List of moths of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of India. The invertebrate fauna is as large as it is common to other regions of the world. There are about 2 million species of arthropods found in the world, and still it is counting. So many new species are discover up to this time also. So it is very complicated and difficult to summarize the exact number of species found within a certain region.

Location of Sri Lanka

The following is an incomplete list of the moths of Sri Lanka.

Moth edit

Moths are lepidopterans that classified together with their beautiful partners, the butterflies. The two types are easily recognized by first sight with a good naked eye. The main differences are as follows.

Feature Butterflies Moths
Shape and structure of antennae thin slender filamentous antennae which are club-shaped at the end. comb-like or feathery antennae, or filamentous and unclubbed.
Wing-coupling mechanisms lack a frenulum. have a frenulum which is a filament arising from the hindwing and coupling (matching up) with barbs on the forewing. The frenulum can be observed only when a specimen is in hand. Some moths have a lobe on the forewing called a jugum that helps in coupling with the hindwing.
Pupae form an exposed pupa, also termed a chrysalis. moth caterpillars spin a cocoon made of silk within which they metamorphose into the pupal stage.
Colouration of the wings bright colours on their wings. usually plain brown, grey, white or black and often with obscuring patterns of zigzags or swirls.
Activity diurnal. nocturnal and crepuscular.
Structure of the body have slender and smoother abdomens. have stout and hairy or furry-looking bodies.
Scales possess fine scales. larger scales on their wings which makes them look more dense and fluffy.
Appearance of eyes apposition eyes. superposition eyes.
Resting posture fold their wings above their backs when they are perched. rest with their wings spread out to their sides.

Within Sri Lanka, the latest revision of lepidopterans described 1903 species with 58 families of butterflies and moths. Out of these 1903 species, 208 species are butterflies and 1695 species are moths.[1]

The family-wise number of moth species are:

Family Common name Species
Alucitidae - 11
Autostichidae - 6
Batrachedridae - 6
Bombycidae Silkworm moths 3
Brachodidae Little bear moths 6
Callidulidae Day flying moths 1
Carposinidae - 4
Choreutidae Metalmark moths 15
Coleophoridae - 1
Coleophoridae - 1
Cosmopterigidae Cosmet moths 30
Cossidae Carpenter millers 13
Crambidae Grass moths 266
Drepanidae Hooktip moths 9
Depressariidae - 2
Dudgeoneidae - 1
Elachistidae Grass miner moths 10
Epipyropidae Planthopper parasite moths 3
Erebidae Underwing moths 466
Ethmiidae - 1
Eupterotidae Giant lappet moths 15
Gelechiidae Twirler moths 66
Geometridae Geometer moths 219
Glyphipterigidae Sedge moths 14
Gracillariidae Leaf-blotch miner moths 56
Hepialidae Ghost moths 3
Hyblaeidae Teak moths 2
Immidae Imma moths 13
Lacturidae Tropical burnet moths 2
Lasiocampidae Tent moths 15
Lecithoceridae Long horned moths 95
Limacodidae Slug caterpillar moths 26
Lyonetiidae Lyonet moths 7
Momphidae Mompha moths 4
Nepticulidae - 2
Noctuidae Owlet moths 179
Nolidae Nolid moths 70
Notodontidae Prominent moths 40
Plutellidae Diamondback moths 1
Pterophoridae Plume moths 32
Psychidae Bagworm moths 36
Pyralidae Snout moths 90
Saturniidae Giant silkworm moths 7
Sesiidae Clearwing moths 2
Sphingidae Sphinx moths 55
Thyrididae Picture-winged leaf moths 21
Tineidae Fungus moths 44
Tortricidae Leaf-roller moths 174
Uraniidae Swallowtail moths 31
Urodidae False burnet moths 1
Xyloryctidae Giant micromoths 2
Yponomeutidae Ermine moths 2
Zygaenidae Burnet moths 13

Checklist of species edit

Alucitidae edit

Autostichidae edit

Batrachedridae edit

Bombycidae edit

Brachodidae - little bear moths edit

Callidulidae - day-flying moths edit

Carposinidae edit

Choreutidae - metalmark moths edit

Coleophoridae edit

Copromorphidae edit

Cosmopterigidae - cosmet moths edit

Cossidae - carpenter millers edit

Crambidae edit

Acentropinae edit

Crambinae edit

Cybalomiinae edit

Epipaschiinae edit

Evergestinae edit

Musotiminae edit

Noordinae edit

Odontiinae edit

Pyraustinae edit

Schoenobiinae edit

Scopariinae edit

Spilomelinae - spilomeline moths edit

Wurthiinae edit

Drepanidae - hooktip and false owlet moths edit

Depressariidae edit

Dudgeoneidae edit

Elachistidae - grass-miner moths edit

Epipyropidae - planthopper parasite moths edit

Erebidae - underwing moths edit

Aganainae edit

Anobinae - anobine moths edit

Arctiinae - tiger and lichen moths edit

Boletobiinae edit

Calpinae - fruit-piercing moths edit

 
Gesonia obeditalis
 
Serrodes campana

Erebinae edit

Herminiinae - litter moths edit

Hypeninae - snout moths edit

Hypenodinae edit

Lymantriinae - tussock moths edit

Pangraptinae edit

Scoliopteryginae edit

Tinoliinae edit

Ethmiidae - ethmiid moths edit

Eupterotidae - giant lappet moths edit

Gelechiidae - twirler moths edit

Geometridae - geometer moths edit

Glyphipterigidae - sedge moths edit

Gracillariidae - leaf-blotch miner moths edit

Heliodinidae - sun moths edit

Hepialidae - ghost moths edit

Hyblaeidae - teak moths edit

Immidae - imma moths edit

Lacturidae - tropical burnet moths edit

Lasiocampidae - tent and lappet moths edit

Lecithoceridae - long-horned moths edit

Limacodidae - slug caterpillar moths edit

Lyonetiidae - lyonet moths edit

Momphidae - mompha moths edit

Nepticulidae - nepticulid moths edit

Noctuidae - owlet moths edit

Acontiinae - bird dropping moths edit

Acronictinae edit

Agaristinae edit

Amphipyrinae edit

Bryophilinae edit

Catocalinae edit

Condicinae edit

Eustrotiinae edit

Euteliinae edit

Hadeninae - hants moths edit

 

Noctuinae edit

Pantheinae edit

Plusiinae - looper moths edit

Stictopterinae edit

Tinoliinae edit

Toxocampinae edit

Xyleninae edit

Nolidae - nolid moths edit

 
Ophthalmitis herbidaria

Notodontidae - prominent moths edit

Oecophoridae edit

Stathmopodinae edit

 

Plutellidae - diamondback moths edit

Pterophoridae - plume moths edit

Psychidae - bagworm moths edit

Pyralidae - pyralid moths edit

Epipaschiinae edit

Gallerinae edit

Phycitinae edit

Pyralinae edit

Saturniidae - giant silkworm and royal moths edit

Sesiidae - clearwing moths edit

Sphingidae - sphinx moths edit

Thyrididae - picture-winged leaf moths edit

Tineidae - fungus moths edit

Tortricidae - leaf-roller moths edit

Uraniidae - swallowtail moths edit

Urodidae - false burnet moths edit

Xyloryctidae - giant micromoths edit

Yponomeutidae - ermine moths edit

Zygaenidae - burnet and forester moths edit

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Koçak, Ahmet Ömer; Kemal, Muhabbet (20 February 2012). "Preliminary list of the Lepidoptera of Sri Lanka". Cesa News (79). Centre for Entomological Studies Ankara: 1–57 – via Academia.

External links edit