Hyblaeidae
Encyclopedia
Hyblaeidae are the "teak moths", a family
of insects in the Lepidoptera
n order. The two genera
with about 18 species
make up the Hyblaeoidea superfamily
, which has sometimes been included in the Pyraloidea
. However, the position of this family is currently uncertain within the group Obtectomera http://www.tolweb.org/Obtectomera. Males have a specialised "hair-pencil
" on the hindleg (Dugdale et al., 1999).
The genus Hyblaea
is distributed through the Old World
tropics and Torone, the Neotropics. Caterpillar hostplants are well known and almost exclusively the families Bignoniaceae
, Verbenaceae
and the related mangrove
family Avicenniaceae, the mangrove
family Rhizophoraceae
and a very few other families .
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 insects 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. The two genera
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...
with about 18 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...
make up the Hyblaeoidea 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...
, which has sometimes been included in the Pyraloidea
Pyraloidea
The Pyraloidea are a moth superfamily containing about 16,000 described species worldwide , and probably at least as many more remain to be described. They are generally fairly small moths....
. However, the position of this family is currently uncertain within the group Obtectomera http://www.tolweb.org/Obtectomera. Males have a specialised "hair-pencil
Hair-pencil
Hair-pencils are pheromone signaling structures present in lepidopteran males. Males use hair-pencils in courtship behaviors with females, the pheromones excreted by the hair-pencils serve as both aphrodisiacs and tranquilizers to females as well as repellents to conspecific males...
" on the hindleg (Dugdale et al., 1999).
The genus Hyblaea
Hyblaea
Hyblaea is a moth genus of the Hyblaeidae family.- Taxonomy :The genus consists of the following species:*Hyblaea amboinae*Hyblaea asava*Hyblaea aterrima*Hyblaea bohemani*Hyblaea canisigna*Hyblaea castanea...
is distributed through 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" ....
tropics and Torone, the Neotropics. Caterpillar hostplants are well known and almost exclusively the families Bignoniaceae
Bignoniaceae
The Bignoniaceae, or Trumpet Creeper Family, is a family of flowering plants comprising about 650-750 species in 116-120 genera. Members of the family are mostly trees and lianas , shrubs and more rarely herbaceous plants. As climber plants, they are twine climbers or tendril climbers, and rarely...
, Verbenaceae
Verbenaceae
Verbenaceae, commonly known as the verbena family or vervain family, is a family of mainly tropical flowering plants. It contains trees, shrubs and herbs notable for heads, spikes, or clusters of small flowers, many of which have an aromatic smell.Recent phylogenetic studies have shown that...
and the related mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
family Avicenniaceae, the mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
family Rhizophoraceae
Rhizophoraceae
Rhizophoraceae is a family constituted by tropical or subtropical flowering plants. Among the better known members are mangrove trees of the genus Rhizophora...
and a very few other families .
Sources
- Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders, edited by Christopher O'Toole, ISBN 1-55297-612-2, 2002
