Elachistidae
Encyclopedia
| image = Elachista rufocinerea 2.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = Adult Elachista rufocinerea
,
demonstrating its tiny size versus an aphid
(bottom left) and a spider mite
(top left)
| regnum = Animal
ia
| phylum = Arthropod
a
| classis = Insect
a
| ordo = Lepidoptera
| subordo = Glossata
| infraordo = Heteroneura
| zoodivisio = Ditrysia
| superfamilia = Gelechioidea
| familia = Elachistidae
| familia_authority = Bruand, 1851
| diversity_link = #Genera
| diversity = 47 living genera
(and see text)
| synonyms =
Elachistinae (but see text)
}}
The Elachistidae (grass-miner moths) are a family of small moth
s in the superfamily
Gelechioidea
. Some authors lump
about 3,300 species
in eight subfamilies here, but this arrangement almost certainly results in a massively paraphyletic and completely unnatural assemblage, united merely by symplesiomorphies retained from the first gelechioid moths.
In fact, most of these moths appear to be either closer to the Oecophorinae and are hence nowadays usually included in the Oecophoridae
(Depressariinae
, "Deuterogoniinae", Hypertrophinae, Stenomatinae and perhaps the enigmatic Aeolanthes
), or consititute quite basal lineages of gelechioids, neither closely related to Elachista
nor to Oecophora
, and hence best treated as independent families within the Gelechioidea (Agonoxenidae
, Ethmiidae
). The genus Coelopoeta is sometimes still placed here, but probably belongs in the Oecophorinae
.
Consequently, the Elachistidae are essentially identical to the subfamily Elachistinae in the family's wide circumscription. The Agonoxenidae might perhaps belong here regardless, but even this is doubtful. Nonetheless, a considerable number of genera remain in the present family, and eventually it is likely that subdivisions will again be established (e.g. by raising some or all of the tribe
s proposed for the former Elachistinae to subfamily status).
A significant reduction of genera has been proposed, from the current mass of 20 genera to 3. The proposition was made on the premise of several distinguishing classifications, all of which are synapomorphies. Those include genital size and presence of digitate, adult abdomen segments without dorsal spines, absence of maxillary palpi and fronto-clypeal suture, and immobile abdominal segments in pupae and larvae. Various tribes were considered within the proposition, with most differentiation coming from genital structure.
In the modern, reduced description, the Elachistidae are small to very small moths (wingspan
s usually around 1 cm). Their wings appear feather-like due to the fine hair covering the wings' fringes, and the hindwings can be significantly reduced in area, essentially consisting of a small strip with a wide hairy fringe. The caterpillar
s are typically leaf miner
s or stem miners on Poales
.
Several small genera recognized by some authors are here included in Elachista, as it would otherwise be liable to be non-monophyletic. As noted above, Aeolanthes
may also belong here, as the only genus of a subfamily Aeolanthinae.
s, have been described:
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = Adult Elachista rufocinerea
Elachista rufocinerea
Elachista rufocinerea is a moth of the family Elachistidae. It is found in Europe.The wingspan is 10-11 mm. The moth flies from April to May depending on the location....
,
demonstrating its tiny size versus an aphid
Aphid
Aphids, also known as plant lice and in Britain and the Commonwealth as greenflies, blackflies or whiteflies, are small sap sucking insects, and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions...
(bottom left) and a spider mite
Spider mite
Spider mites are members of the Acari family Tetranychidae, which includes about 1,200 species. They generally live on the under sides of leaves of plants, where they may spin protective silk webs, and they can cause damage by puncturing the plant cells to feed...
(top left)
| regnum = Animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
ia
| phylum = Arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
a
| classis = Insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
a
| ordo = Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
| subordo = Glossata
Glossata
Glossata is the suborder of the insect order Lepidoptera that includes all the superfamilies of moths and butterflies that have a coilable proboscis. ....
| infraordo = Heteroneura
Heteroneura
Heteroneura is a natural group in the insect order Lepidoptera that comprises over 99% of all butterflies and moths. This is the sister group of the infraorder Exoporia , and is characterised by wing venation which is not similar or homoneurous in both pairs of wings....
| zoodivisio = Ditrysia
Ditrysia
The Ditrysia are a natural group or clade of insects in the Lepidopteran order containing both butterflies and moths. They are so named because the female has two distinct sexual openings: one for mating, and the other for laying eggs .About 98% of described species of Lepidoptera belong to Ditrysia...
| superfamilia = Gelechioidea
Gelechioidea
| name = Curved-horn moths| image = Xylorycta assimilis.jpg| image_width = 240px| image_caption = Adult Xylorycta assimilis of the Xyloryctidae, photographed in Aranda Note prominent "horns" and long antennae| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda...
| familia = Elachistidae
| familia_authority = Bruand, 1851
| diversity_link = #Genera
| diversity = 47 living genera
Genera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
(and see text)
| synonyms =
Elachistinae (but see text)
}}
The Elachistidae (grass-miner moths) are a family of small 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 in the superfamily
Taxonomic rank
In biological classification, rank is the level in a taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family, and class. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories...
Gelechioidea
Gelechioidea
| name = Curved-horn moths| image = Xylorycta assimilis.jpg| image_width = 240px| image_caption = Adult Xylorycta assimilis of the Xyloryctidae, photographed in Aranda Note prominent "horns" and long antennae| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda...
. Some authors lump
Lumpers and splitters
Lumping and splitting refers to a well-known problem in any discipline which has to place individual examples into rigorously defined categories. The lumper/splitter problem occurs when there is the need to create classifications and assign examples to them, for example schools of literature,...
about 3,300 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in eight subfamilies here, but this arrangement almost certainly results in a massively paraphyletic and completely unnatural assemblage, united merely by symplesiomorphies retained from the first gelechioid moths.
In fact, most of these moths appear to be either closer to the Oecophorinae and are hence nowadays usually included in the Oecophoridae
Oecophoridae
Oecophoridae is a family of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. The phylogeny and systematics of gelechoid moths are still not fully resolved, and the circumscription of the Oecophoridae is strongly affected by this....
(Depressariinae
Depressariinae
| image = Psorosticha zizyphi .jpg| image_width = 240px| image_caption = Adult Psorosticha zizyphi| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta| ordo = Lepidoptera| subordo = Glossata| infraordo = Heteroneura...
, "Deuterogoniinae", Hypertrophinae, Stenomatinae and perhaps the enigmatic Aeolanthes
Aeolanthes
Aeolanthes is a genus of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea.Its relationships are enigmatic – many authors separate it in a monotypic subfamily Aeolanthinae, but there is disagreement over whether to place them in the Elachistidae, Lecithoceridae or Oecophoridae.Species include:*...
), or consititute quite basal lineages of gelechioids, neither closely related to Elachista
Elachista
Elachista is a genus of gelechioid moths. It is the type genus of the grass-miner moth family . This family is sometimes circumscribed very loosely, including for example the Agonoxenidae and Ethmiidae which seem to be quite distinct among the Gelechioidea, as well as other lineages which are...
nor to Oecophora
Oecophora
Oecophora is a genus of the concealer moth family . Among these, it belongs to subfamily Oecophorinae. It is the type genus of its subfamily and family...
, and hence best treated as independent families within the Gelechioidea (Agonoxenidae
Agonoxenidae
The Agonoxenidae are a family of moths only contains four named species in the whole world – all in the type genus Agonoxena – if the Blastodacnidae are considered to be a separate family...
, Ethmiidae
Ethmiidae
Ethmiidae is a family of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. It is sometimes included in the Elachistidae or the Oecophoridae as a subfamily Ethmiinae.-Genera:...
). The genus Coelopoeta is sometimes still placed here, but probably belongs in the Oecophorinae
Oecophorinae
| image = Philobota1.jpg| image_width = 250px| image_caption = Adult of Philobota arabella or a related species,Aranda | regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta| ordo = Lepidoptera| subordo = Glossata| infraordo = Heteroneura...
.
Consequently, the Elachistidae are essentially identical to the subfamily Elachistinae in the family's wide circumscription. The Agonoxenidae might perhaps belong here regardless, but even this is doubtful. Nonetheless, a considerable number of genera remain in the present family, and eventually it is likely that subdivisions will again be established (e.g. by raising some or all of the tribe
Tribe (biology)
In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...
s proposed for the former Elachistinae to subfamily status).
A significant reduction of genera has been proposed, from the current mass of 20 genera to 3. The proposition was made on the premise of several distinguishing classifications, all of which are synapomorphies. Those include genital size and presence of digitate, adult abdomen segments without dorsal spines, absence of maxillary palpi and fronto-clypeal suture, and immobile abdominal segments in pupae and larvae. Various tribes were considered within the proposition, with most differentiation coming from genital structure.
In the modern, reduced description, the Elachistidae are small to very small moths (wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
s usually around 1 cm). Their wings appear feather-like due to the fine hair covering the wings' fringes, and the hindwings can be significantly reduced in area, essentially consisting of a small strip with a wide hairy fringe. The caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s are typically leaf miner
Leaf miner
Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths , sawflies and flies , though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.Like Woodboring beetles, leaf...
s or stem miners on Poales
Poales
Poales is a large order of flowering plants in the monocotyledons, and includes families of plants such as the grasses, bromeliads, and sedges. Sixteen plant families are currently recognized by botanists to be part of Poales....
.
Genera
The genera of Elachistidae are:- Annetennia Traugott-Olsen, 1995
- Araucarivora Hodges, 1997
- Aristoptila Meyrick, 1932
- Atmozostis Meyrick, 1932
- Atrinia Sinev, 1992
- Austriana Traugott-Olsen, 1995
- Bradleyana Traugott-Olsen, 1995
- Calamograptis Meyrick, 1937
- Canariana Traugott-Olsen, 1995
- Cryphioxena Meyrick, 1921
- Dicasteris Meyrick, 1906
- Dicranoctetes A.F.Braun, 1918
- ElachistaElachistaElachista is a genus of gelechioid moths. It is the type genus of the grass-miner moth family . This family is sometimes circumscribed very loosely, including for example the Agonoxenidae and Ethmiidae which seem to be quite distinct among the Gelechioidea, as well as other lineages which are...
- Elachistoides Sruoga, 1992
- Eretmograptis Meyrick, 1938
- Eupneusta Bradley, 1974
- Gibraltarensis Traugott-Olsen, 1996
- Habeleria Traugott-Olsen, 1995
- Holstia Traugott-Olsen, 1995
- Illantis Meyrick, 1921
- Kumia Falkovich, 1986
- Kuznetzoviana Traugott-Olsen, 1996
- Mendesina Joannis, 1902
- Microplitica Meyrick, 1935
- Mylocrita Meyrick, 1922
- Myrrhinitis Meyrick, 1913
- Ogmograptis Meyrick, 1935
- PerittiaPerittiaPerittia is a genus of moths of the Elachistidae family.-Species:*Perittia andoi Inoue et al, 1982*Perittia antauges Kaila, 2011*Perittia biloba Sruoga, 1990*Perittia bullatella Chrétien, 1915...
Stainton, 1854 - Perittoides Sinev, 1992
- Petrochroa Busck, 1914
- Phaneroctena A.J.Turner, 1923
- Phthinostoma Meyrick, 1914
- Polymetis Walsingham, 1908
- Proterochyta Meyrick, 1918
- Sineviana Traugott-Olsen, 1995
- Sruogania Traugott-Olsen, 1995
- StephensiaStephensia (moth)Stephensia is a genus of the Elachistidae family of small and very small moths.-Selected species:* Stephensia abbreviatella * Stephensia armata Sruoga, 2003* Stephensia brunichella...
Stainton, 1858 - Symphoristis Meyrick, 1918
- Whitebreadia Traugott-Olsen, 1995
Several small genera recognized by some authors are here included in Elachista, as it would otherwise be liable to be non-monophyletic. As noted above, Aeolanthes
Aeolanthes
Aeolanthes is a genus of small moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea.Its relationships are enigmatic – many authors separate it in a monotypic subfamily Aeolanthinae, but there is disagreement over whether to place them in the Elachistidae, Lecithoceridae or Oecophoridae.Species include:*...
may also belong here, as the only genus of a subfamily Aeolanthinae.
Fossil record
Some prehistoric genera of Elachistidae, known only from fossilFossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s, have been described:
- Elachistites Kozlov, 1987
- Microperittia Kozlov, 1987
- Palaeoelachista Kozlov, 1987
- Praemendesia Kozlov, 1987