Oecophoridae
Encyclopedia
Oecophoridae is a family
of small moth
s 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.
Some treatments include only the Oecophorinae and Stathmopodinae here, placing the others elsewhere in the Gelechoidea (typically in the Elachistidae
, but occasionally as independent families
). But this approach might make Elachistidae highly paraphyletic. Other authors go as far as to expand the Oecophoridae beyond the delimitation used here, including also such groups as the Ethmiidae
and Xyloryctidae. The latter may indeed be part of a monophyletic Oecophoridae, but more research is required; the Ethmiidae on the other hand are more likely a distinct family. The mysterious genus Aeolanthes
is also sometimes included in the Oecophoridae (as a monotypic
subfamily Aeolanthinae), but its actual relationships are quite obscure.
Some additional genera are also treated as Oecophoridae incertae sedis
in recent studies:
. On the other hand, the family includes the White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella), a widely distributed species whose caterpillar
s infest stored grain, and the Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella), which feeds on textiles and carpets as well as stored foodstuffs. Other pest species include the Black-headed Caterpillar (the larva
of Opisina arenosella) on coconut
palms (Cocos nucifera) in India
, and Peleopoda arcanella on Elaeis oleifera oil palm
s in Central America
.
Concealer moths have also been put to useful service. Agonopterix ulicetella, a native of Europe
, has been introduced to New Zealand
and Hawaii
in an attempt to control
the European Gorse (Ulex europaeus), and the Defoliating Hemlock Moth (Agonopterix alstroemeriana) has been used against Conium maculatum poison hemlock in the USA.
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 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...
. The phylogeny and systematics
Systematics
Biological systematics is the study of the diversification of terrestrial life, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. Relationships are visualized as evolutionary trees...
of gelechoid moths are still not fully resolved, and the circumscription of the Oecophoridae is strongly affected by this.
Subfamilies
As circumscribed here, the Oecophoridae provisionally include the following subfamilies (with some significant species also listed):- AmphisbatinaeAmphisbatinae| image =| image_width = 240px| image_caption = Adult Psorosticha zizyphi| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta| ordo = Lepidoptera| subordo = Glossata| infraordo = Heteroneura| zoodivisio = Ditrysia| superfamilia = Gelechioidea...
(sometimes in Depressariinae) - AutostichinaeAutostichinaeThe Autostichinae are a subfamily of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. Like their relatives therein, their exact relationships are not yet very well resolved...
- DepressariinaeDepressariinae| image = Psorosticha zizyphi .jpg| image_width = 240px| image_caption = Adult Psorosticha zizyphi| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta| ordo = Lepidoptera| subordo = Glossata| infraordo = Heteroneura...
(including Cryptolechiinae) - Hypertrophinae
- OecophorinaeOecophorinae| 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...
(including Chimabachinae, Deuterogoniinae, Peleopodinae, Philobotinae) - Stathmopodinae
- Stenomatinae
Elachistidae
| image = Elachista rufocinerea 2.jpg| image_width = 240px| image_caption = Adult Elachista rufocinerea,demonstrating its tiny size versus an aphid and a spider mite | regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta...
, but occasionally as independent 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...
). But this approach might make Elachistidae highly paraphyletic. Other authors go as far as to expand the Oecophoridae beyond the delimitation used here, including also such groups as the 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:...
and Xyloryctidae. The latter may indeed be part of a monophyletic Oecophoridae, but more research is required; the Ethmiidae on the other hand are more likely a distinct family. The mysterious genus 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:*...
is also sometimes included in the Oecophoridae (as a monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
subfamily Aeolanthinae), but its actual relationships are quite obscure.
Some additional genera are also treated as Oecophoridae incertae sedis
Incertae sedis
, is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any...
in recent studies:
- Amseloecia
- Callimodes Leraut 1989 (Oecophorinae?)
- Colchia
- LuquetiaLuquetiaLuquetia is a moth genus of the superfamily Gelechioidea. It is mostly placed in the subfamily Depressariinae, which is often – particularly in older treatments – considered a distinct family Depressariidae or included in the Elachistidae, but actually seems to belong in the...
Leraut, 1991 (Depressariinae?)
- Minetia Leraut, 1991 (Oecophorinae?)
- Odonna
- Orienta
- Schiffermuellerina Leraut, 1989 (Oecophorinae?)
- Schiffermuellerina grandisSchiffermuellerina grandisSchiffermuellerina grandis is a moth of the Oecophoridae family. It is found in Europe.The wingspan is about 15 mm. The moth flies from May to June depending on the location.The larvae feed on bark and decayed wood.-External links:*...
- Schiffermuellerina grandis
- ZizyphiaZizyphiaZizyphia is a moth genus of the superfamily Gelechioidea. It was long placed in the family Gelechiidae, but actually seems to belong in the Oecophoridae....
(Oecophorinae? Formerly in GelechiidaeGelechiidaeGelechiidae is a family of moths commonly referred to as twirler moths or gelechiid moths. They are the namesake family of the huge and little-studied superfamily Gelechioidea, and the Gelechiidae's relationships with and delimitation against their relatives have been subject to considerable...
) - †ExtinctionIn biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
EpiborkhausenitesEpiborkhausenitesEpiborkhausenites is an extinct genus of moth in the concealer moth family Oecophoridae and containing a single species Epiborkhausenites obscurotrimaculatus...
Skalski, 1973 (Bartonian ageBartonianThe Bartonian is, in the ICS's geological timescale, a stage or age in the middle Eocene epoch or series. The Bartonian age spans the time between and . It is preceded by the Lutetian and is followed by the Priabonian age.-Stratigraphic definition:...
, Baltic amberBaltic amberThe Baltic region is home to the largest known deposit of amber, called Baltic amber or succinite, with about 80% of the world's known amber found there. It dates from 44 million years ago...
, Lithuania)
Relationship with humans
Many concealer moths feed on dead plant material and play a useful part in nutrient recyclingDecomposer
Decomposers are organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms, and in doing so carry out the natural process of decomposition. Like herbivores and predators, decomposers are heterotrophic, meaning that they use organic substrates to get their energy, carbon and nutrients for growth and...
. On the other hand, the family includes the White-shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella), a widely distributed species whose 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 infest stored grain, and the Brown House Moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella), which feeds on textiles and carpets as well as stored foodstuffs. Other pest species include the Black-headed Caterpillar (the larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
of Opisina arenosella) on coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
palms (Cocos nucifera) in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Peleopoda arcanella on Elaeis oleifera oil palm
Oil palm
The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...
s in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
.
Concealer moths have also been put to useful service. Agonopterix ulicetella, a native of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, has been introduced to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in an attempt to control
Biological pest control
Biological control of pests in agriculture is a method of controlling pests that relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or other natural mechanisms...
the European Gorse (Ulex europaeus), and the Defoliating Hemlock Moth (Agonopterix alstroemeriana) has been used against Conium maculatum poison hemlock in the USA.