Bombycidae is a family of moth

Moth

A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...

s. The best-known species is Bombyx mori

Bombyx mori

The silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of the domesticated silkmoth, Bombyx mori . It is an economically important insect, being a primary producer of silk...

(Linnaeus) or silkworm, native to northern China and domesticated for millennia. Another well known species is Bombyx mandarina

Bombyx mandarina

Bombyx mandarina, the Wild Silkmoth, is an insect from the moth family Bombycidae. It is the closest relative of Bombyx mori the Domesticated Silkmoth or "silkworm" . Unlike the domesticated relative which is unable to fly or indeed persist outside human care, the Wild Silkmoth is a fairly ordinary...

, also native to Asia.

Diversity

The family consists of 21 genera and about 150 species, most of which belong to the nominate subfamily Bombycinae.

Taxonomy

The family was recently severely restricted and currently contains only two subfamilies, the Bombycidae and Epiinae (previously the tribe Epiini). The former subfamilies Oberthueriinae and Prismostictinae have been placed as subjective junior synonyms of Endromidae

Endromidae

Endromidae is a family of moths. It was long considered to be a monotypic family, containing just one species, the Kentish Glory, Endromis versicolora, found throughout the Palaearctic region .-Genera:*Andraca*Endromis...

. The former subfamily Phiditiinae is reinstated as a separate family, the Phiditiidae

Phiditiidae

Phiditiidae is a family of moths. The family was previously placed as a subfamily in the Bombycidae family.-Genera:*Phiditia Möschler, 1883*Rolepa Walker, 1855*Sorocaba Moore, 1882*Tepilia Walker, 1855...

.

Genera

This list is provisional. Genera such as Apatelodes and Olceclostera are placed in the Apatelodidae

Apatelodidae

Apatelodidae is a somewhat disputed family of insects in the order Lepidoptera. They belong to the hawkoth, silkworm and relatives superfamily Bombycoidea.-External links:* Page of images of Apetelodidae from Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica....

, if these are considered valid. Ephoria may be a synonym

Synonym

Synonyms are different words with almost identical or similar meanings. Words that are synonyms are said to be synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called synonymy. The word comes from Ancient Greek syn and onoma . The words car and automobile are synonyms...

 of Epholca

Epholca

Epholca is a genus of moth in the family Geometridae.-References:* *...

(Geometridae: Ennominae

Ennominae

Ennominae is the largest subfamily of the geometer moth family with some 9,700 described species in 1,100 genera. They are usually fairly small moth species, though some grow considerably larger. This subfamily has a global distribution. It includes some species that are notorious defoliating...

: Ourapterygini

Ourapterygini

The Ourapterygini are one of the large tribes of geometer moths in the Ennominae subfamily. They are particularly plentiful in the Neotropics. Ourapterygini are generally held to be the youngest tribe of their subfamily, and at least seasonally have characteristic apomorphic asymmetrical processes...

), and Epia

Epia (moth)

Epia is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Epia casnonia *Epia domina *Epia muscosa...

may be one of Hadena

Hadena

Hadena is a genus of moths of the Noctuidae family.-Species:* Hadena aberrans * Hadena adriana * Hadena afghana * Hadena alba * Hadena albertii Hacker, 1996...

(Noctuidae

Noctuidae

The Noctuidae or owlet moths are a family of robustly-built moths that includes more than 35,000 known species out of possibly 100,000 total, in more than 4,200 genera. They constitute the largest family in the Lepidoptera....

: Hadeninae

Hadeninae

Hadeninae is a subfamily of moth family Noctuidae. The limits between this group and the Condicinae and Noctuinae are still not precisely known, with 3 major and partially conflicting revisions since 2006. Some include the noctuid subfamilies Eriopinae and Psaphidinae here as tribes Eriopini and...

: Hadenini

Hadenini

The Hadenini are a mid-sized tribe of moths in the Hadeninae subfamily. As numerous hadenine genera have not yet been assigned to a tribe, the genus list is preliminary.Several species are notable pests.Subtribe Clemathadina...

).

• Agriochlora
• Amusaron
  Amusaron
  Amusaron is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Amusaron kolga *Amusaron pruinosa...
  
  
• Anticla
• Aristhala
• Arotros
• Bivincula
  Bivincula
  Bivincula is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family....
  
  
• Bivinculata
• Bombyx
  Bombyx
  Bombyx is the genus of true silkmoths or mulberry silkmoths of the family Bombycidae. It traditionally contained two species as well as one natural hybrid and one human-dependent hybrid.-Species:* Bombyx horsfieldi...
  
  
• Carnotena
• Cheneya
• Clenora
• Colabata
• Colla
  Colla (moth)
  Colla is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Colla glaucescens Walker, 1865*Colla micacea *Colla rhodope...
  
  
• Dalailama
  Dalailama (moth)
  Dalailama is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Dalailama bifurca Staudinger, 1896*Dalailama vadim Witt, 2006...
  
  
• Dorisia
• Drepatelodes

• Elachyophtalma
  Elachyophtalma
  Elachyophtalma is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Elachyophtalma bicolor *Elachyophtalma inturbida *Elachyophtalma tricolor Felder, 1861...
  
  
• Epia
  Epia (moth)
  Epia is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Epia casnonia *Epia domina *Epia muscosa...
  
  
• Ernolatia
  Ernolatia
  Ernolatia is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Ernolatia moorei *Ernolatia signata Walker, 1862...
  
  
• Falcatelodes
• Gastridiota
• Gnathocinara
  Gnathocinara
  Gnathocinara is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family....
  
  
• Gunda
• Hanisa
• Hygrochroa
• Microplastis
• Minyas
• Moeschleria
• Norasuma
• Ocinara
  Ocinara
  Ocinara is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Ocinara albicollis *Ocinara bifurcula Dierl, 1978*Ocinara dilectula Walker, 1856...
  
  
• Orgyopsis
• Penicillifera
  Penicillifera
  Penicillifera is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Penicillifera apicalis *Penicillifera infuscata Dierl, 1978*Penicillifera lactea *Penicillifera tamsi...
  
  

• Prismoptera
• Prothysana
• Quentalia
  Quentalia
  Quentalia is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Quentalia drepanoides *Quentalia lividia *Quentalia veca *Quentalia vittata...
  
  
• Racinoa
  Racinoa
  Racinoa is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Racinoa albivertex *Racinoa fuscocervina *Racinoa ianthe *Racinoa maculifrons...
  
  
• Rondotia
  Rondotia
  Rondotia is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Rondotia diaphana *Rondotia menciana Moore, 1885...
  
  
• Tamphana
• Tarchon
• Thelosia
• Theophila
• Thyrioclostera
• Trilocha
  Trilocha
  Trilocha is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Trilocha annae *Trilocha arabica *Trilocha friedeli Dierl, 1978*Trilocha guianensis...
  
  
• Triuncina
  Triuncina
  Triuncina is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Triuncina brunnea Wileman, 1911*Triuncina diaphragma...
  
  
• Vinculinula
• Vingerhoedtia
  Vingerhoedtia
  Vingerhoedtia is a genus of moths of the Bombycidae family.-Selected pecies:*Vingerhoedtia grisea *Vingerhoedtia ruficollis...
  
  
• Zanola
• Zolessia