engine
Macrolepidoptera Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.