Symmocidae
Encyclopedia
The Symmocidae are a family
of moth
s in the superfamily
Gelechioidea
. These small moths are found mainly in the Palearctic
and Africa
.
They have traditionally been considered close relatives of the Blastobasidae
, where they were sometimes included as subfamily Symmocinae. In arrangements that include the former in the case-bearer family (Coleophoridae) as subfamily Blastobasinae, the Symmocidae were usually treated as tribe
Symmocini. Alternatively, they have been united with the concealer moth subfamily Autostichinae
and sometimes also the Holcopogonidae
; in such treatments the combined group is typically removed not included in the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae) but treated as distinct family Autostichidae or Symmocidae, with the respective subfamilies downranked to tribes. Another group proposed to be a close relative is the Xyloryctinae, usually included in the Oecophoridae wherever the Symmocidae are. More recently, with additional data and molecular phylogenetic analyses becoming available, the Symmocidae are reinstated as a family in their own right, pending further study of gelechioid interrelationships.
Regardless of their systematic position and taxonomic rank, the present group is usually divided into two groups, one centered on Oegoconia and the other encompassing those genera
closer to Symmoca. The former is called Oegoconiinae or Oegoconiini and the latter Symmocinae or Symmocini, depending on whether the overall group is treated as family or subfamily. While the overall circumscription and the relationships of the Symmocidae are essentially unresolved, the Oegoconiinae-Symmocinae subdivision seems to be quite well warranted.
of Symmocidae include:
Ambloma
is sometimes placed in the Symmocinae, but others consider it a member of the Gelechiidae
.
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 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...
. These small moths are found mainly in the Palearctic
Palearctic
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is one of the eight ecozones dividing the Earth's surface.Physically, the Palearctic is the largest ecozone...
and 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...
.
They have traditionally been considered close relatives of the Blastobasidae
Blastobasidae
Blastobasidae is a family of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. Its species can be found almost anywhere in the world, though in some places they are not native but introduced by humans. In some arrangements, these moths are included in the case-bearer family as subfamily Blastobasinae...
, where they were sometimes included as subfamily Symmocinae. In arrangements that include the former in the case-bearer family (Coleophoridae) as subfamily Blastobasinae, the Symmocidae were usually treated as 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...
Symmocini. Alternatively, they have been united with the concealer moth subfamily Autostichinae
Autostichinae
The Autostichinae are a subfamily of moths in the superfamily Gelechioidea. Like their relatives therein, their exact relationships are not yet very well resolved...
and sometimes also the Holcopogonidae
Holcopogonidae
| regnum = Animalia| phylum = Arthropoda| classis = Insecta| ordo = Lepidoptera| subordo = Glossata| infraordo = Heteroneura| zoodivisio = Ditrysia| superfamilia = Gelechioidea| familia = Holcopogonidae | familia_authority = Gozmany, 1967...
; in such treatments the combined group is typically removed not included in the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae) but treated as distinct family Autostichidae or Symmocidae, with the respective subfamilies downranked to tribes. Another group proposed to be a close relative is the Xyloryctinae, usually included in the Oecophoridae wherever the Symmocidae are. More recently, with additional data and molecular phylogenetic analyses becoming available, the Symmocidae are reinstated as a family in their own right, pending further study of gelechioid interrelationships.
Regardless of their systematic position and taxonomic rank, the present group is usually divided into two groups, one centered on Oegoconia and the other encompassing those 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...
closer to Symmoca. The former is called Oegoconiinae or Oegoconiini and the latter Symmocinae or Symmocini, depending on whether the overall group is treated as family or subfamily. While the overall circumscription and the relationships of the Symmocidae are essentially unresolved, the Oegoconiinae-Symmocinae subdivision seems to be quite well warranted.
Selected genera
GeneraGenera
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...
of Symmocidae include:
Ambloma
Ambloma
Ambloma is a genus of moth in the family Gelechiidae....
is sometimes placed in the Symmocinae, but others consider it a member of the Gelechiidae
Gelechiidae
Gelechiidae 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...
.