Uraniinae

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox

Uraniinae phylogeny
after Lees and Smith 1991[1]

Script error: No such module "Clade".

(1) Use Endospermum as a food plant.
(2) Use Omphalea as a food plant
   and adults are diurnal.
Urapterita is not included for lack of data.

The Uraniinae or uraniine moths are a subfamily of moths in the family Uraniidae. It contains seven genera that occur in the tropics of the world.

Three of its genera (Alcides, Chrysiridia, and Urania) are essentially diurnal, although some crepuscular activity has been recorded. They are blackish with markings in iridescent green or light blue; some species have orange, gold or pink highlights. They are as brightly marked as the most colorful butterflies; indeed, they bear an uncanny resemblance in shape and coloration to some papilionid butterflies (swallowtails and relatives). They are also usually toxic, hence the bright warning colors. Cases are known where harmless butterflies mimic these toxic moths, e.g. Papilio laglaizei and Alcides agathyrsus.

The remaining genera in the subfamily are far less colorful, overall gray-brown with a light band on each wing (Lyssa) or white with brownish markings (Cyphura, Urapteritra, and Urapteroides), and mainly nocturnal or crepuscular. Despite their relatively dull colors, Lyssa species are impressive because of their large size with a typical wingspan of Script error: No such module "convert".. No other species in the subfamily has a wingspan that exceeds Script error: No such module "convert"..

Species

This list of species is adapted mostly with some rearrangements from The Global Lepidoptera Names Index;[2] it is likely to be fairly complete (as of January 2006) as including valid species for most of which distributional information is here given.

File:Cyphura geminia-Cramer&Stoll-uitlandsche kapellen vol. 2- plate 133.jpg
Cyphura geminia from Ambon Island, Maluku
File:Giant uranid moth (Lyssa menoetius).jpg
Giant uranid moth (Lyssa menoetius), Sabah, Borneo
File:Laos brown butterfly.jpg
Lyssa zampa from Laos
  • Lyssa menoetius adspersus (Regteren Altena, 1953) (Kalimantan)
  • Lyssa menoetius celebensis (Regteren Altena, 1953) (Sulawesi)
  • Lyssa zampa docile (Butler, 1877) (Andaman Islands)
  • Lyssa zampa dilutus (Röber, 1927) (Sulawesi)
File:Cydimon sloanus.JPG
Lithograph of Urania sloanus (top) and Urania brasiliensis (bottom) published in 1897; they were formerly placed in the genus Cydimon
File:Urapteroides astheniata (Uraniidae).jpg
Urapteroides astheniata from Australia

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. Lees, David C. and Smith, Neal G. (1991) "Foodplants of the Uraniinae (Uraniinae) and their Systematic, Evolutionary and Ecological Significance. Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society, vol. 45. available at http://research.yale.edu/peabody/jls/pdfs/1990s/1991/1991-45(4)296-Lees.pdf Template:Webarchive
  2. Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

External links

  • Moths of Borneo: Subfamily Uraniinae (with pictures and description of species: Lyssa zampa, L. menoetius, Urapteroides astheniata)

Further reading

Template:Taxonbar