Acrolepiidae
Preparation of Acrolepia assectella
The Acrolepiidae are about 95 species of butterflies comprehensive family within the superfamily Yponomeutoidea. Often, the family is classified as a subfamily of the circular end moths ( Glyphipterigidae ), then the taxon known as Acrolepiinae. The family or sub- family is in Europe with 45 species and subspecies. It is distributed worldwide, with the main distribution area is the Palaearctic, occurring in more than half of all species.
Features
How many types of Plutellidae have the moth nor simple eyes ( ocelli ). Among the putative autapomorphies include the construction of the male genitalia in which the Tegume whose appendages and the Gnathos are regressed and the phallus is expanded basal, as well as the ramifications of the veins M1 M2 and M3 cua1 on the hind wings. The females lack the ventral Costa at the base of the anterior apophysis, this feature also in some species of the Plutellidae occurs from the southern hemisphere.
Way of life
The moths are crepuscular or nocturnal. The caterpillars are leaf miners in leaves or drill stems, buds and seeds. Some species, such as Acrolepiopsis assectella, are among the pests of lily family ( Liliaceae ). However, the diet of the caterpillars has a total different dicots, such as daisy family ( Asteraceae), Lamiaceae ( Lamiaceae) and nightshade family (Solanaceae ).
System
The Acrolepiidae or Acrolepiinae was recently placed in the Plutellidae family. The following genera are attributed to:
- Acrolepia
- Acrolepiopsis
- Digitivalva