Galacticidae
Encyclopedia
Galacticidae is a recently recognised and enigmatic family
of insect
s in the lepidoptera
n order
. These moderate sized moths
are 8-17 mm. in wingspan and have previously been embedded within several lepidoptera
n superfamilies (Tineoidea
: Psychidae, Urodoidea, Sesioidea
and in several families of Yponomeutoidea
), but Galacticidae is currently placed in its own superfamily at the base of the natural group Apoditrysia
(Dugdale et al., 1999 [1998]; May, 2004).
Note: the superfamily was unintentionally called "Galaticoidea" in Dugdale et al. (1999) [1998].
The relationships of Galacticidae need reassessment with new characters including DNA
datahttp://www.leptree.net/Homadaula_anisocentra. The genus Homadaula looks remarkably like the yponomeutid genera Prays
and Atemelia
and some species are reminiscent of "Small Ermine" moths. Despite the spined abdominal segments of the pupae and a few other characters (Minet, 1986) some possess structural similarities to yponomeutids as well and have similar larval behaviourhttp://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_hfrr/extensn/problems/mimosa.htm so their removal from the Yponomeutoidea
has been questioned (Mey, 2004).
The family is distributed in the Old World
from Africa
and Madagascar
to Asia
, Australia
and New Caledonia
. The richest genus
is Homadaula
with eight species. The "Mimosa Webworm" Homadaula anisocentra
is a pest of ornamental plantshttp://internt.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/research-curation/projects/hostplants/list.dsml?searchPageURL=index.dsml&Familyqtype=starts+with&Family=&PFamilyqtype=starts+with&PFamily=&Genusqtype=starts+with&Genus=Homadaula&PGenusqtype=starts+with&PGenus=&Speciesqtype=starts+with&Species=&PSpeciesqtype=starts+with&PSpecies=&Country=&sort=Family, which has been introduced to Eastern North America
(Moriuti, 1963; Dugdale et al., 1999).
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of 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...
s in the 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...
n order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
. These moderate sized moths
Moths
Moths may refer to:* Gustav Moths , German rower* The Moths!, an English indie rock band* MOTHS, members of the Memorable Order of Tin Hats...
are 8-17 mm. in wingspan and have previously been embedded within several 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...
n superfamilies (Tineoidea
Tineoidea
Tineoidea is the superfamily of moths that includes clothes moths, bagworms and relatives. There are six families usually included within it, Eriocottidae, Arrhenophanidae, Lypusidae, Acrolophidae, Tineidae and Psychidae, whose relationships are currently uncertain.The Lypusidae, for example, might...
: Psychidae, Urodoidea, Sesioidea
Sesioidea
Sesioidea is the superfamily currently containing clearwing moths , castniid moths and little bear moths . There is evidence from head and thoracic morphology that the first two families, internally feeding in plants as caterpillars, are sisters, whilst some brachodids are known to feed on leaf...
and in several families of Yponomeutoidea
Yponomeutoidea
Yponomeutoidea is a superfamily of Ermine moths and relatives.-Familiae:*Acrolepiidae*Bedelliidae*Glyphipterigidae*Heliodinidae*Lyonetiidae*Plutellidae*Yponomeutidae*Ypsolophidae- Etymology :...
), but Galacticidae is currently placed in its own superfamily at the base of the natural group Apoditrysia
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...
(Dugdale et al., 1999 [1998]; May, 2004).
Note: the superfamily was unintentionally called "Galaticoidea" in Dugdale et al. (1999) [1998].
The relationships of Galacticidae need reassessment with new characters including DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
datahttp://www.leptree.net/Homadaula_anisocentra. The genus Homadaula looks remarkably like the yponomeutid genera Prays
Prays
Prays is a genus of moths of the Yponomeutidae family.-Selected species:*Prays acmonias - Meyrick, 1914*Prays adspersella - Herrich-Schäffer , 1855 *Prays alpha - Moriuti, 1977*Prays amblystola - Turner , 1923...
and Atemelia
Atemelia
Atemelia is a genus of moths of the Yponomeutidae family.-Species:*Atemelia compressella - Herrich-Schäffer , 1855 *Atemelia contrariella - Zeller , 1877 *Atemelia iridesma - Meyrick , 1930 *Atemelia torquatella - Lienig , 1846...
and some species are reminiscent of "Small Ermine" moths. Despite the spined abdominal segments of the pupae and a few other characters (Minet, 1986) some possess structural similarities to yponomeutids as well and have similar larval behaviourhttp://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_hfrr/extensn/problems/mimosa.htm so their removal from the Yponomeutoidea
Yponomeutoidea
Yponomeutoidea is a superfamily of Ermine moths and relatives.-Familiae:*Acrolepiidae*Bedelliidae*Glyphipterigidae*Heliodinidae*Lyonetiidae*Plutellidae*Yponomeutidae*Ypsolophidae- Etymology :...
has been questioned (Mey, 2004).
The family is distributed in the Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
from Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
to Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
. The richest genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
is Homadaula
Homadaula
Homadaula is a genus of insects in the Galacticidae family....
with eight species. The "Mimosa Webworm" Homadaula anisocentra
Homadaula anisocentra
Homadaula anisocentra, also known as the mimosa webworm, is a species of moth in the family Galacticidae. It is considered a pest of ornamental plants. They attack the leaves of Mimosa Albizia julibrissin and honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos....
is a pest of ornamental plantshttp://internt.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/research-curation/projects/hostplants/list.dsml?searchPageURL=index.dsml&Familyqtype=starts+with&Family=&PFamilyqtype=starts+with&PFamily=&Genusqtype=starts+with&Genus=Homadaula&PGenusqtype=starts+with&PGenus=&Speciesqtype=starts+with&Species=&PSpeciesqtype=starts+with&PSpecies=&Country=&sort=Family, which has been introduced to Eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
(Moriuti, 1963; Dugdale et al., 1999).
External links
- CSIRO Gallery. Six images.
- Tree of Life
- Natural History Museum hosts database
- http://internt.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/research-curation/projects/lepindex/list.dsml?searchPageURL=indexadv.dsml&UserID=&UserName=&SCIENTIFIC_NAME_on_cardqtype=starts+with&SCIENTIFIC_NAME_on_card=&Current_superfamilyqtype=starts+with&Current_superfamily=&Original_Authorqtype=starts+with&Original_Author=&Current_familyqtype=starts+with&Current_family=Galacticidae&Original_Year=&Current_subfamilyqtype=starts+with&Current_subfamily=&Current_rank_of_name=&Current_tribeqtype=starts+with&Current_tribe=&OriginalRank=&Current_genusqtype=starts+with&Current_genus=&ZooRegion=&Distrib=&Distribqtype=contains&recLimit=30&sort=SCIENTIFIC_NAME_on_cardLepindex Available Names]
- Pheromones of Homadaula anisocentra Accessed 13 March 2007
- Larval webs Accessed 13 March 2007
- Homadaula anisocentra resting posture from Bob Patterson's Entomology Hobby Page Accessed 13 March 2007